I don’t hit the Warm River area very often, but there’s a stream I fly-fish in Yellowstone where I can count on seeing Rufous in early July. But, along our area of the Snake, they’re mainly an Aug fall migrant. 

Migration in general, & hummers specifically, has been interesting over the yrs. Again, in 1988, we had mainly Rufous, Broad-tailed & Calliope with a handful of Black-chinneds. So much so, that I kept 3 feeders going from June thru Aug. Filling each daily. At any one time, had 30+ hummers in sight from dawn to dusk. The next yr, essentially…zip. Down to 1 feeder, mainly BT visitors & filling every 3 days. Over the next 10 yrs, BT drastically decreased & BC have since taken over to the point of documenting nesting on place. Typical hummer pattern now, is BC appear early May. Exclusively, BC until early Aug, then Rufous appear. About mid-Aug, only a few anymore, BT appear…like 1 or 2 per fall migration season. Then, late Aug/early Sept the Calliope show. Of all, the Calliope are the most aggressive, lol! 

Gets back to my fascination with local migration patterns. And, how distances of tens of miles & feet of elevation affect bird migration. 

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot 

FWIW, I expect to start seeing male Rufous Hummingbirds at Warm
River the first few days of July so they seem right on time to me.

Cliff

So, I logged into my eBird acct & checked current reports on
US map for Rufous Hummingbird sightings. Appears to me, that there
is a higher than avg number of Rufous sightings throughout my
area, as well as the region, for this time of year. Just
supposition on my part, but think drier conditions & wildfires
in BC & Alberta are causing an early southward push of some
Rufous groups. At least, compared to what I’m used to witnessing
at my location for past 35 years. The only time have seen Rufous
this early was our first year here, 1988, summer of Yellowstone
fires.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot 

-- 
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@...

So, I logged into my eBird acct & checked current reports on US map for Rufous Hummingbird sightings. Appears to me, that there is a higher than avg number of Rufous sightings throughout my area, as well as the region, for this time of year. Just supposition on my part, but think drier conditions & wildfires in BC & Alberta are causing an early southward push of some Rufous groups. At least, compared to what I’m used to witnessing at my location for past 35 years. The only time have seen Rufous this early was our first year here, 1988, summer of Yellowstone fires.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot 

Great photo of Rufous Hummingbirds mobbing one another! Have found, like the Calliope, they don’t play with others or share with each other…very well! 

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot 

My place in Valley Co. near Cascade has above average #’s of Rufous this year, compared to previous years. Agressive buggers towards the Colliope’s.

Hi Bill! Yes, have been watching for Rufous posts from you, as know their fall migration shows about a month earlier at your place than mine. Thinking fall Rufous Hummingbird migration has, indeed, started. Just had a juvenile Rufous appear at the feeder about 15 min ago. Wonder if the extreme dry conditions & wildfires in BC & Alberta are pushing them southward a bit earlier? 

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot