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…
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| Female Baltimore Oriole, Magee Marsh, Toledo, OH (5-14-2014). |
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| A female Baltimore Oriole studies a caterpillar before gobbling it up. Orioles also eat berries and even drink nectar from fruit blossoms. |
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| 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.
Lovely photos, Kelly. What a sweet gal. We have some come up in the spring, but they disappear soon after.
ReplyDeleteGreat 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!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, Kelly. Both the male and female are so marvelous to see.
ReplyDeleteThings 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.
I don't think I've ever seen a female Baltimore Oriole before--only a few males. She's a pretty little thing.
ReplyDeleteSo jealous of your cooler weather. It's oppressively hot and humid here, with no end in sight. I'm trying to think cool thoughts!
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.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful 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.
ReplyDeleteInteresting 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
A great composite portrait of her in her world.
ReplyDeleteso lovely to see your intimate portraits of these beauties!
ReplyDeleteit was 47F this morning and i agree, it felt wonderful amongst the heat of day temps.
...thanks everyone!
ReplyDeleteWe've had a few warm days, but nothing above the mid-eighties. I'm continuing to enjoy this cool summer!
Gorgeous shots of the Oriole! I have several of them coming to my grape jelly feeders.
ReplyDeleteI 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 :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, from the hand of God and your art. Abrazos
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