The Hooded Visitor

Everyone rises early in Borrego...some of us before sunrise. ( The best time of day. ) Lately, I have been looking out the window at the Tecoma, now in full bloom. It seems, I'm not the only one loving the bright orange-yellow blooms. Orioles have been visiting it like clockwork...5 AM, to be exact!

Each summer we see the birds and often I have tried to capture them on film. They never stay in one spot for very long and seem to move around in jerks and quick jumps from branch to branch. I think they like the palms in our garden ( they often make nests in palm fronds ) but, now, I am wondering about why they seem attracted to this particular plant. Could it be the color? Or, perhaps, the nectar from the flowers? Hooded orioles feed on insects they find on leaves and from flower nectar. I guess this plant offers both!

They also seem to love ocotillo flowers, as do many other species. But, the Hooded oriole is such an eye catcher...a flamboyant vivid flash that almost takes your breath away. We just love to have him as a visitor. In the past. I have cut oranges in quarters and strung them from a wire in a tree. They are attracted to those juicy slices, too.

The photo in the blog was taken through two panes of glass...both dirty, but this time, at least, I got a picture of that "wont sit still a second" bird! And speaking of dirty windowpanes, Borrego recently lost a beautiful person who captured all our hearts...a sweet soul and a good friend to many of us. She operated the village window washing service and, oh, how we miss her!