This week a blogger from Warner Robins reported that Baltimore orioles have shown up at her feeder. This is the first report I have received of Baltimore orioles appearing in the Peach state this fall.
As anybody that follows this blog knows, Baltimore orioles have become regular winter visitors throughout the state. As such, those of us that feed birds are constantly trying to offer foods that will attract these gorgeous birds to our backyards.
Recently during a talk gave in Warner Robins, I mentioned grape jelly seems to be the oriole’s food preferred winter food. However, I mentioned that repeatedly folks that have fed orioles grape jelly claim the birds don’t cater to just any jelly. It is their contention the birds far and away prefer Welch’s grape jelly to all other brands.
One of the people in the audience that day added grape jelly to her backyard bird-feeding menu that includes such favorites as black oil sunflower seeds, and dried mealworms.
This week she thrilled that Baltimore orioles have shown up at her feeders. While she expected the birds would partake in the jelly, she was surprised to see the birds are currently only dining on mealworms.
Based on this experience I am adding mealworms to the list of foods bloggers have reported being used by Baltimore orioles.
Here is a complete list of these foods: grape jelly, sasanqua petals, hummingbird nectar, satsumas, grapes, and dried mealworms.
If orioles show up in your yard this winter, please let me know when they arrived and what foods they are eating.
For a complete list of all of the blogs I have written on Baltimore Orioles, type the word oriole in the search bubble found in the top right hand corner of the first page of the blog.
Terry,
I, too, live in Warner Robins, on the north side of town, behind the WalMart & Lowe’s on Watson & noticed a strikingly beautiful orange breasted bird in our backyard shortly after your Baltimore Orioles are Back! email in early December…..& wondered if it could be a Baltimore Oriole…..but didn’t see it/him again until Christmas Day at our feeder…..now for the past 2 wks, one has been at our feeder daily—& is rather aggressive, chasing the other birds away, definitely not sharing any food with them—I’m pretty convinced it IS a Baltimore Oriole—& have attached a photo I took—which also includes a male cardinal, which is just as strikingly beautiful altho’ red & more common in our backyard—I hesitated to contact you until I was pretty sure it truly WAS a Baltimore Oriole…..if it’s isn’t, you’ll have to tell me what it is!!…..even using Merlin, the identification was a Baltimore Oriole…..but I am surprised to only see one…& no female that I can identify…..
The feeder has Song of America safflower seed & Cole’s Blazing Hot Blend that I buy at The Bird Store in Macon…it’s funny to watch him at the feeder—it’s a gazebo style with the tube for the seed in the center & he goes around the covered area like he’s on a merry-go-round, usually in one direction!!!! I’m intending to get some Welch’s grape jelly after reading your message…it’s just the jar is so big!!! 🙂 & it’s not our favorite jelly! 🙂 I did hear you speak 2 times at The Bird Store that Tommy had arranged & enjoyed both—one on hummingbirds & the other on bluebirds…..
I truly hope this orange breasted bird IS a Baltimore Oriole as I’ve shared pictures & my sighting with others—-neighbors & friends near & far…..stating it IS!!! 🙂 ….& am THRILLED to have ‘my own’ in our backyard!!! 🙂 It is a bird I’d only heard about & never seen before! 🙂
Thanks for all the backyard birding info you share & I’m glad I happened upon your blog!!!! 🙂 …I think it was thru the Ga Dept of Natural Resources weekly bulletin….whatever way, I’m truly happy to have found you! 🙂
Keep up the Good Work! 🙂
Marilyn Thorstens
Warner Robins, GA
Thanks ever so much for taking the time to contact me about your orioles. Reading your email truly made my day as I am always thrilled when folks get excited about backyard wildlife. Let me know if I can help you in the future.
This week she thrilled that Baltimore orioles have shown up at her feeders. While she expected the birds would partake in the jelly, she was surprised to see the birds are currently only dining on mealworms.
Terry,
I, too, live in Warner Robins, on the north side of town, behind the WalMart & Lowe’s on Watson & noticed a strikingly beautiful orange breasted bird in our backyard shortly after your Baltimore Orioles are Back! email in early December…..& wondered if it could be a Baltimore Oriole…..but didn’t see it/him again until Christmas Day at our feeder…..now for the past 2 wks, one has been at our feeder daily—& is rather aggressive, chasing the other birds away, definitely not sharing any food with them—I’m pretty convinced it IS a Baltimore Oriole—& have attached a photo I took—which also includes a male cardinal, which is just as strikingly beautiful altho’ red & more common in our backyard—I hesitated to contact you until I was pretty sure it truly WAS a Baltimore Oriole…..if it’s isn’t, you’ll have to tell me what it is!!…..even using Merlin, the identification was a Baltimore Oriole…..but I am surprised to only see one…& no female that I can identify…..
The feeder has Song of America safflower seed & Cole’s Blazing Hot Blend that I buy at The Bird Store in Macon…it’s funny to watch him at the feeder—it’s a gazebo style with the tube for the seed in the center & he goes around the covered area like he’s on a merry-go-round, usually in one direction!!!! I’m intending to get some Welch’s grape jelly after reading your message…it’s just the jar is so big!!! 🙂 & it’s not our favorite jelly! 🙂 I did hear you speak 2 times at The Bird Store that Tommy had arranged & enjoyed both—one on hummingbirds & the other on bluebirds…..
I truly hope this orange breasted bird IS a Baltimore Oriole as I’ve shared pictures & my sighting with others—-neighbors & friends near & far…..stating it IS!!! 🙂 ….& am THRILLED to have ‘my own’ in our backyard!!! 🙂 It is a bird I’d only heard about & never seen before! 🙂
Thanks for all the backyard birding info you share & I’m glad I happened upon your blog!!!! 🙂 …I think it was thru the Ga Dept of Natural Resources weekly bulletin….whatever way, I’m truly happy to have found you! 🙂
Keep up the Good Work! 🙂
Marilyn Thorstens
Warner Robins, GA
Marilyn,
Thanks ever so much for taking the time to contact me about your orioles. Reading your email truly made my day as I am always thrilled when folks get excited about backyard wildlife. Let me know if I can help you in the future.
Terry