Look who showed up, the Hooded Orioles!
It is cause for celebration when these raucous, rackety, bickering-beauties show up each spring to spend the summer.
I so look forward to another season of their antics. They make scrub jays seem shy, quiet and retiring by comparison!
The Black Headed Grosbeaks arrived with the Orioles.
They are much shyer birds but hopefully they will assert themselves a bit more with the orioles this season.
These birds have such powerful beaks they can crack sunflower seeds in one chomp!
They seem to be arriving in greater numbers which is encouraging.
The Bullocks Orioles are new arrivals at The Holler this year. They are less assertive than their hooded cousins and can be identified by the black stripe across their eyes.
The California Thrashers live at The Holler year round, and stay mostly on the ground where they run around in such a hysterical, late-for-a-date-state, they are hard to photograph.
I think this one was stunned into temporary paralysis by the sudden arrival of all the spring competition which enabled me to finally get a few clicks of him!
Cheers to you from the still arriving Holler Birdies~
Some of your might like to listen to these birdies vocalizations:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Oriole/sounds
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-headed_Grosbeak/sounds
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bullocks_Oriole/id
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/California_Thrasher/id
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How gorgeous, Cindy!! Cher xo
Ahhh, so glad you think so!
I sure do!!! Perfect Spring birdies!! 🙂
<3
Gorgeous crowd! (The Thrasher does look high strung and a bit “I’m late. I’m later ” like a character in Alice and Wonderland)
“I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date!” Just what the thrasher is like! They crack me up~
They are so colourful, Cindy.
Leslie
Aren’t they beauties! The thrasher is plainer but he makes up for it with his completely comical personality~
It must be fun to watch them cavort.
Leslie
I think I’ll be packing my bags and heading your way, although I’m quite sure I would arrive with mouth agape, and stay that way lol You live among such beauty!!! Thank you, again, for sharing these amazing photos!!
Ahhh, thank you so much more for appreciating these sweet little birdies! <3
So beautiful… especially the little guy that is happily enjoying his orange.
It is a big thrill to have a new oriole variety! I am hoping we may get additional new bird species~
I am not the biggest fan of birds, more out of fear than anything, but they can be very beautiful. If you get new species, I’ll definitely be by to look at the photos!
Thanks to you, even nearsighted people like me can enjoy the spring birds.
Ahhhh, so happy I could bring them up close and personal to you!
In living color too. God bless you!
🙂
Fantastic♥
The colors are amazing on them! Beautiful captures 🙂
You are a thougthful friend Andy and I am pleased you enjoy them!
Thank you for sharing the beauty of these little ones 🙂
Fantastic captures!
Merci beaucoup mon ami!
You are very welcome!
My gosh, what a plethora of pretty birds! Spring has definitely sprung in your neck of the woods.
Just started with a bang! I am going to keep count this year of the different number of bird species we get this season.
so vibrant, great pics
Thank you and happy you enjoyed~
Wow! Great pictures of these cute birds. I am guessing some of them are quite small when comparing to the objects near by.
The only moderate sized bird is the Thrasher. He is about 10 inches tall I’m guessing…..
Stunning photos showing your love for our feathery friends. Wonderful post, Cindy.
They make the very best neighbors!
They are such colorful birds…wonderful photos!
Yay! Thank you and so glad you enjoyed them~
What lovely photos of beautiful birds.
Awww, you are a good friend Timothy!
Your photography makes every bird look like a Bird of Paradise! Fantastic.
Awwww, the birds supply the beauty. I am just their dutiful documentarian~
Happy for your new arrivals, Cindy! And they all seem to be stunning beauties!
The thrasher is probably the least flashy, but they are awesomely fun birds~
Marvelous!
Thank you sweet Bette!
Pretty.
Grazie~
Cindy, do you ever find Orioles drinking nectar out of the hummingbird feeders? This is a common sight here. They’ll perch at the top and hang their bodies down so their beaks can reach where the nectar comes out. This tilts the feeder just right – so that they can guzzle down nectar comfortably. Good thing we keep plenty of nectar to go around!
Lovely photos once again. There’s nothing like the sight of birds with all these striking colors and patterns to signal that springtime is here! 🙂
Yes, the orioles will do this, until you give them their own specially designed feeder. This they mob and chatter at in glorious flashes of yellow and black. Then the grosbeaks will come and drink out of the orioles feeder. So you supply them with sunflower seeds. You just wait for the goldfinchs because they will share with the grosbeaks. The wood peckers and blue jays will show up later, just to see what all the commotion is about. I can’t wait to see what new species show up this season. Cracking up…..you do see where this will lead you! 😀
Now we have a box for the owls away from the songbirds and hummingbird nest boxes away from everything. The orioles weave their own awesome hanging nests. It is an audoban preserve out here. We even have a species of woodpecker that is seriously endangered and not even supposed to be here. They peck on the owl box while the owl hides inside. The hawks just shake their heads and keep flying.
Yes, I see! So many beaks to feed! Thanks for all the information on how to handle this. 🙂
You’re so living my dream Cindy. Some day I plan to live out in the great outdoors so that I might have a greater chance to see all those rare species.
I hope you do it. I know you would love it. But if you have an oriole drinking nectar from the hummers feeder, consider going to amazon.com and buying an oriole feeder pronto. They move on post haste. You can have orioles on this feeder, and they are just seriously fascinating birds to watch. Get the feeder with the grape jelly and oranges accomodation, it is like crack cocaine to them. Then you can observe the hummers filching nectar from the orioles feeder and you will be certain many things are just right in this world. <3
Oh wow! Just amazing!
You can’t imagine how happy I was to see the first orioles and grobeaks. I’ve been waitng for them!
They are so beautiful.
Where can I get my orange hoodie?
I think if you wore that here, you might be getting some amorous attention from a confused oriole, or six.
I’m jealous of their luminous feathers. 😉
What gorgeous colours! You do know how to take excellent nature shots, Cindy. 🙂
Awwww, thank you.
I love your photos, Cindy. It looks like spring for your feathered friends.
These guys are ready for family fun in the sun!
What terrific images!
Ahhh, honored, thank you~
Do you ever get any “Baltimore” orioles there, Cuz, or is that just too far for them to go??? Ha ! 🙂
We don’t, but never say never! I can’t wait to see what new species show up this season. I think The Holler is in the groove with the migrating birdie community. They’re talking, sort of a, “Check out this lady, she has the the sickest (best) buffet you have ever seen. You gotta go there…” Laughing~
Stunning photos Cindy. You must have a super long fast lens?
We get the black headed Grosbeaks here and I just love their songs. They are still a month out from arriving. We feed them black oil sunflower seeds. Never thought to put out fruit for them! Cheers ~ Rhonda
Yes they will eat fruit and drink nectar, but their ultimate prize, as you know, is black oil sunflower seeds. Gosh they are delightful birds. So happy you get to know them.
Awesome birds, so beautiful, and I’m sure just as much fun to watch while photographing.
I have the screens out of my windows in my office, and even when it’s cold, I have the windows open. I play the Cornell lab bird songs on my laptop to whatever species is here. I swear sometimes they seem like they will fly in the window. They want to find their singing birdie friend. The hummingbrds monitor it all. They seem amused and curious. For me, this is just a ton of fun!
Fun and so educational. There’s so much new stuff to learn about birds as there are so many different species.
A welcoming journey!! Lovely captures, Cindy.
Thank you Rebecca. They are such excellent friends.
We could learn a lot about community from our winged friends!!!
We not only could, we should! <3
Beautiful babies😍
Aren’t they wonderful! <3
What a beautiful birdie. I love her color. They are so full of life. Thanks for sharing, Cindy <3
Thank you more for appreciating them my friend~
You’re very welcome, Cindy 🙂
Monica
<3
<3 :star:
amazing ..so colourful..and such a beautiful day..spring is here..I wish you a wonderful time Cindy <3
Visa versa 2UX2! <3
… Love these photos, Cindy. ….. and I thought the orioles was a baseball team!
Laughing…..at least they have a oriole mascot!
I love the pictures and the way you talk about the birds.. indeed they are the essence of our lives.. Chirping of birds makes me feel there is a life so unknown out there,, secrets of nature I am yet to explore….
I agree with you wholeheartedly, a day without bird song would be a day without joy~
Wish I could see them in person but your superb photos make me feel I am right there.
Ahhhh, that is so nice! Thank you~
Awesome birds! Your pics are stunning. Thanks for sharing.
I am just grateful you like them & cheers to you~
Quiet the collection of orange!
Definitely gets my attention!
They are the jewels of the nature!
Beautifully said Maiko~ <3
Yay for these migrating beauties – wonderful detail.
Any friend of the birdies is a friend of mine! <3
Wunderschöne Aufnahmen, Cindy !!! Der 1. Vogel ist der Pirol. Er lebt auch hier in meinem Tal in der Schweiz. Der 2. Vogel muss eine Art Bergfinken sein. Sie fliegen im Winter von Skandinavien nach Mitteleuropa. Den 3. Vogel kenn ich nicht. Liebe Grüsse Ernst
Ja du hast Recht Ernst. Es gibt zwei Sorten von orioles hier und der letzte Vogel ist ein Thrasher. Ich liebe, dass wir einige der gleichen Vogel haben! Vielen danke mein Freund~
Cindy you’re photos are absolutely stunning! The vibrancy and clarity are a delight! That last pic of the California Thrasher is so cute. Looks more like a poser than a bewildered bird. “-)
These birds are gorgeous,Cindy 🙂
Beautiful birds, Cindy. In northeastern Ohio we used to see the Rose Breasted Grosbeaks. 🙂 — Suzanne
What a wonderful treat to see these beautiful birds. Thank you so very much.
Amazing, amazing. Are those half-oranges on top of a Hummer feeder or is that a special feeder itself? Interesting.
Are you still using the Sony HX-300? Is it hand-held or tripod mounted for shots like these? Did I say amazing? I see Sony has a new RX 10 III. They like to make zoomers.
You are very kind Johan and yes, those are oranges. Orioles love oranges and grape jelly. You have to time placement to right when they are migrating over you or they will just keep on going. If you keep up the feeder they will build their woven, hanging nests all over your property. I have a rule to never photograph active nests because I do not want to spook the nestlings. I have the Sony HX400 now which is essentially the same with a couple of improvements. The newer Sony’s are tempting to me, but my camera is a good workhorse with up to 1200mm of zoom so I haven’t yet switched.
One of my favorite birds! When we lived in the country they would always come to my hummingbird feeders. I even put out oranges with jelly for them 🙂
Of course you did. Orioles love oranges and grape jelly! At the grocery store, in midsummer the checkers always commment, “Wow, you sure eat alot of grape jelly, oranges and sugar!” 😉
You rarely get to see detail like this. Nice one Cindy 🙂
Ahhhh, much appreciated!
I’m going back for another look Cindy – these are amazing shots!
That makes me happy! Thank you & cheers Mary~
Thanks for sharing. We are still waiting for the seasonal songbirds to arrive. I love the birdfood dish — very beautiful.
Yes, we are waiting for goldfinch and whatever else may show up. It is so wonderful here with all the birds in spring. I found the best feeders to be glass birdbath bowls I buy at Amazon. They are inexprensive (the one’s I buy) and I have one for mixed seeds and dry fruit and one with water. The birdies are eating and drinking in them all day!
Lovely. How do you keep the squirrels from “hogging” all the feed?
Really vibrant and beautiful and if that doesn’t just take the biscuit. 🙂 🙂
You are a good friend Graham & thank you~