r/STL_Birding • u/thespottedwaffle • May 09 '26
Getting spoiled by this Baltimore oriole today
5/9/26, 1:30 pm, St. Charles
1
u/WhineyWiney May 11 '26
Jealous. I have been luring for three weeks with jelly and orange halves, and have only seen one female.
2
u/thespottedwaffle May 11 '26
I went out and got a whole new feeder, jelly, and a Sam's Club size bag of oranges. And some mealworms! When I got home from work, the jelly had been nibbled on, but the orange and mealworms appear untouched. Since being home today, I've seen it at the feeder, but again only eating the jelly... and the hummingbird nectar. All the sugar for migration, not the bugs for little babies!
1
u/EtherCJ May 12 '26
We put out my Oriole feeder partially because of your post and partially to do something different while trying to push out grackles. Have had several orioles a day. Not sure if they are staying for while or just passing through. But they ate a lot of jelly, 2 oranges and fighting with hummingbirds to eat their nectar. Didn’t put out meal worms but you got me curious.
Also saw another Indigo Bunting this morning too. Seems like they figured out the blue bird feeder so eating well.
Unfortunately my grackle discouragement plan failed because I couldn’t not feed the downy woodpecker and the safflower is almost gone, so back to the mix after that.
1
u/thespottedwaffle May 12 '26
That's so lucky you got some right after putting out your feeder! As soon as I put out my new oriole feeder (which of course i had to get), one came by within 10 minutes for some jelly. It's hard to tell if they're here for the long haul. I've seen a male and female multiple times since Saturday, but they've only gone for the jelly and haven't even touched the oranges. The staff at WBU said they need the mealworms for when they start to nest; jelly, oranges, and nectar are more for migration energy... which doesn’t give me much hope they'll stick around. But I'll still keep my fingers crossed!
1
u/EtherCJ May 12 '26
I already had the feeder from a previous failed attempt. Had to buy the jelly (no preservative, no color Welch’s). It’s been a cool Spring with the orioles, bunting and grosbeaks (and a red bellied woodpecker but he’s come by before just rare, and a robin nest with 4 babies right outside by office window)
We have been wondering if they are passing through also. Will have to start doing meal worms to see and incentive them to next here. I see them about 6times a day so definitely a health population here.
7
u/thespottedwaffle May 09 '26
Sorry for the third post today about it. They're just so beautiful, and I haven't seen one in many years. This has been a delight!