Update From The Oriole Ranch

As per usual there are a couple of oriole feeders out.  And the one on the west side of the porch has a trail camera mounted on the post opposite of its location.  It attracts more than just Orioles.

Male and female Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, Catbirds, Purple Finches and a Red-bellied Woodpecker for good measure.  

Some recent photos of feeder action for your viewing pleasure.  This year's crop of fledglings should be arriving in just about a week...

 

 

Report From The Oriole Ranch

Backyard bird report.

 

It would appear that the redwing blackbirds have left for the season. Same for the tree swallows. Off to southern coastal states, Mexico and Central America. 

 

Bluebirds are still around. With the recent rains the robins are picking-about in the yard. Cardinals, hummers, king birds, catbirds, and goldfinches are everywhere. It's been another banner year for indigo buntings and with all the dead and dying ash on the landscape woodpeckers rule the world around here.

 

The orioles are still hanging-around but they're not long for this neighborhood and will be departing before too long. And the porch camera will likely be redeployed somewhere in the woods.

 

Photos from this last week and prior.....

 

 And check-out those hydrangeas in the background!

Update From The Oriole Ranch

Business here at the Oriole Ranch has been slow of late.

 

When the orioles first arrived - activity on the feeders was fast and furious. The hungry migrators were intent-upon gorging on fruit and grape jelly.

 

With the orioles raising their broods their feeding habits have switched to abundant high protein insects and insect larvae as they rear their young high in the tree canopy. They continue to visit early and late in the day - but only sporadically.

 

 

Predictably, by July the adults will return with their fledglings to introduce them to the decadence of grape jelly and oranges. 

 

This is always a hoot because the fledglings will find a perch and beg mom or dad to feed them. By the time they’ve figured out how to feed themselves the orioles beat it out of Dodge to wing their way to their wintering grounds.

 

Last to arrive and first to depart. 

 

Baltimore in the foreground - red-bellied woodpecker in the background

In the interim, the red-bellied woodpeckers continue to come around to indulge their sweet tooth.  With all the dead and dying ash on the landscape the resident woodpecker population has soared to record numbers.

 

Side Note:  Indigo bunting sightings continue to grow year-over-year.  Uncommon a dozen years ago nowadays they are a daily delight.  I've learned that the  prior year recruiting class of this species have a tendency to return to within a half-mile of the location they fledged.  We suspect we've slowly but surely encouraged a localized population to take hold.

 

Who knew?

 

A few more action shots...

 

 

 

 

 

Update From The Oriole Ranch

As per usual there are a couple of oriole feeders out.  And the one on the west side of the porch has a trail camera mounted on the post opposite of its location.

Male and female Baltimore Orioles, Indigo Buntings and a red-bellied woodpecker for good measure.

Some recent photos of feeder action for your viewing pleasure...

Update From the Oriole Ranch

With the arrival of the orioles on May 10th activity on the feeders was land office brisk.  The hungry migrators were gorging on high energy fruit and grape jelly. 

 

Business recently has been quiet.  The orioles haven’t entirely disappeared - but their feeding habits have switched.  As they rear their young high in the tree canopy they're now dining on the abundant high protein insects and insect larvae.  

True to form, in July the adults will return with their fledglings to introduce them to the decadence of grape jelly and oranges. 

That return is always a hoot because those fledglings will find a perch and beg mom or dad to feed them. By the time they’ve figured out how to feed themselves the orioles beat it out of Dodge and depart for their wintering grounds.

Last to arrive and first to depart. 

In the interim, the red-bellied woodpeckers continue to come around on a daily basis to indulge their sweet tooth. 

 

With all the dead and dying ash on the landscape the resident woodpecker population has soared to record numbers.

 

Update From The Oriole Ranch

The month of May brings the return of our Baltimore and Orchard Orioles.  And arrived  a week late on May 10th.  This was accompanied by the return of the Orchard Orioles and followed by the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds,  Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Catbirds and Indigo Buntings.

A new trail camera was mounted on a porch post with a clear view of the feeder.  I call it the oriole cam.  Triggered by motion it captures images of birds visiting the feeder without the presence of a human. 

Here are some recent photos from last month.

And stay-tuned for more to follow this summer...

Baltimore orioles

 

 

 

Orchard oriole

Indigo bunting

Downy Woodpecker (male) 

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Oriole

 Ruby-throated Hummingbird

 

 

 

Round-up At The Oriole Ranch

Anecdotally, I've gotten the impression that the bird action at the ranch this year is slightly slower than prior years.  As evidence of this I would submit that the consumption of grape jelly is lower and slower.  And with the exception of their earlier arrival there have been no Gray Catbirds at the feeders.

What he have seen in the past week includes:

A male Indigo Bunting

A Red-Bellied Woodpecker

And an adult and immature male Baltimore Oriole