Please tell me it means Spring is Here!

For the past two days, there have been thousands of Oriels in my yard, the ones with the orange chest. They are making so much noise, I can't even hear the traffic.

Does that mean Spring is near? I sure hope so.. What a sight to see, even our cat is hiding from them. I'm afraid to go out and try for a photo, they may leave and I don't want them to go yet.

I forgot to mention that they are on the tallest trees and one of the FruitLess mulberry trees doesn't have leaves, so they look like decorations on the tree. The other trees are tall summer pines, even the doves have come into the yard to watch them or to stay safe.

Oh yes!!!!!! Yippee!

Oh I was so hoping that is what it mean't. I've never seen so many in my life. I wish I could take a photo of the noise., DH just called and he could hear them over the phone.


Do you get many out your way? There were several redwing blackbirds too... I love them..

This message was edited Mar 4, 2009 5:02 PM

I have never seen a male Redwing Blackbird at my home but have seen a female on very rare occasions. I get several kinds of Orioles at my home but never more than a few at a time. I envy you!!!

Went to a feed store for birdseed today and the guy said that he has bluebirds nesting at his house down in a river valley!!! Spring is here!!! Out of 11 boxes, there are 11 nests!

That is great Gourd!

Be sure to report your sighting to Journey North when you figure out what type of Oriole they are.

Here is the page for Bullock's and Baltimore Orioles. The report key is at the bottom.

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/current_spring.html?layers=oriole_sighted

oooh, what a great sight there pelletory,

I just went over and reported the sighting, they are the Baltimore and one interesting thing that I found out there on that site, is that I've also had the Bullock's Orioles during the summer, they always drink out of the hummingbird feeders and empty them out pretty fast, I always wonder how they manage to hold on to those feeders, they are pretty large birds and usually land up up-side-down.

They are lighter in color, unless they are something else and that is entirely possible, since I know almost zero about identification of birds.

Awesome Gourd, I would love to see a photo!! Spring is a comin!!

pictures, we need pictures!!!!

Hi Gourd, That sight along with the Hummingbird site are in thSticky thread with the hummingbird on the front.

Yes! I can't wait to see yellow Goldfinches, Orchard orioles, Yellow-breasted Chats, Indigo Buntings, Martins, Bluebirds, etc. I love Spring migration!

Birds migrating to our area at the moment will have a tough time finding something to eat except in feeders. titmice & mourning doves are calling though.

I think the birds are landing in the fields here to eat worms, when the irrigation is on, they stop by the hundreds and eat the drowning earthworms (I think), i'm not too sure though. I barn swallows come back here too, last year they had two clutches in the nest they built the year before. I see them eating all the bugs and this year had to cut off fishing line off one of the babies that was trying to fly away. Then, I cleaned the nest and found one that was strangled with the fishing line, I don't know where they got that to put inside the nest. I'm glad my GD spotted the line on his foot.

This morning there are lots of black birds, I don't know what they are, the trees are full of them, I don't see red anywhere, but I'm looking out the window and can only see them on the tree, no details.

It is really neat, there is one redwinged blackbird that stays all summer here, and he comes and drinks out of the birdbath and he also bathes, then he eats from the feeders, but what I really like is his song, it sounds like he's saying "See Ya!) I know it's him before he gets here, cuz I can hear him saying that.

It is strange that yesterday there were so many, do you think that they were indeed all redwinged blackbirds? Several had the red under the wing, I did not make sure they all did, because I assumed they all hung around together.

I googled the female and I've never seen one of those, if I have, I probably didn't know what it was.

I don't know what is outside now, they are all black and making their bird noises and I can hear them loud and clear.

Once the irrigation goes down, they will stop at the next fields to drink, so I won't see birds for awhile. We get some neat cranes (both white and some gray ones).

Thank you guys for listening to this rambling. I will try to take photos next time. I tried to take one this morning through the window, but I don't think they came out well.

A.

If the black birds have yellow bills, they probably are starlings.

I always see huge flocks of migrating birds when driving the highway. Of course they are so far away that I am never aware of what they are. It would be nice to have a really powerful set of binoculars!

Birthday coming up for binoculars?

nah, gotta wait for December!

If people trade in their old ones, JUST because there are new ones, you might be able to get a bargain. I find that my small ones work well enough, leaving the heavier one for DH to use.

I need a pair also. was gone all day, so didn't get a chance to see the birds today.

They may have been starlings. I've got to start noticing these things.

Please send some Orioles our way, Gourd! We live not far from Baltimore, and have never seen a Baltimore Oriole in our part of Northern Virginia. I hear that they are fond of grape jelly. Then, too, perhaps if we got ourselves an oriole feeder, it would help.Oh, and PLEASE don't send any Starlings: we have enough of those already. LOL

Orioles seem fond of our tulip popular blossoms. That is where we see them here, although we can hear them call from different directions. We lived in CT in the 60s with 5 trees 7 they were constant visitors.

wbbirdwoman, I wish I could have sent you some..

They've left the building! lol.

but, the redwinged black bird is living in the tall summer pines, so I'm happy he and the dove's all get along. There are so many finches here too, some have red heads and orange heads, the darnest things I ever saw.

Titmice more chatty.