Oriole Madness at Desert Botanical Garden!

It was absolute Oriole madness last week along the Wildflower Trail at Desert Botanical Garden! 

High up in the ironwood trees four female and two male Bullock's Orioles exercised their acrobatic skills as they foraged on the yummy blossoms from every conceivable angle.

Other birds of interest seen at the Garden last week include a Hooded Oriole, a Black-Headed Grosbeak, a Chipping Sparrow, nine Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, two migrating Warbling Vireos, and several warblers including Lucy's, MacGillivray's, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Gray, Townsend's, and Wilson's. To stay up-to-date on bird sightings at Desert Botanical Garden, see Diana Herron's DBG Birdwalk Birdlists page.

Remember it's summer hours at the Desert Botanical Garden, it opens now at 7:00 a.m. through October 1st, and for members only the Garden opens at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Photos by Peggy Thomas

More Flycatcher Action at DBG!

Ash-throated Flycatcher perched high in a Palo Verde tree along the Wildflower Trail.

Too many bird-papparazi for the Flycatcher, he's outa here!

Bullock's Oriole stretching out to reach for
the best bud or bug.

 Desert Botanical Garden's Monday Morning Bird-walk started off with a bang. An Ash-throated Flycatcher made an appearance in the Wildflower Garden as well as a bright orange Bullock's Oriole.  In typical Oriole fashion, he remained high in the upper canopy of the trees, making it nearly impossible to get a clear shot.

A whole lot of nesting activity is still going on throughout the Garden.  The Verdin are very active building nests, Phainopepla are feeding their fledglings. and one of the female Roadrunner's is sitting on her nest.

REMINDER:  DBG opens at 7:00am starting May 1st, this Thursday!  It will open even earlier, for members only, on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 6:00am. 

A Verdin couple deciding where to place a nice fluffy down feather in their nest.

A female Greater Roadrunner tucked tightly into her thorny nesting spot, tail-feather up!

A busy Phainopepla mom flies off in search of berries to feed her fledglings.

Look closely and you'll see a female Phainopepla
with a fresh picked berry in her beak.

A very happy bee collecting pollen in the poppies.

A Round-tailed Ground Squirrel eying all the yummy wildflowers.

Photos by Peggy Thomas

Mystery Oriole at Desert Botanical Garden

Taken by Jeff Stemshorn, morning of May 16th, 2012, in the Wildflower Garden at DBG.

Spotted just days ago by photographer Jeff Stemshorn at the Desert Botanical Garden, this possible Baltimore Oriole seems way off course.  Is it really a Baltimore Oriole who took a wrong turn, or is it a first-year male Scott's Oriole?  Or is this a Bullock's x Baltimore hybrid?

According to Desert Botanical Garden birdwalk leader Diana Herron this might be a first for the Garden!

Anyone care to venture a guess as to what species of Oriole this could be???

******Update*******

On May 22, 2012,  AZFO confirmed Jeff Stemshorn's sighting as being a Baltimore Oriole!  "Rare migrant.  Possibly becoming more regular.  About 20 accepted records with three more pending. Adult males are easily separated from Bullock's Oriole by the solid black head.  Hybrids usually have an orange supercillium and more white in the wing coverts" 

Cool May Morning at Granite Reef

Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis)

The mornings are still somewhat cool so I headed out to Granite Reef this AM to dwell in the shade of the mesquite trees and try to catch a glimpse of a Vermilion Flycatcher.  Didn't see nary a one of them, but I was fortunate enough to run into a few very nice fellow birders, Barb and Johanna (both are docents at Desert Botanical Gardens!) who pointed out a Common Yellowthroat lurkng in the reeds.  Thank you Johanna for pointing out the Yellowthroat and its call!  I certainly wouldn't have seen or heard that on my own.  None of the birds were being very cooperative, only the Gila Woodpecker stayed still long enough to be photographed.  A pair of Bullock's Orioles taunted us most of the morning zipping in and out of the mesquite trees, as we tried to get a good look at the Yellowthroat.  I never knew where to look first!  To add to our head-twisting adventure, a pair of Northern Cardinals in their bright red breeding plumage whizzed by our heads a few times.  It was certainly a colorful morning!

Belly view of a Bullock's Oriole

There were Phainopepla everywhere, chasing Grackles away from their nests. Other birds seen were Brewer's Blackbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Turkey Vultures, and possibly a Yellow-rumped Warbler.  Most of the views we had of the birds this morning were of their backsides as they flitted away!

Warning to Wheelchair Users - The ground here has become quite soft and sandy, you can easily get stuck in it.  And there are critter holes everywhere!  So if you venture off of the cement paths, be careful, and have someone with you that can help pull you out if you get mired down into the sand.

Bullock's Oriole at Desert Botanical Garden

It was another great Monday Morning Bird Walk at DBG, and I only went on half of it!  It was getting too warm for me.  Thank goodness DBG starts opening at 7 AM starting May 1st.  More photos of the Bullock's Oriole in slideshow at end of this post...

Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii)

Also seen was an Ash-throated Flycatcher - in Sibley alot of those flycatchers all look alike to me. 

Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens)

Here are some good views of the Gilded Flicker revealing the yellow underside of its wing and tail.

Gilded Flicker (Colaptes chrysoid)

MORE PHOTOS...

What's With the Fancy Colors Dude?

Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii)

 This House Finch isn't quite sure what to think of the flashy colored visitor with pink beak tips (from frequent drinks at the hummingbird feeder). Its a first for me to have an Oriole appear in my backyard. I think its a young male Bullock's Oriole. He showed up September 10th, likes to hang out in the Palo Verde tree, and continually drinks from the hummingbird feeder throughout the day. He seems to be alone, or I just haven't recognized a female Oriole's subtle coloring. With those pink beak-tips he might have trouble attracting a female mate!'