A Glimpse of a Scott's Oriole

EDITOR'S NOTE: I have been reliably informed that this is NOT a Scott's Oriole, but instead is a black-headed grosbeak. My apologies for the misidentification, and I will be redoing the video and the entry on the Photography page soon. January 14, 2018

Scott's oriole, Camp Verde, Arizona, May 3, 2016

On May 3, while I was visiting in Camp Verde, Arizona, a male Scott's oriole visited my hostess's feeders just long enough for me to take a little video and some photos. I'm finally editing all my photos from that trip, and here's the latest Filming the Feathers video. The photos below are included in the video.

The Scott's oriole is about 9 inches from beak to tail, and loves insects, fruit, nectar, and apparently sunflower seeds and peanuts. It is found all over Arizona.

A Roadrunner in Arizona

I spent a week at the end of April/beginning of May in Arizona. While in Camp Verde, I got to see my first greater roadrunner on May 3, the last day of my trip, in the backyard of my hostess's house. It was a thrilling sight. I took a little bit of video and as many photos as I could in the short time the bird visited.

Before I saw the roadrunner, one of the cats I shared the house with was playing with a little snake. I took some video of that. When the cat moved away, in came the roadrunner to grab the stunned little snake.

I grew up watching Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner cartoons. This was my first chance to see a roadrunner. I didn't see a coyote, or any Acme logos anywhere. Maybe next time.

I did a short film of the roadrunner, which I've added to the Filming the Feathers collection of Silly Videos by Susan Kirby. I set it to music by Debussy. It's very short!

These photos are in the video, but I like putting them here as well.

Suppertime at the 116

There are a pair of red-tailed hawks that established a nest this year at 116th Street and Riverside Park. They have two eyasses, and I've been watching them from nesting time to now. On May 29, we got to see Mama bring in a squirrel (we think dropped off by Pops) and feed the kids. The video is very long, but so much fun to see the kids. Skip around if you get bored (the Vivaldi music is always good to hear).

I also went to see the hawks at St. John the Divine, Pale Male's nest and the 72nd Street fledgling. I'm including those pictures here, too. You can see Octavia and the two eyasses on the nest looking at Pale Male, who is on a nearby rooftop. Then you'll see the 72nd Street Mama on a building on West End below her fledgling, who is about 15 floors above on the balcony railing. Apparently the father has been missing, presumed dead, and the other eyass died as well in that family.

Good times and bad for the red-tailed hawks in New York City this year.