“Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most beautiful gift.” – Albert Einstein
A male Baltimore oriole. — Wikimedia photo
My 477th Bird
Back in 2006, when I was still a full-time RV-er traveling across America, I found myself camped beside Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees at Bernice State Park in Oklahoma. On my second day there, I was up by 6 a.m., and after a quick cup of cream-laced coffee and a short walk with my canine traveling companion Maggie, I took off alone to explore the park’s nature trail. It was summer-hot and humid, and Maggie had seemed quite agreeable to be left behind to sit in her favorite perch in front of the air conditioner.
View of Grand Lake that I had through the window of my RV at Bernice State Park in Oklahoma. — Photo by Pat Bean
Several bird feeders set out near the trailhead were bustling with Carolina chickadees and American goldfinches, and as I watched, a nearby downy, North America’s most common and smallest woodpecker, drummed its own attention-getting beat. It was going to be a good day, I decided.
As I continued on down the path, I took plenty of time to breathe in the simple beauty around me: a yellow patch of wall flowers, the artistic composition of a small dead tree reclaimed by vines, and an occasional peek of a glistening, sun-speckled lake through thick foliage
I’ve often wondered how people who don’t take nature breaks stay sane in today’s fast-paced world? I suspect that the angry psychopaths who do evil and harm are among the deprived.
My thoughts were interrupted when a doe and her freckled fawn came into sight around a curve in the path. I froze, as did the two deer. We all stared intently. When I finally took a step forward, mom stepped into the woods. Her baby gave me one last look of interest then quickly followed. It amazes me how fast wildlife can disappear from sight.
A male Bullock’s oriole — Wikimedia photo
My thoughts were still on the deer when a flash of orange drew my attention. With eyes glued to my binoculars, I followed the color through the tree branches, and realized I was most likely looking at a Baltimore oriole. While common in the East, these orioles don’t visit the West, where I had lived when I took up birdwatching.
Out West, the Baltimore’s look-alike cousin is the Bullock oriole. I had seen hundreds of Bullocks, but this was my first Baltimore. It was what we birders call a lifer. While I rejoiced, I lamented the too brief view I had before the bird disappeared amongst the trees. I had identified the bird more because of its color and location than because of specific field marks.
Later in the day, as I was sitting at my table writing, the omission was rectified. A Baltimore oriole flew right outside my RV window, and then lingered in the area. It was a breeding male with a black head atop a bright orange body that had thin white streaks on black wings. A Bullock wears only a black cap atop its head and its black wings have prominent white patches on them.
After the oriole flew away, I got out my world bird list and added the Baltimore oriole to it. It was bird 477. I had been hesitant to put it on the list earlier because of the poor sighting. Life is good, I thought, as I added the date and place of its sighting beside the bird’s name.
As I had suspected, it turned out to be a very good day.
Bean Pat: Houston Art Car Parade http://tinyurl.com/mqug4ef For people watchers, too. As a writer, these photos are good examples of interesting characters.
Pat Bean's blog 
I find that I need tons of nature breaks to survive in this tough and unrelenting world. The picture of the lake is lovely ❤️
Thanks. Me, too, needing nature to remain sane in today’s chaos.
Beautiful bird. Nice shot! I know what you mean about having to take nature breaks. It is a great stress reliever.
Interesting theory. I have no doubt there is some truth to it.
Good morning, Pat,
Isn’t there a short story by James Thurber that has a Baltimore Oriole in it?
Have a great week,
Pit
Glad to see you weren’t black-listed today. Here’s what I found to answer your question. Thurber wrote:
Once upon a time there was a bird sanctuary in which hundreds of Baltimore orioles lived together happily. The refuge consisted of a forest entirely surrounded by a high wire fence. When it was put up, a pack of foxes who lived nearby protested that it was an arbitrary and unnatural boundary. However, they did nothing about it at the time because they were interested in civilizing the geese and ducks on the neighboring farms. When all the geese and ducks had been civilized, and there was nothing else left to eat, the foxes once more turned their attention to the bird sanctuary. Their leader announced that there had once been foxes in the sanctuary but that they had been driven out. He proclaimed that Baltimore orioles belonged in Baltimore. He said, furthermore, that the orioles in the sanctuary were a continuous menace to the peace of the world. The other animals cautioned the foxes not to disturb the birds in their sanctuary.
So the foxes attacked the sanctuary one night and tore down the fence that surrounded it. The orioles rushed out and were instantly killed and eaten by the foxes.
The next day the leader of the foxes, a fox from whom God was receiving daily guidance, got upon the rostrum and addressed the other foxes. His message was simple and sublime. ” You see before you,” he said, “another Lincoln. We have liberated all those birds!”
Moral: Government of the orioles, by the foxes, and for the foxes, must perish from the earth.
Thanks, Pat, ever so much for taking the trouble to dig that fable up. When I was still teaching English at high school level in Germany, I liked to make my students read and discuss Thurber’s fables.
P.S.: I’m glad, too, that I was able to get my comment through.
You aroused my curiosity, so what else was I to do. It’s a good thing I’m not a cat.
🙂
I don’t think I’ll ever get anywhere near 477 and that’s where you were 11 years ago!!!!
Lifers come very slowly these days, Candace. I’ve only had three in the last year. a recent sighting of a dusky capped flycatcher was my 710th. 11 years ago I had only been birding for five years, but when I first started, my outings were usually accompanied by several expert birders. And my lift list included 182 African birds, which I saw on a two-week safari to Kenya and Tanzania. So keep looking. .
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