With another new coating of snow overnight, winter continues on but the birds were singing loudly this morning and even a little cheerful. The warmer temperature and sunshine might be the reason to their cheerfulness but the smart birds were the ones that left their summer resort home and found warmer lodgings. The oriole’s nest still shows signs of the ice earlier in the week but otherwise seems a might cozy yet.
Abandoned Oriole’s Nest
Cooler temperatures have finally arrived after an unusual hot summer. It finally is cool enough to spend time outside watching birds again but some birds have already left for the year. I guess the snow is coming soon since the wrens, grosbeaks and orioles have disappeared in the last week.
It was a special year for watching orioles as one built a nest with some of the red strings I had put out and it was low enough to the ground that I was able to mount my camera on a long pole and by turning the video on, I was able to peek inside the oriole nest and see what the eggs look like. It was the first time I saw oriole eggs and later I found a ladder tall enough to peek in the nest at the babies.
I spent one day putting the babies back in their nest but it was apparently their escape day as they didn’t stay long in the nest and I was trying to watch out for them so they didn’t get eaten by the stray cats. But apparently they survived without my help as the feeder was full of baby orioles last week, apparently filling up for the trip south. I sure will miss their bright colors until they arrive back next May.
Colorful Oriole
