The Little Story
I found an unusual feather. My mom, the source of all things birdy in our household examined it and pointed out the orange tip. Had it been the yellow-dipped tail feather we might have had to look it up, but the waxy orange appendages left no doubt it was a cedar waxwing wing feather. That was about 50 years ago. Recently I read the wax tips can indicate sexual maturity, since the older birds tend to have more of these bright appendages. Pretty handy if you are in a large flock and everyone is wearing the same mask. 
 
See Monday Movie 69 for more about these birds nesting in my garden: