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Birdwatching
with Phyllis Yochem
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Tuesday, August 1, 2000
Pair of western species joins the troupe of orioles in town this time of year
Hooded orioles don't usually go north of Kingsville, but two are nesting at Gardens
In spring, during migration, we expect to see Baltimore orioles and Bullock's orioles, and handsome little orchard orioles. An unexpected pair of hooded orioles has been seen this summer at the Botanical Gardens.
Orioles are members of the troupial family, yellow-green birds that gather in large flocks, or troupes. There are 22 members of this New World family in North America. They are remarkably diverse in color, size and behavior. Sexes are usually unlike, the male being more colorful. Other family members are red-winged blackbirds, meadowlarks, grackles and cowbirds.
Western birds
Most adult male orioles are bright black and yellow or gold. Immatures and females are yellow-green. Hooded orioles are a western species found along the coast of California, and down into Baja California. They are also along the western edges of Arizona and New Mexico, and on the southwestern border of Texas down into northern Mexico and in south Texas.
They are not unexpected in the Rio Grande Valley, sometimes straying as far north as Kingsville. In Corpus Christi, they are unusual. No orioles regularly nest here. Their tree of choice is the palm tree. Nests are woven under flat palm fronds so they will be sheltered from both hot summer sun and showers (in our dreams).
I went late one afternoon to try to find the pair that had been reported at the Botanical Gardens. The Gardens were still beautiful in spite of the drought. I had been told the birds were near the entrance, close to the visitors center. A shaded walkway extends around the entrance and to the back of the building. Here Mexican pink coral vine entwines with other vines, including one with fragrant white blossoms and a blooming passionflower vine.
New nesters
To one side, a water garden with an inviting seat called me to sit and test its therapeutic and meditative joys, but I pressed on to the hibiscus garden, watching for any activity I could detect around palm trees along the path. At the entrance to the greenhouse, a volunteer told me the birds had attempted to make a nest in a papaya tree outside the door, but a high wind had blown it down. He showed me the cuplike, woven fragment. I suspect this was an attempt by inexperienced young birds to nest for the first time.
As I started to walk across the parking lot, a flash of yellow-green submerged itself in a small live oak tree. It was being pursued by grackles. I managed to glimpse it as it continued to the preferred shelter of a palm tree. It appeared to be a first-summer immature hooded oriole.
Another day, having heard again that the birds were still there, I made another attempt. This time a pair moved about the same area dashing from oak to palm then behind the greenhouse. I think the appearance of this bird can be placed in a category with other out-of-territory species that have appeared here this year.
Phyllis Yochem, a Corpus Christi
resident, has studied birds of Texas since 1960.
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