On the Texas Gulf Coast people are watching and waiting for the first orioles to appear. We contacted Don Perkins, of the Texas Armadillo who's quite a naturalist and asked him, "What signs do you watch for while anticipating the return of the oriole and other neotropical migrants?"
Here's a note from Don:
"Spring is officially here, and we are seeing the signs and anticipating the coming of the little guys returning from their winter work down south.
"The trees are mostly leafed out, and the mulberries which are the best sign of the coming of the orioles have leafed out and the fruit is forming--still green, but filling out. This is a positive sign for it always indicates that the migration is about to begin here on the central flyway. You can always find an oriole or rose- breasted grosbeak around the mulberries when the fruit is ripe.
The pecans, which are our last big tree to come out, are still dormant, but they will green up and flower within a few weeks, and then the warblers will arrive. Down here the old folks say that you should wait for the pecan leaves to plant your tomatoes and you won't get frozen out. The pecan's flowers will appear about a week after the leaves get well established, and then the warblers will come flitting about, resting after their long journey from the south, feeding on the little insects that the pecan flowers draw.
When they come they come in droves, and there can be 30 or 40 birds at a time, and a dozen species, all darting about confusing the watcher as to who they are. These little guys are so beautiful that I'll spend hours running around under them, dancing about for a position where I can make out their markings. It makes for a fun day.
So you guys up North hold on just a little: the cold is going to go away, and the little migrators are going to be on their way soon.
Donald Perkins
Armadillo--The Texas Studies Gopher
Houston ISD,
dperkins@tenet.edu
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