Saturday, December 21, 2013

Another Driveway, Another Stakeout

This morning found us standing in another driveway waiting for a bird.

This time the bird in question was a bullock's oriole. A bird that shouldn't be anywhere near here this time of year. But a bird that has been showing up at a feeder in Pottstown, Pennsylvania between ten and eleven every morning this week.

Bullock's orioles are birds that breed in the American west and that spend their winters in central and southern Mexico (range map can be found here).

But this is the fourth winter that this bird has decided to head north and east and spend the winter in Pottstown. In the same back yard. Visiting the same feeders. And watched by birders in the same driveway.


Patty had tried several times earlier this year, back in January, but dipped on the bird. But like clockwork the bird returned. And birders reported it was back. Thus the stakeout.

Patty was first to spot the bird, as it flew into the bush by the feeders, alerting the small group waiting to its arrival.


Ignoring the other feeders, it only goes to this one, pretending to be a hummingbird.


It didn't stay long and as we were sitting in the car to stay warm I didn't get any really good shots. It visited the bush twice and the feeders once. Of course once I set up may camera on the tripod it stayed away. We waited a bit longer and then bid the other birders adieu. And despite the traffic on the Schuylkill, we made it home in time for lunch. Not a bad morning.

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