Hidden Labors

When apple and plum trees flower in the middle of May, they give off sweet scents attracting pollinators. Before long breezes loosen their white and pink petals; the result is strewn confetti, proof of many celebrations. One of these happy events is the spring migration, an influx of birds returning to their breeding grounds, Baltimore Orioles among them.

In winter their former nests are faded but sturdy ornaments hanging from branches that can weather snowstorms and even blizzards. The nesting materials came from wetland plants and were laced into secure, resilient weaves by the females with great skill. It’s happening now as a new nest is under construction.

There is an Oriole stripping fibers from reeds. First, she hovers at the top of a blade by grasping its edge in her bill and pulls to create tension until a golden thread springs free. As she descends to the ground, the thread unspools into a long string that she snips loose, picks up, and carries to a nearby tree. A tangle of plant fibers is already strung between two of its stems. She stands inside the rough outlines of a bowl, her bill drags and twists the thread adding to the initial knit under the cover of leaves.

Three days later a hanging basket is visible. Efforts continue from the inside strengthening the floor and walls with more fibers and seed down. Here and there, her figure pushes against the nest walls which flex and bulge as she labors within to make the cradle strong. In less than a week the nest is complete. The engineering bird rests on a branch above her creation. She grooms her feathers and fans her yellowish tail in the spring light. Soon she will lay her eggs in the chamber she built. If all goes well, they’ll hatch in June.

© 2023 Melissa Kalinowski. All rights reserved.