Baltimore Oriole Feeding

It's been a slow spring.  By my records, wildflower blooms and migrating birds are at least three weeks late arriving.   So, I have been busy with a massive revision to my photo file, but it was not my first choice.  Yesterday I saw a good clear and calm morning that was perfect.  And, nearby apple trees were finally coming into bloom. I've always seen good numbers of birds in the flowering trees, but I have never been able to determine what they were feeding on.  Were the Baltimore Orioles somehow getting nutrition from the flowers themselves?  After all, it is common for people to put out orange halves and dishes of grape jelly for orioles.  Is there also nectar in the apple blossoms for them?  Well, I came home with a series of four colorful images that answered my question.

This colorful male came into my view at the top of a large apple tree that had just come into bloom.

 He began probing in the open blossoms.

 Soon his beak emerged with a caterpillar.

He shook it a bit and then it was up and in with a little flip of his head.  Down it went.

So, the answer is that the Baltimore Oriole was there for the high protein caterpillar.

The tree was alive with other birds including Redwing Blackbirds, Gold Finches and warblers.   The larger birds tended to be in the outer parts of the tree and also towards the top. The smaller birds were mostly in the denser parts.   They were more difficult to track.  There was one Tennessee Warbler that sometimes ventured to the edges.  Take a look at him.

There is a small caterpillar in the the tip of his beak.  He was there for the same thing.

Now, it is dark and misting.  Back to the computer.

Best,

Paul Schmitt