Sunday, August 7, 2016

Bullock's Orioles (and others) on the Tuolumne River Parkway

Once you've identified them the first time around, you start seeing them more often. I saw a Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) a bit over a week ago on the Tuolumne Parkway Trail in Waterford, and then the other day I got a look at more of them. Mama was apparently feeding a young teenager in the fig trees that arch over the trail. I'll have to enjoy them while I can. In a few weeks they'll be migrating south for the winter.
A few moments later I saw a male Oriole a few yards away up in the cottonwood tree, but should have realized it was actually a Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus). The yellow head is the giveaway. That of course makes me wonder if I misidentified the female and juvenile too, but my impression is that the bills aren't curved enough to be Hooded Orioles, and they have too much white coloring on their breasts. I'm open to correction!

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