7 replies to this topic

[threeofhardts]

...well, I don't anyway. This male Baltimore Oriole came to the suet feeder several times this morning and ate a bit. I don't recall ever seeing them eat suet before. Anyone else?

(I apologize for the poor pic quality...it's a screen capture from an extremely short video I shot.)

[cwj2323]

Neat picture! We've been seeing the Baltimores around, but none at the suet yet. We don't have the blocks up right now, just the plugs.

I have noticed the wings are predominately white, like yours are. We did not see that earlier in the year.

[dklucius]

i don't get the baltimores here but i did post several photos of Bullocks orioles eat suet a couple weeks ago

[dklucius]

here is the male bullocks on the suet block

[threeofhardts]

cwj2323 ~ I noticed the large amount of white on his wings, too. He looks different than what I'm used to seeing.

In years past, the Baltimore Orioles only stayed in my neck of the woods for a few weeks in May. These past two years I've had two pair raising young and several of them are still hanging around. (I'm not sure if these are the younguns, the adults, or both.) At one point yesterday morning there were 5 of them at the grape jelly feeders. I had grabbed my camera to get a shot of it but by the time I had it ready, they had flown off. That's when I saw this one at the suet feeder. He kept coming back but never stayed long enough for me to focus the camera for a good shot.

dklucius ~ I'll look for your photos. This was a first for me. If I remember correctly, that particular suet cake had oranges in it. Maybe that's what attracted him.

[dklucius]

when i saw a bunch of orioles and grosbeaks taking turns on the suet feeders it was just after i had made a new batch of suet and had heated up a part jar of honey that had sugared and added it to the mix. i have had orioles before eat suet but not as many as that time. Note my Bullocks have left for the year. Headed south i guess. but still have lot of grosbeaks hanging around.

[dklucius]

here is another photo with a young bullocks female and several young blackheaded grosbeaks eating suet

[threeofhardts]

Great picture dklucius! I have the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks that visit my suet and regular feeders. I saw one this morning that I believe to be a youngun. Not much color and the rose part of his breast was very faint. I should have tried to get a picture.