I’m probably the last person in Boise to have finally recognized a Rufous
Hummer in his yard, but I’m as happy as a hog at the trough. Susan has been
telling me that she’s been seeing a “different” hummer in the yard, and I
have caught glimpses, but today the little jewel hung around near a window
while I had binoculars already in hand, and then she (?) went to the hanging
fuchsia and worked over a number of flowers. Since I have Sibley open to
hummingbirds on a nearby chest of drawers, and since I’ve been paging
through that section over and over, I’m happy to say that I’m confident in
my ID.
On another note, I would agree that hummingbird activity has increased this
summer. I have been privy to more aerial combat than ever before, and they
sometimes come to the window to either say “thank you” or “we need more
sugar water!” Sometimes I think it’s a little of both. 😉
Tom McCabe, Boise