Morning all,
 
Every year I get new coconut liners for three large hanging planters by the pool, and take the old ones, tear them apart and scatter them around the yard for the birds to use for nesting material. I have several large clumps sitting atop the bushes around the deck and several others in the brush pile out back. This morning I was standing on the deck with my bins, and a cup of coffee, watching a Brown Thrasher come across the yard to the brush pile to gather some of the fibers for its nest (somewhere just on the other side of the fence along the way back). While I waited for it to return, a female Baltimore Oriole came in and landed in a shrub only feet from me, then she hopped into the bushes (I think to get some nest material). She stood perhaps 15 feet away while I watched, before she disappeared into the bush. Suddenly a bright male flew in and landed near her, then suddenly another male, who flew right across the deck, nearly hitting me in the face (quite literally, it flew right over my shoulder)! The other male then flew and landed on a small bench we have on the path to the pool, and stood there watching the other male disappear while the female was in the bushes not far from him.  Once he was happy that his rival was gone, he joined her in the bushes, where they foraged a while before heading to the brush pile. There she gathered some material, and they both flew off into my neighbors farmyard, where I assume she'll be building a nest. Great way to start a morning!

Yesterday while I was sitting inside eating my breakfast, a male oriole came and landed in our bird fountain, and in my haste to get the camera I think I may have scared him away. Also had a gorgeous male catbird singing from the bushes next to the deck, and then from our small magnolia while I watched the thrashers this morning, and the pair of mockers are feeding babies in another holly by the deck. One of our bluebird pair has young about to fledge too. Exciting moments in the yard lately!

Rick Sussman
Woodbine,MD

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