Every summer we are lucky enough to have orioles visit our feeder. They never stay long enough, many adults leave sometime in mid to late August which seems too early.

The juveniles stick around a couple more weeks, eating the jelly as fast as they can.

Even though the youngsters are pretty, I always miss the adults.

But last year and this year, after quite a long break without seeing any adults, I’ve had adult males and on occassion an adult female stop by the feeder in late August!

I’m always excited when, long after I think they’re gone, they show up for a few more days.

I guess they’re fueling up for their trip south to Florida, or Central America. That seems like such a long flight I can’t imagine.

And it seems even harder to imagine the youngsters being successful at the trip on their own. I wonder if families reunite once everybody is down there or if once they leave they’re leaving their family forever.

I know they’re gearing up to leave me. But I bought a big jar of jelly this week, hoping they’re around long enough to finish it all.