This morning Howard Youth and I birded Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in the  
rain.  Howard is back for a short visit from Ecuador.  
 
While on the boardwalk, we observed a small flock of Cedar Waxwings and  
then noticed that one had an orange tip on the tail.  Others in the group  had 
the usual yellow tip.  Sibley says this variant tail is "presumably  diet 
related."  Perhaps this bird was feasting on the world famous  Anacostia 
River crustaceans.
 
The weird thing about this from my perspective is that I had just read  
about this variant in Sibley on Sunday, after viewing a very large flock of  
waxwings along the C&O Towpath.
 
I wonder whether others have observed the variant in this area.
 
Bob Mumford
Darnestown
 
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