Paletta Park, Burlington, ON. May 3rd 2021. I skipped breakfast to visit this park before promised rain moved in. It wasn’t really the approaching rain that drove me so much as the knowledge that if I didn’t go and look, I’d be wondering all day what I’d missed. (FOMO – Fear of missing out.). And if I am there and it turns out to be a big bird day, well then, I’m there.
I walked around the park a couple of times and could hear a few Baltimore Orioles singing loudly as always, a brief phrase of a dozen or so clear notes, but I could not see them. It was maddening and discouraging, maddening because surely they were right in front of me, but discouraging because some recent middle-ear problems mean that I am not sure I trust my hearing to pinpoint a sound source.
This, May 3rd is THE day for Baltimore Orioles’ return, few species are as dependable about their check-in date. One or two always show up in the last week of April, it happens and I disregard them as aberrations. They should know May 3rd is their day and we expect them to be as reliable as Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. So, I was happy to have heard them on their appointed day, but hearing is only half of it, seeing one soon became my morning’s mission. I dashed home for a quick breakfast turned around and came back.
My return trip (rain still approaching) was more rewarding. I managed good looks at a few more migrants: Yellow–rumped Warblers, Ruby–crowned Kinglets and shy Swainson’s and Hermit Thrushes in particular. The high-overhead, rambling songs of Warbling Vireos made me feel warm right through, it is a song I associate with high summer, just hearing it made it My Bird of the Day. A few minutes later I had the added bonus of a watching a couple of Blue Headed Vireos. Regular readers will know I have a thing about vireos so I was really pleased to remake both acquaintances.
But I was still in pursuit of the oriole and to cut a long story short I did eventually meet with success and got a for-the-record photo. Here it is.
re going out birding BEFORE or AFTER breakfast..I love your way of thinking Peter👍Always enjoy your way of writing-entertaining and informative at the same time. And of course your photos are beautiful.
Congratulations on the Oriole- my oranges are out, but no takers yet. Lovely shot of the Vireo.
Hi Peter:
So glad you had your Oriole sighting. We had one at our feeder last Saturday, May 1. Probably on its journey to visit Burlington. Just the very short visit and not yet returned.
Do you only get Baltimore Orioles? Ever see a Bullocks up your way? I think you might be at the top of the range for Bullock’s. Nothing is more maddening than hearing Orioles and not be able to see them at the tops of the trees. I ❤️ the song of the white-eyed vireo.
Only Baltimores & Orchard Orioles here. And we only very rarely see White-eyed Vireos, only Warbling, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated, Blue-headed and Philadelphias. People sometimes expect me to have a favourite bird, if really pressed I’d probably go for Blue-headed Vireo – but Blue Jay is up there too.
It’s hard to have a single a favorite bird. I “think” mine is a Meadowlark. I love their song, this is kind of dark, but I would love for the last sound I hear on earth to be the sound of a Meadowlark singing.
Maybe dark – but a nice thought. I mean, how many of us have picked our bird song finale? I’m going to work on it. Swainson’s Thrush is a heart-stopper !
A fellow birder sent me a pic of a baltimore yesterday in her backyard coming by. Funny as it seems right on time. Didn’t realize they usually come so early in May! As for vireos, I have seen the blue-headed up in Algonquin quite a few times but not around here (Haldimand) yet, or haven’t noticed them.
Congrats on your recovered birding success this day! I look forward to seeing more migrants out there this week too. I remember the first time you told me that Baltimore Orioles would show up exactly on May 3rd, it was years ago, and I thought it was simply magic when they did. And that same day, we also marvelled over a Blue-headed Vireo in a low shrub at the top of the Hickory Valley Trail in the RBG Arboretum too. I like that they are just brave enough to get a nice look at often. No matter how busy the day, your posts bring on a smile! Thank you.
Thank you Peter for these. Strangely we saw a Baltimore early way too early in late April but I think he headed back . I look forward to his return.
We enjoyed seeing the bluebirds in the arboretum yesterday
Moly Johnson was singing bird songs at the
PIBO fundraiser last night . Blackbird and when the swallows come back to Capistrano