Hello everyone, I have been feeding birds for about 10 years now at my home in Connecticut, about 4 years ago I put out my first Oriole feeder and to my delight multiple males and a female visited it regularly that first season. I was fully hooked and looked forward to seeing them the next spring. Year two was pretty good but nowhere near as good as year one, I would see a single male a few times a week for a month or 2. Year 3 I put out my setup again and saw exactly 1 Oriole the entire year. Needless to say I was pretty disheartened but hoped it was just a bad year. This season I started on April 1st and put out not my normal 1 but 3 Oriole feeders all over my yard. One in the middle of my lawn, one closer to the house by a bird bath with a bubbler and one close to my woods line. Nothing... not a single Oriole, I keep the jelly, nectar and oranges fresh which is a mildly annoying task, especially when you don't get any orioles to show for it. Plenty of cardinals, red bellies and downys seem to enjoy the jelly but I could easily placate them with an easier to maintain type of feeder. Am I doing something wrong? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Newbie disheartened Oriole fan (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter kbush85
- Start date
MelospizaMelodiaFan
I photograph birds
Welcome!
Hi, welcome to the forum on behalf of the staff and moderators. I think you will find us a friendly and helpful group. I fed hummingbirds and orioles for years when I lived in SE AZ. Some years I was inundated and some I rarely saw any. Sorry, can’t help much more than that.
I feel your pain...I've tried putting half-oranges out here in Mass. and never had any luck. I gave up on trying to feed them. I've learned a lot about birding the last few years - the number of birds varies a lot from year to year on my property.
When I've gone out at 6-7 AM this May and last May, I see only a couple birds outside of the usual locals like chickadees, titmouse, catbirds, sparrows, etc. 3-4 years ago, I had two amazing springs seasons in a row. I would go out at 6 AM before leaving for club birding trips and I'd see 8-9 warbler species and 3-4 Baltimore Orioles in the trees around my yard in 10 minutes of birding. Mostly in the tops of the oak trees eating bugs (my lot is all White Pine and Oak).
I'm not sure what's going on, I assume they are taking more inland migratory routes the last couple years. This year is not good, in the last couple weeks I've seen only one Yellowthroat, one yellow-rumped, and one black & white warbler and no Orioles. There are always tons of Pine Warblers in the white pines. My solution is to do some more birding tours in some of the larger parklands nearby. The volunteer guides in my club are excellent and we always ferret out way more good birds that I can find myself. If you try right after dawn (6AM) you might find some Orioles in the high tree tops around your yard.
When I've gone out at 6-7 AM this May and last May, I see only a couple birds outside of the usual locals like chickadees, titmouse, catbirds, sparrows, etc. 3-4 years ago, I had two amazing springs seasons in a row. I would go out at 6 AM before leaving for club birding trips and I'd see 8-9 warbler species and 3-4 Baltimore Orioles in the trees around my yard in 10 minutes of birding. Mostly in the tops of the oak trees eating bugs (my lot is all White Pine and Oak).
I'm not sure what's going on, I assume they are taking more inland migratory routes the last couple years. This year is not good, in the last couple weeks I've seen only one Yellowthroat, one yellow-rumped, and one black & white warbler and no Orioles. There are always tons of Pine Warblers in the white pines. My solution is to do some more birding tours in some of the larger parklands nearby. The volunteer guides in my club are excellent and we always ferret out way more good birds that I can find myself. If you try right after dawn (6AM) you might find some Orioles in the high tree tops around your yard.
That is actually very encouraging! I loved the idea that maybe since they found out about my yard now they would be a yearly guarantee. But it sounds like maybe it's a little more chance and luck then that. I will just take it year by year. Thanks!
Hi kbush and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. Sorry, I can't be of much help at all - you seem to be doing things right on the whole and have given them a choice of sites to feed at. Good luck for the future with these pretty orioles.
I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.
I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.
That is very interesting! It would be awsome to know if there was some sort of cause/effect for those migratory patterns that would allow it to be semi predictable. Its funny that you mention doing more outside the yard birding to make up for it because I have found myself doing the same. I found a bunch of Orioles in neighboring parks and walking trails near my house in the last week or two. That almost made it worse for me though because I know they are around and just not coming to my yard hahaha. I tried to lure them back with promises or jelly and oranges but I had no takers.
Hi and welcome to BirdForum.
Rich
Rich
Hello and welcome to the forum, enjoy and all the best.
People have suggested that hawks may be working a certain area at times and that clears out the songbirds - it's a good theory. Maybe some hawks have nested right around your property this year.
jmepler
It's just a flesh wound.
One thing to be aware of is their change of diet in the summer. Once they start nesting they feed (and feed their young) on high protein invertebrates. At this point your offerings of sweets is much less attractive to them.
What Do Baltimore Orioles Eat? (Diet, Behavior and Habits)
What Do Baltimore Orioles Eat? (Diet, Behavior and Habits)
LynnAllen02
Member
Have you tried the Merlin Sound ID app? It heard my Orioles long before I ever saw one!
LynnAllen02
Member
BTW, this is my first year watching birds at all!
