Birds and Nature

As I drove out of Florence, the little town near Canon City, I spotted a pair of Bullock's Orioles foraging in a cottonwood tree near the road. I was able to get these pics from inside my car. Background is crummy as it was overcast. SeEtta

I was very surprised to see the gleam in this bird's eye which is shown so well in the top pic. So commonly this is the result of photographer's using flash, something I rarely use and did not use in these pics. This is all natural, likely from the sunlight, no artificial gleam in the eye. I mentioned in the previous post that this bird was part of the landbird migration along the river corridor. So how do I know it's a migrant and not a bird that was here this summer? There were few Bullock's Orioles in this area this summer and those in the closest nests (1/4 mile away) had already moved on weeks ago. In all the pics this bird has it's bill open--it was pretty hot and this is how birds cool off. SeEtta

Landbird migration has been in full swing this week in riparian areas in the Canon City, CO area. I have apparently been living right as this oriole flew in less than 15 feet above me providing a wonderful opportunity for close-up photos. From the plumage characteristics this bird is a female or immature. The mostly flesh/pinkish colored lower mandible (with rustyish markings) makes me think this may be a juvenile. Birds of North America online calls the lower mandible "bluish gray, dull white at tip and doesn't mention anything about juvenile birds nor could I find anything online or in my books about it. Note: I didn't do any color modification or other editing of these pics with the exception of some cropping to preserve color and shading. SeEtta

Male Bullock's Orioles, they species found here in the west, have such brilliant orange plumage, but it only shows up when you can get a pic in good light. That can be a trick since this species spends a lot of time under the canopy of large trees where their mates are nesting. These male orioles are good dads in my experience. I see them bring food first to the female when she is in the nest then to the nestlings and finally to fledglings. They seem to do their share of parenting including protecting nest sites with their loud calls, removing fecal sacks from the nest (according to Birds of North America online and accompanying some fledglings after they leave the nest (presumably to show them how to find their own food, etc). SeEtta