I think there are a few young orioles that tried to get a few more fun summer days in and didn’t leave when the rest of the orioles headed south as I had a group of three at the feeder a few days ago and a single oriole this morning. With the cooler temperatures, these youngsters passing through better get headed to their warmer winter home.
Stray Oriole
Although the month of August isn’t over yet, some of the birds have already left for the season which signals the approach of autumn and then winter. The oriole, grosbeak and wrens sounds have vanished from nature’s orchestra but the chips and fast buzzing of wings are still present for the moment. Although the ruby-throated hummingbird males seem to have headed south already too and they can fly over 1,200 miles without stopping. The juveniles and females leave a little later but soon they will disappear too until next spring.
Waiting for Departure
There were bats flying around the evenings I was looking at the comet and I was glad they were out eating mosquitoes but I enjoyed seeing this bald eagle more as it soared across the sky before landing in the tree. The eagle was doing some calling after it landed.
Bald Eagle Calling
When I was up to Lake Superior last month, this bird was dashing around a marshy area as I drove past it but it stopped long enough for me to get a picture of it.
Bird Perching
There were people out fishing today on this hot holiday Sunday, although it might have been cooler to be in the water than on the water. I don’t know how many fish these guys caught but the osprey has a large mouth bass in its claws.
Fish Caught
Last evening during the rain, three hummingbirds were peacefully sharing the feeder for several minutes until a fourth one showed up and chased two away. One remained behind for a few more drinks while the others continued in the chase. Today I had one guarding a feeder and would chase any approaching hummingbird, even though she wasn’t drinking herself. She perched about ten feet away and kept a constant watchful eye for any other hummingbirds encroaching her feeder.
On Guard
The birds feathers might have been ruffled a bit this morning when their bird feeder was missing from it normal spot. Although it was near the same area, the feeder was closer to the ground after the bear snapped the pole last night. I made enough noise so the bear left, but I waited until morning before patching the pole back in place and refilled the feeder with seed.
Missing Feeder
I know the orioles around my place are not color blind, but they apparently are prejudice of color as they will take the white strings and rarely take any of the red strings for nest building. Even the blue jay came and took the white strings. It is funny to watch them often grab more than one string before flying off to their nesting site as seen in the video I took a few years ago.
Taking Strings
The returning birds seem to get the most attention right now, but some of the year-round birds add some color too as the cardinal stands out against the green grass as well as a backdrop of white snow in the winter. Their red adds to the rainbow of colors at the feeders and add their songs to the spring chorus.
Cardinal on Green Grass
My bird feeder had some new color today although most of the birds weren’t sharing so it was a revolving scene of color. The oriole was displaying its orange color as it rested on top of the feeder as the red cardinal was trying to land, but soon was replaced by the goldfinch and the black, red and white of the grosbeak. But a flash of blue caught my eye as an Indigo Bunting flew up from the ground to the feeder. With a cheerful song, it is sometimes called the blue canary.
Indigo Bunting
