Word got out of a "different" oriole that was visiting feeders in Sinking Spring, PA. Further investigation by local birders revealed the bird to be a
Black-backed Oriole, a Mexican endemic! I headed down there and met up with Jason Horn, Tom Johnson, Melissa Roach, and several others. Soon after getting out of the car, Tom spotted the bird next to the feeder at the rear of 20 Indiana Avenue. I managed to get some documentation photos of the bird before it moved out the back and flew westward.
Note the black head with orange-yellow 'spectacles', the small black bib, the all-black back, bold white wing patches, and the orange-yellow underparts with black sides.
If accepted, this bird would represent the 2nd North American record and, obviously, a 1st Pennsylvania record! The first North American record was of a bird in southern California that was not accepted due to its question of origin. The same situation may apply to this bird.
It's making life in Green Valley neighborhood interesting.
ReplyDeleteSunday morning. It visited the feeder behind #20 from about 7:40 to 8:15 am and then again about 8:45. It doesn't like the squirrel on "its" feeder! The bird is eating a "Nut and Berry" seed mix from Giant Supermarkets.
ReplyDeleteIt must be a really rare Mexican endemic if this would represent only the second _North American_ record. :)
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