Several Baltimore Orioles made their way back to the high trees of Inwood Hill Park this year. They’ve been building and attending nests at the edges of the park. The female builds the nest over the course of the week, while the male goes out on foraging errands.
The orioles usually stake out the same locations in the park from year to year. There’s a nest home somewhere along the Henry Hudson Bridge path, another near the park entrance at W. 207th St., and another one on the peninsula. I’ve also seen oriole activity along the less travelled areas overlooking the Hudson River. The orioles go about their business early in the day, so that’s the best time to observe them.
Birdwatchers find comfort and reassurance with these seasonal recurrences, like the opening of baseball season. In New York these days, I must note, we’ve been surprised by the success of our basketball team, the New York Knicks. We never usually have to worry about basketball this time of year.
Baltimore Oriole studies by author. Water-soluble graphite and watercolor. 2025 and 2026. The one on the left is new.
The Mayor of New York has asked that our citizens wear blue and orange today for Game 4 of the championship series. The Baltimore Orioles have the orange covered, and when set against a blue sky, they will naturally rally to this call without any effort. Baltimore Orioles are not named for the city in Maryland, by the way. They are named for the colors in Lord Baltimore’s heraldic crest.
As noted in previous posts, Baltimore Orioles are long-distant migrants that winter in Florida, the Caribbean, and South America. They will stay in the area as long as they raise young ones that can spread their wings and fly.
Cover: Baltimore Oriole in Inwood Hill Park. June 5, 2026. 6:27 a.m.
June 2026 sightings page
The new monthly sightings page highlights the courtship and breeding activities of the park regulars, as well as ongoing Cedar Waxwings.
We’re entering a sleepy summer period between migration seasons, concentrating on any flycatchers or wading birds. The Birds of Inwood will continue to check in on the birds as well as catch up on artwork projects. More of that ahead.
Recent posts
- Sporting Colors: The 2026 Baltimore Orioles Season in Inwood Hill Park
- Field Notes from the 2026 Cedar Waxwing Gathering in Isham Park
- Birds in the Garden of Eden: A Field Trip to Untermyer Park and Gardens in Yonkers, New York
- An Evening Walk with a Great Egret, and Spring Migration Report
- Birds on the Forest Floor: Ovenbird and Veery
Birds of Inwood 
Comments welcome!