Yellow-orange warms the spirit shrouded in winter's icy mantle. I love the similarity in color and markings of the daylily and the female Baltimore Oriole. She was so cleverly stripping these reeds of grass, for finer fibers just right for her nest, when I took the photograph above looking through glass.
Her head is brownish black and speckled . . .
while her dapper partner dons a pure black hood.
Summer sun rays fill a chalice of Hemerocallis.
Parents bend over backwards to care for their young.
Life is a challenge as little ones grow, playing catch up with adult size toes . . . wearing feathery crowns just above the ground . . . while dangers throughout the gardens abound.
Papa flares up fanning out looming larger letting other males know. . . "This garden is not big enough for both of us!"
Thus I continue my offerings from this past summers bird count here at Flower Hill Farm. You can see the original posts by clicking on Baltimore Oriole in my labels to the right. I hope these bright colorful shots bring warmth to your spirits. May the hard freeze that has been bearing down on my southern blogging friends lift soon and leave you and your gardens to your usual temperate days and nights.
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