It is so much fun to watch the Baltimore Orioles gather the pieces of sisal twine from our yard and bring it back to weave their intricate nests high in the trees. (Click on blog link for other photo.)
When we first moved here 9 years ago, Mike from The Bird Watcher’s General Store, told us that the Baltimore Orioles love to build their nests with horsehair because it is so long and fine. We had no horsehair, so we got some sisal twine and started to separate the strands. The Baltimore Orioles love it!
Every few days I cut a multitude of 5″-10″pieces of the twine, separate the strands and scatter it about the yard. Within a couple of days, it is almost gone, and it’s not just the Baltimore Orioles who gather it! Now to find out where they are building their nests…
This Greater Yellowlegs keeps hanging around the little ponds along the shore at Boat Meadow Beach at low tide. He scurries about while I click away. (Click on blog link for other photo.)
“A Greater Yellowlegs is a slender, long-necked and small-headed shorebird with bright yellow legs. The Greater Yellowlegs strides purposefully across mudflats and marshes with a distinctive high-stepping gait, occasionally breaking into a run to chase aquatic prey.”
We were taking a hike at Fort Hill the other day when we saw this gorgeous Great Horned Owl feather right in the middle of the trail. I’d never seen one up so close. Such an intricate pattern and so beautiful! Have you ever seen one?
We left the feather on the branch of a bush off to the side of the trail for others to enjoy.
PS I originally posted this as a Red-tailed Hawk feather. Stephanie Ellis, executive director of Wild Care Cape Cod, corrected me. It is the feather of a Great Horned Owl! Wow! What a treat! Thank you, Stephanie!
We frequently see a Red-tailed Hawk on top of the tall pole as you drive past the first parking lot Fort Hill. He sure has a great vantage point looking for is next meal from way up there. We call it the “Fort Hill Resident Hawk” as there always seems to be one up there!
The grape jelly is out and the sisal twine is cut and on the ground as we anticipated the arrival of the Baltimore Orioles. And then yesterday, we saw a flash of orange up in the top of the tree and we knew they were back. (Click on blog link for other photo.)
It’s so exciting to watch these magnificent birds come and eat at the feeders and gather twine to weave their intricate nests. We were lucky a couple of years ago as they made their nest high in a tree right in our back yard. Will we be that lucky again this year? It will be so much fun watching them all summer long. Such a treat!
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
