Smart boy!

Well, Baby #2 has decided to be smart and stay in the nest for another day. Excellent decision! Today was, as the weatherman promised, another very windy day. The wind seems to have died down now, so maybe tomorrow will be a better day for learning to fly. I think I spotted sister flying around today, still a bit uncertain with her skills, but getting better all the time.

I know it's very difficult to see the dark pictures I've put here, but the first shows the mama bird feeding our stalwart nest dweller. The second picture shows him trying out those wings. I'm almost certain he'll take flight tomorrow. It's been such a thrill watching these babies begin their life in my back yard. I hope I get to see them come back for many years.

I think fate must have sensed my disappointment at seeing the babies go, because I did have an unexpected and unusual visitor in the back yard. I first spotted him on the hummingbird feeder, where he was not being too successful at extracting any nectar for himself. I haven't seen him at all since this morning and don't know if it would be worthwhile to buy an oriole feeder, but if I see him once more, I'm buying one. I've never seen an oriole of any kind before. I lived in Baltimore for four years and never saw an oriole there (well, except for Cal Ripken), so it was a real treat to see this hooded oriole checking out the offerings.

Please forgive the grainy pictures. This bird was very skittish, so when I came to the patio door he flew to a nearby palm. When I came closer to the door so I could see him in the palm, he flew further into the palm. I finally had to retreat to the breakfast nook and hide behind the blinds to get a picture of him.

So maybe it's not the end of the world that the babies are fledging. There are other surprises to be found. I'm glad this bright fellow came by to remind me of that.