Our Welcome Visitor

One of my favorite harbingers of spring, the hooded oriole, makes its annual migratory stopover from Mexico to our garden in Bonita, California. They are found throughout the U.S., from Texas to California. The males have a yellow-orange hood with black on the face and throat and white wing bars, but the females have a drabber olive-green body with yellowish tints on their breasts and bellies. We used to have a giant mulberry tree that bore honey-sweet, off-white berries and the orioles would tarry long enough to get their gustatory fill. Unfortunately, the tree was planted too close to our driveway, and it became necessary to cut it down. I was afraid the the orioles would have no other reason to visit our garden, but they found other delicacies such as our flowers and insects and have stayed for a spell. Ornithologist Ghislain Rompre from Scotts, also suggested I cut some oranges in half as well as provide nectar in an oriole feeder. This weekend I plan on providing the suggested supplemental sustenance. My neighbor has several Washington fan palms and I saw several hooded orioles flitting in and out of the palms. Hopefully, with the abundant food I supply and the shelter of my neighbor's palms, the orioles may remain long enough to build their nests and raise their young before flying on their migratory path.