Hi friends; it’s been a while. I hope this post finds you safe and healthy during this pandemic. I’ve been watching my bird sites and we are getting new sightings of orioles and hummingbirds in Michigan each day. This past weekend I decided to clean my feeders and I made a fresh batch of nectar and put out my oranges and grape jelly. Typically I don’t see an oriole until the first week of May and hummingbirds until right around Mother’s Day. The weather forecast looks decent the rest of the week so I’m hopeful that an oriole will show up over the weekend.
I’ve added a few links for you to keep track of the oriole and hummingbird migration if you’d like.
https://maps.journeynorth.org/map/?year=2020&map=oriole-first-baltimore
https://maps.journeynorth.org/map/?year=2020&map=hummingbird-ruby-throated-first
On the southeast side of the state there was a report of a Hooded Oriole. I’ve included a picture taken by the original poster, Ellen Richards. This is only the second recorded sighting in Michigan; the Hooded Oriole’s range is the southwest part of the US so he took a wrong turn migrating north from Mexico.
As a reminder, make your own hummingbird nectar and don’t fall for the “all natural” pre-made stuff found at your local grocer or garden center. The recipe is super simple, it’s a 4:1 ratio of water to sugar. Boil the water and add the sugar, stir until dissolved and let cool before pouring into your feeder. This mixture can be stored in the refrigeration for up to a week. Remember to change your nectar and clean your feeder often, especially if the sun shines on your feeder for any amount of time throughout the day.
I’ve got a cute surprise for a post later this week; I may not get to it until the weekend depending on the subjects I’m photographing but you won’t want to miss it.
