The golden oriole has been high on my wishlist for quite some time. The first time I heard one was in July 2021, in Zeewolde. I had gone looking for it then, and although I did hear its distinctive call, I didn’t manage to get a proper view.
It’s a bird I’ve heard more than once, and I’ve even seen it a few times — briefly, as it darted past. But never had I been given the chance to really observe and enjoy it. Most sightings tend to be around Almere or, as I hoped this time, in Natuurpark Lelystad.
As soon as I parked the car — before I had even shut the door — I heard the unmistakable call. I was instantly excited, but reminded myself to stay grounded. Hearing a golden oriole is amazing in itself, but seeing one — let alone photographing it — is the real challenge. They usually stay high in the trees, are fairly shy, and on top of that, quite fast. But hey — challenge accepted!
After hearing the bird around 30 times and still not seeing it once, my hope began to fade. Time was running out; I’d soon have to head back home. One last try, then.
I sat near a small body of water, watching a kingfisher bash its freshly caught fish against a branch, when suddenly the oriole’s call came incredibly close. A male and a female flew right toward me and disappeared into the trees — and the male gave me a perfect view.
Three, four, maybe five seconds. Then they were gone again. But I got the photo. FINALLY!
