Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Female Baltimore Oriole

I saw this Baltimore Oriole on May 14, 2014 along the boardwalk at Magee Marsh. A male Baltimore Oriole was much higher in the canopy of the tree flaunting his brilliant orange feathers, but this little female, understated in faded orange, was just as sweet, and she came in closer…

Female Baltimore Oriole, Magee Marsh, Toledo, OH (5-14-2014).

A female Baltimore Oriole studies a caterpillar before gobbling it up. Orioles also eat berries and even drink nectar from fruit blossoms.

I think it's hard to tell juvenile and female Baltimore Oriole's apart. Since this was early May, and most Baltimore Orioles don't return to Lake Erie until the first week of May, I assumed this was a female. Nest building starts soon after they arrive, and most babies fledge in late June and early July. 

Females build beautiful hanging nests. If you're in Cincinnati, you can often find a nest at Lake Isabella. I've seen nests there, and in the autumn, when the leaves fall from the trees, you can find the remnants of the summer's nesting activities! Click here for a photo of an oriole's nest.





This post is for Aunt Diane and Curg, whose spark bird was a male Baltimore Oriole they saw at Armleder Park (aka Armendinger Park) in Cincinnati, OH.

p.s. I'm enjoying our cooler weather. It was 49 degrees this morning, and I just had to go in and get a fleece-lined flannel shirt so I could continue sitting outside while I write this post.

12 comments:

Sue said...

Lovely photos, Kelly. What a sweet gal. We have some come up in the spring, but they disappear soon after.

Roy said...

Great shots. Kelly! We have them around here, too, but they stay so high up in the canopy it's hard to get a decent shot. Cool here this morning, too. It almost feels like September!

Janice K said...

Beautiful pictures, Kelly. Both the male and female are so marvelous to see.

Things around here are kind of back to the same old gang of birds except every once in a while I have a couple red-breasted grosbeak at my feeders. I think they must of gotten left behind when the rest of their family moved on; because they left a long time ago.

Kathy A. Johnson said...

I don't think I've ever seen a female Baltimore Oriole before--only a few males. She's a pretty little thing.

So jealous of your cooler weather. It's oppressively hot and humid here, with no end in sight. I'm trying to think cool thoughts!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful captures. I saw a male BO hanging around here for a while, but I couldn't entice him to stay, though I offered nectar, jelly and oranges.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful series of shots of the pretty female, Kelly. Earlier this summer I was watching an oriole nest at a local park. Their nests fascinate me.

Interesting to hear that it's chilly down there in Cincinnati too. Up here in the Detroit metro area we're feeling like fall already. I actually turned the furnace on for a few hours the other night to take the chill out of the air!
~Kim

Banjo52 said...

A great composite portrait of her in her world.

Tammie Lee said...

so lovely to see your intimate portraits of these beauties!

it was 47F this morning and i agree, it felt wonderful amongst the heat of day temps.

Kelly said...

...thanks everyone!

We've had a few warm days, but nothing above the mid-eighties. I'm continuing to enjoy this cool summer!

Montanagirl said...

Gorgeous shots of the Oriole! I have several of them coming to my grape jelly feeders.

Andrea Moberly said...

I just came across your blog after trying to identify a spider we saw along a zoo habitat tonight (turns out, if your-and my-identification was correct, its a banded garden spider!). What lovely photography. I will be following along to see what you find :)

E said...

Beautiful, from the hand of God and your art. Abrazos