Somebody's Birdbath

 
Can't access my camera pictures tonight. Need a new card reader. So I went hunting for a pretty picture you haven't seen yet.

Here's a nice female oriole taking advantage of a bird bath (from 2016). Not mine, although I do see more birds using mine this year, which is awesome!



This computer switch is no longer kicking my butt. However, there is still a lot of drudge work to do, and then re-creating the files I lost. Sigh.

	See Oriole, Oriole
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The Local Critter Count

 
Here's some of the local (in back of my house) wildlife of the past week. Nothing new, although one of them did something new.

First up is a female widow skimmer dragonfly. I actually got really good pictures of both the female and male in 2011. So, if you want to see them better, follow the link below and click on the thumbnails.



Next, we'll do the plain old whitetail deer. Lots of them, but they do have a certain charm (until they eat all my plants).



The dead branches at the top of one of my aspen trees is a favorite spot of the birds. Today, a flicker took advantage of the perch.



Now it's back to the insect world. This one is a little creepy, but interesting. This is a bracken fern covered with rose chafer beetles. These are annoying brown beetles that will eat certain plant leaves so fast you can almost see things defoliate. They love roses, but also hollyhock and birch. Well, I guess they also like bracken. At least for mating. The ferns in this area were black with pairs of beetles. That's better than all over my rose bush. They don't bite, but they fly and they tickle when they land on you.



Finally, the oriole. Not that this is a great picture. It's not. But it's the solution to my mystery singer. For weeks, there has been a bird here singing twitter, twitter, cheep, cheep. Over and over and over. I could not identify it or find it. I asked real birder friends. I tried to record the sound (with no success). At long last, yesterday, I heard the singer, saw it fly to the aspen, shot a picture and wow. It's the oriole! This is the first time one has ever stayed to nest around my house. I hope I can find the nest this fall to show you.

He wasn't doing a typical song for an oriole, but they are highly variable. I did find a similar one on youtube, so I'm really sure it's my mystery bird.



Saw two sandhill cranes today too. The bird I have not seen or heard this year is the meadowlark. Seems odd. They have always been dependable regular visitors.

In other news: I did some things for the Writers' Rendezvous and wrote two chapters in The Bigg Boss. Also made more rhubarb granola. This batch has more rhubarb, and I like it. I have a trip coming up. Not far away, but I'll be gone nearly a week. I think I'll be able to blog though. Stay tuned.

	See Widow Skimmers See Northern Flicker
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Oriole, Oriole

 
Last night, right after the rain, a bird with a lot of color parked itself in the dead branches at the top of one of the aspen trees. I couldn't quite tell, in the odd after-rain light, (until looking at the pix on the computer) if it was just a robin, although it didn't act very robin like. It's an oriole, but it wasn't acting much like an oriole either, I didn't think. They usually hide a lot in the leaves. Sing their heads off, but don't flaunt that color out in the open.



However, he perched and preened there for quite a while.



When I drove in the driveway this evening, look who was in the same place! He let me get much closer tonight. Never flinched nor fluttered. Very odd. We've never had one stay and build a nest. I wonder if this one is thinking about it.



Today was one of my days to volunteer at the Shagway Arts Barn. It's open, but the season hasn't really gotten going here yet, so after helping shift things around to accommodate a wedding that will be there this weekend, I had a lot of free time, which I put to good use. I finished chapter 5 of The Bigg Boss. I also made yogurt- earlier, before going out to Shagway.

	See Mrs. Oriole
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Baltimore Oriole

 
So many quality things are happening, it's hard to decide what to share. Loretta gave me a gift certificate for plants as a present, and the weather was gorgeous today, so I gardened. But those pictures can wait.

I want to share with you the great show given us by the Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula. They come through almost every spring, sing for me and move on. They were in Loretta's yard last night because she has a hummingbird feeder, which orioles love. (Not to mention oranges and grape jelly!) These are the best pictures I've ever gotten. And you get a story, too.

Om and I pulled into Loretta's driveway and Mrs. O poked her head out of the lattice that covers the space under the deck. Seemed like an odd place for an oriole to hang out, to me.



She moved to a planter, and WOW, Mr. O appeared.



Now, don't go thinking they might build a nest under there. That's not their style at all. They hang a basket from a branch- that and their color give them the nickname "Fire Hangbird."

Back to the story. Pretty soon the female went to the railing. Can't believe bird feet can get much purchase on that pipe!



The male followed, again, but he liked a post better.

He spent some time having a treat at the feeder, and then they flew off to the trees. Loretta says they were still there this morning. It would be awesome if they built a nest near her.

This isn't a great picture, but I like it because of the motion. So you get one more.



P.S. still in fine print. The antibiotics are working, but things are not right yet. Hike plans with a tentative green light, but it's got to be better. Can't hike like this. Food is not my friend. Managed to eat about 1/2 c. white potato, 1/4 c. applesauce, 1/4 c. sweet potato, 2 strawberries, and 4 small bites of lemon cake all day.

	See Northern Oriole- A Lucky Shot
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Northern Oriole - A Lucky Shot

 

As I was taking my morning walk with Maggie I caught just a glimpse of a bird flying into one of the old apple trees on our property. It was too far to even tell what it really was, except I knew it wasn't one of the regular visitors to my kingdom.

I aimed the camera and had a chance to take one single picture before the bird flew away! I couldn't wait to get inside to see whose picture I had taken and if it was any good.



What do you think? I'm pretty happy! It is a female Northern or Baltimore Oriole. The experts can't decide which name they want to call it. Anyway it is Icterus galbula. Lots of people easily recognize the males for the shocking orange color with black wings and head. As you can see, the females aren't as brightly colored. Orioles like open woodlands, shady lawns and river corridors.

They are often seen at hummingbird feeders, and if you put out cut orange halves in the spring you are very likely to have some really good views!

	See Meadowlark - A Glimpse See Springtime In and Near My Kitchen
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