Scott’s Oriole in Union Square Park
By Corey • January 24, 2008 • 2 commentsA bird first seen December 4, 2007 and misidentified as a Orchard Oriole, which would be weird enough in December, has been photographed and properly identified as a Scott’s Oriole, the first record of this southwestern oriole in New York State! It is still there and Union Square Park should be busier than usual over the next several days.
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Last year, just a month later than now, a Scott’s Oriole showed up here in southern Pennsylvania, to the delight of everyone who eventually saw it. The bird stayed until spring, through snow storms, ice storms and extremely cold weather–well, for a Scott’s oriole. The homeowner whose feeder the bird frequented was gracious to both birders and the bird, providing it with fresh strawberries and other fruit all winter long. Eventually most of the local birders had seen it one or more times, and even the non-local birders had seen it and stopped visiting. The bird, however, remained until well into spring. As spring progressed, its visits were less frequent, sometimes only once a week to check out the feeder. And then it didn’t return. It did so well, however, during the cold weather and afterwards, that we figured it just moved on or perhaps found a mate with a Baltimore oriole.
The link below is to my blog entry on the day I finally got to see this wonderful bird. http://roundtoprumings.blogspot.com/2007/02/6th-times-charm.html
I hope the New York bird stays around and as many folks get to see it as happened down here. Perhaps, it’s even the same bird.
Carolyn H.
Totally OT, but, you linked to my tour (kinda)! Awesome!