Saturday, May 9, 2015

LOVELY FLAME

Hush! 'tis he! My Oriole, 
my glance of summer fire…
—from “Under the Willows,”
by James Russell Lowell

Soon after moving into this streamside cottage, one of the first things I noticed was the pair of Baltimore orioles who'd hung their nest in a towering sycamore directly across the river from the front deck. Of course, orioles are pretty hard to overlook, especially males, with their gaudy orange-and-black plumage…a bird which looks like a jaunty, living flame. 

Not to mention their loud, flute-like whistles! In both sound and sight, Baltimore oriles are made to be noticed!

Naturalist Mark Catesby named the Baltimore oriole after George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, who visited Virginia in 1628, and was so delighted by the song and appearance of the many orioles he saw along the way that orange-and-black became the official heraldic colors of the Maryland colony. The baseball team took it’s name from the city and its colors from the state bird.

Audubon wrote vividly of days filled with orioles and their songs when he was exploring on both the Mississippi and Ohio rivers—the “thousand musical voices coming from neighboring trees,” and the gratification he experienced “upon sight of the brilliant birds.”

Baltimore orioles, while not exclusively a riverine species, certainly love to build their "hanging basket" nests along Ohio's numerous pastoral streams. I long ago lost count of the number of such nests and their parenting birds I've spotted while wading the brooks, creeks, and rivers for smallmouth bass—many suspended from overhanging sycamore limbs 20 or more feet above the water. Orioles songs have kept me well entertained when the fishing was slow.

Lord Baltimore's colorful bird is easily one of my favorite birds, and a cheery riverside companion.        

8 comments:

Out To Pasture said...

Very interesting about Lord Baltimore getting naming dibs. And an excellent description of the flaming colour. Each Spring I'm lucky enough to have them here as well. (Not the gentry but the birds.) A treat for both eyes and ears. Another excellent post. Thanks yet again. Cheers.

Moonmuser said...

So pretty. Takes me back to days of riding my bike or driving in the country in my youth in Miami County and being struck by how beautiful they were--and plentiful --and hearing the lovely, busy, happy sounds they made ..it felt good to be alive just because of their presence!

Grizz………… said...

Out To Pasture…

A treat, indeed, and one I've been enjoying this afternoon as I relaxed a few hours on the deck—reading, enjoying the sunshine, listening to the water's purl and those lovely orioles across the channel. I expect you understand exactly.

Grizz………… said...

Moonmuser…

They're still plentiful, at least they seem to be along the streams. I saw or heard several yesterday and the day before when out on my photographic rambles. And you called it exactly right—their whistled songs are happily busy, and their projected mood contagious.

Gail said...

HI GRIZZ - beautiful images - love the vibrant yellow. We have a few Baltimore orioles about. Just a few. I loved learng about their heritage and roots. Yo are a plethera (sp) of amazing information. (How's that for a new word - I thought I spelled it correctly, hmmmmmm) Any way I hope you have a wonderful celebrating Mother's Day. Skipp made 2 quiche, scallops wrapped in bacon, oysters rockefeller and we have a small glazed ham and date nut bread w/whipped cream cheese - bloody mary's, memories and love. Amen.
And Happy birthday my friend
Love to you
Gail
peace......


Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Thank you for the birthday wishes. And it sounds like I should have come to your place for a birthday meal instead of going to Chuy's, this pricy new chain Mexican place, last night, where service wasn't good, with several missed orders and a revolting foot-long red hair inside my fish taco. Uggggh!

Myladylove and I drove over Indiana earlier this afternoon and had a couple of pretty good cheeseburgers, though—so all was not a disaster.

Gail said...

Hi - big EEEEEWWWW on the red hair. Glad the cheeseburgers were worth the trek :-)
Love Gail
peace.....

Grizz………… said...

Gail...

Yup, that was pretty much everyone's reaction. Dinner was, at that point, definitely over.