Cedar waxwings are a pretty common bird, all things considered, and it shouldn’t have taken me–what–three years? of birding to FINALLY spot one, but I somehow never managed to be in the right place at the right time.

Until today, when I went to get the mail, and there it was, just as described, a female cardinal with a softer crest, wearing too much mascara.

Hot damn! It’s a good day.