female Baltimore oriole

I love the nest of the Baltimore Oriole. Woven like an intricate basket, it suspends freely in the shelter of leafy branches. The winds and rain of late spring can batter it and knock it about, but it is fastened so well, it remains in place.

I love to pass under the oriole nest on a warm summer day as it sways gently in a breeze and rocks the hatchlings as they sleep. I have an image in my mind, perhaps from a passage in the book Indian Boyhood, by Charles Eastman (native name, Ohiyesa), of a papoose child-carrier swaying in a soft wind from a low branch in a tree while the mother worked nearby. I think of this image when I see the oriole nest, certain that indigenous people learned from and imitated nature.

Above and below are photos I took today of the mother oriole at the nest.

The two photos below are of the father oriole at the same nest today. Like most male birds, his colors are richer than the female.

In my observation, the male and the female are equally involved in the care of the nest and the offspring.

I haven’t yet seen signs of the baby birds, but I suspect they are in this nest either as eggs or tiny hatchlings! I hope to have an update and more photos in the next couple of weeks!

(Click on an image to enlarge and then scroll through all photos in this post.)

As the rain fell in torrents the past week, the orioles must have been busy despite the wind and rain. Two of their nests are on the far side of the pond. I’m excited about the nest above as it affords great visibility for the camera and me to potentially capture great photos.
We’ll see!

The picture above has visceral impact on me. While the photo is not a prize winner, the image shows me what I often see in and among the leaves and branches in springtime. This female Baltimore oriole is dancing the dance of nature, attracting her partner who is a few branches above. Her color tones blend with the not fully unfurled leaves of this tree. She is colored like her world, yet stands out to a watchful eye who can’t help but see the beauty of her open wings and fanned tail. This picture hits me in the chest with an emotional wave of “it’s springtime and the earth is in renewal.”

But while she dances for her mate, she also is busy preparing her nest. Above, you can see her and the work she’s instinctively done for her children, with her mates help.

This year there are more Baltimore orioles than I’ve ever seen before at the pond. I don’t know the reason why, what’s drawn them to the pond. But they can be seen almost constantly. The image above is typical. The male bright and lively in the foreground, the female not quite so obvious in the background. I am excited, anticipating the new generation, which will come along soon!

Tag: female Baltimore oriole

Male and Female Baltimore Oriole and Their Nest

The Beautiful Baltimore Oriole