transposable_element (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
transposable_element) wrote2016-03-16 10:32 pm
transposable_element) wrote2016-03-16 10:32 pm
Spring
On Monday I saw a pair of Hooded Orioles nesting in the palm in our front yard. We have orioles every year, though I have no way of knowing whether it's the same pair. There are many signs of nesting hereabouts: a pair of crows collecting twigs in our back yard, a mockingbird singing in the bottle brush tree, Mourning Doves cooing, hummingbirds quarreling (they are very territorial, especially the males).
The Hooded Orioles are my favorites, though. The male is a brilliant yellow-orange with black wings, tail, and mask. Very striking indeed! The female is a more sober pale yellow and gray, but also very pretty.
And yes, I know I other parts of the country it's still winter. We have barely had a winter in California this year; we've a reasonable amount of precipitation, for a change, but it's been extremely warm. Today our family had bread, salad, cold cuts for dinner (one of our standard summer meals) because I was too hot and sweaty to feel like cooking.
The Hooded Orioles are my favorites, though. The male is a brilliant yellow-orange with black wings, tail, and mask. Very striking indeed! The female is a more sober pale yellow and gray, but also very pretty.
And yes, I know I other parts of the country it's still winter. We have barely had a winter in California this year; we've a reasonable amount of precipitation, for a change, but it's been extremely warm. Today our family had bread, salad, cold cuts for dinner (one of our standard summer meals) because I was too hot and sweaty to feel like cooking.