Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was out looking for snakes in South Texas and came across this bird nest. It was about 15 feet up in a Palm Tree UNDER the Frond. I had never seen one that looked like it so I hung around for a bit waiting to see what bird came to use it. Unfortunately they wouldn't bless me with their presence. The only birds that were in the general area that I could see was a painted bunting and a couple of purple finches but niether showed interest in this nest. The nest was attached to the frond and the construction caused the frond to "wrap" around the nest. Anyone?

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Snakes of Hudspeth County, Texas

Jason:
Son #2, Rich Jr., is a leader for Wings Corp. that conducts world wide birding tours. He should be able to either give you the species or at least narrow it down. I will ask him to view your post and hope he is at home at this point.

The orioles weave nests that to my unprofessional birding eye look similar to the one in your photograph.

Richard F. Hoyer

Richard,
Gotta admit, your pretty good. I went back out this morining and saw a different bird hanging around. When I came in and saw your post, I looked up orioles in texas and (ding ding ding ding) there it was.
Some of the literature even mentions that they like to make nests under palm fronds. Turns out it was called a Hooded Oriole - Icterus cucullatus. Looked just like this one pictured..Thanks for the help Richard.
I hate to admit that a bird interested me but I have to feed this thing that holds my ears apart. Pretty Bird by the way (did I just say that?), I gotta go find some snakes!

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Snakes of Hudspeth County, Texas

Jason:
I received an email from my son Rich Jr. in which he mentions that in viewing the thread, you had correctly identified
the Hooded Oriole as the species that built the nest. Apparently
that species commonly uses palm leaf fibers to build their nests which are also frequently beneath palm fronds. He mentioned that the species has been recorded as having nested as far north as Eureka, Calif. along the N.W. coast of Calif.

I was a 'bird watcher' first as a mid grade school kid and probably found my first snake later, sometime in the 6th grader or thereabouts. I still enjoy some birding but my hearing loss prevents me from locating/identifying birds.

As a side note, I noticed you became perturbed with the recent LE bashing on the fieldherpers forum and may have vacated that forum. Someone on that forum mentioned that your occupation was in law enforcement and thus your discust with the tone of some of those posts.

I have my own perspective that if interested, my may wish to consider. I can be reached at charinabottae@earthlink.net

Richard F. Hoyer

spell that 'digust' rather than 'discust' RFH

Richard,
I am involved in federal law enforcement and yes that did have a bit to do with my vacating the "other" forum but not everything. I will email you later with a few more specifics..Thanks for the help with the bird by the way. I'm putting up a purple Martin House in a couple of months.
Living here in South Texas, I have decided that birds, specifically flying insect eating birds, are my friends. I put up a Bat house last September, now if I can just get those dang bats to find it..JP
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Snakes of Hudspeth County, Texas

the finches you saw were undoubtedly House Finches. Purple Finches are few and far between in TX anymore and most of those are restricted to east TX in the winter. House Finches are abundant over much of the state now.
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Chris Harrison

You have injured by birding ego..The bird list for Uvalde and Zavala, listed a purple Finch which this one resembled so I made an ASSumption. Guess I shoulda got a picture. I guess I won't be doing any Bird ID guides anytime soon..JP
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Snakes of Hudspeth County, Texas