The Neighbours

Cedar Waxwing, Tylee Marsh

Silent Visitor — Cedar Waxwing at Tylee Marsh

Spring on the Milles Îles reveals itself in the subtlest of movements—whispers in the reeds, quick flashes of wings, and the shimmer of life returning to the water’s edge. Among these quiet messengers is the Cedar Waxwing, clad in silken tones of caramel and smoke, with a waxy splash of scarlet and the dipped yellow of a brushstroke’s final flick.

Here, perched against the cool grey of still-bare trees, it surveys the thawing world with knowing stillness. There are no blossoms yet, no ripened fruit—but it knows to arrive early, to glean from what stirs first: insects drawn to warmth, swelling buds promising sweetness to come.

This image captures more than a bird. It captures a pause—between winter’s last breath and spring’s first exhale. A reminder that beauty often arrives before the feast, and that sometimes, the watching is its own reward.