Dozens of flocks of colorful Cedar Waxwings have arrived in Isham Park in Northern Manhattan for their annual feasting of the Juneberry trees (Amelanchier is the scientific name, or serviceberry). The festive occasion takes place during late May and early June and lasts as long as the bright red berries are consumed.
While Cedar Waxwings can satisfy their fruit-loving habits in other New York locations, the small collection of trees in this relatively small city park seems to draw a high count of birds.
I have few notes to add to a previous post on the event. Cedar Waxwings are North American migrants. Eastern birds spend winters in the southeast U.S. and south into the Caribbean. They eat fruits from all sorts of fruiting bushes and trees. They also consume insects on the fly.
Cedar Waxwings are a delight to behold. The morning sun accentuates the glow of their yellow bellies. I’ve painted three of them to help me keep up with my summer reading list.
Three Cedar Waxwings. Water-soluble graphite and watercolors on Hahnemühle watercolor bookmark pad. May 2026.
See the Artwork page for more examples of my bird art.
One new note – there have been so many of them this year! Checking the trusty sources on Cornell Lab’s All About Birds, Cedar Waxwings may be growing in population. While many bird species are threatened, these birds may be benefitting from a “reversion of fields to shrublands and forests and the use of berry trees such as mountain ash in landscaping.“ (Source)
I watched the waxwings in Isham Park for several mornings this past week. They perched in close groups of a dozen or more and took turns raiding the berry trees. Cedar Waxwings can consume the berries in one gulp. They are known to go overboard and become intoxicated, resulting in some fatalities. I didn’t see any tragedies unfold, but I did observe a handful of satiated and sleepy birds.
Other species of birds have been crashing the gathering. Eastern Kingbirds, American Robins, Northern Mockingbirds, and finches (see also the 2024 event posting) seem comfortable amidst the waxwing throng. None of these waxwings seem particularly concerned with a human presence.
Cover: Cedar Waxwings! May 31, 2026. 6:32 a.m. Isham Park, Northern Manhattan, New York City.
Isham Park is located in the Inwood neighborhood of Northern Manhattan bordered by Broadway, Isham Street, Seaman Avenue, and West 214th and 215th Streets. It’s within easy walking distance of the last northern stop on the A train.
June 2026 Sightings page
Stay informed with any new arrivals on the June 2026 Sightings page.
Recent posts
- Field Notes from the 2026 Cedar Waxwing Gathering in Isham Park
- Birds in the Garden of Eden: A Field Trip to Untermyer Park and Gardens in Yonkers, New York
- An Evening Walk with a Great Egret, and Spring Migration Report
- Birds on the Forest Floor: Ovenbird and Veery
- A Flurry of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Flickers Flickering, and a Great Egret Returns
Birds of Inwood 
Comments welcome!