Must have just been a 3-day push of Rufous Hummingbirds. Haven’t seen anymore since Sun evening. Sightings are back to our resident Black-chinneds coming to the feeder, now. And, by their activity, suspect their attention is primarily focused on young in the nest.
Will be interesting to see if any other Rufous appear at my location before their usual appearance in August. During my Univ TX undergrad days, did 2 summers field work in Big Bend (took position to keep from starving, lol, ended up becoming a life-long fascination with birds) on a study of agave use by migrating & resident hummingbirds. Have a question in for now, long-retired Ornithology prof, but who keeps up with current hummer research, re: any recent studies on Rufous migration. Just for curiosity sake.
multiple appointments today and LOL we do not have the guts to do that drive tomorrow 🙂
On Jul 3, 2023, at 11:02 AM, Louisa Evers <elouisa603@…> wrote:
Linda Wentz and I saw the bird this morning on the peninsula that forms the west side of Duck Bay. The bird was feeding in small Douglas-firs near the top of the trees on the water’s edge, Duck Bay side of the peninsula. There is a path leading out to the general area off the Peninsula Trail. Closest parking is the little Duck Bay lot and the Lily Marsh lot. If park at either lot, the trail leading out to the location starts near the south end of the Peninsula Trail. See our eBird list for the location where we saw it. Bird was chipping but fid not hear it sing. —
Take care of the birds and you take care of the world
Ken Miracle chukar28@… 208-570-2780 “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5
Linda Wentz and I saw the bird this morning on the peninsula that forms the west side of Duck Bay. The bird was feeding in small Douglas-firs near the top of the trees on the water’s edge, Duck Bay side of the peninsula. There is a path leading out to the general area off the Peninsula Trail. Closest parking is the little Duck Bay lot and the Lily Marsh lot. If park at either lot, the trail leading out to the location starts near the south end of the Peninsula Trail. See our eBird list for the location where we saw it. Bird was chipping but fid not hear it sing. —
As others have noted, Rufous Hummingbirds are migrating southbound (not northbound) in the Owyhee Mountains (and elsewhere) beginning in late (if not mid) June. Aidan Lorenz reported one in Silver City last week – almost undoubtedly a southbound migrant: eBird Checklist – 29 Jun 2023 – Silver City – 12 species.
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.
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
On 7/2/23 03:28PM, lcarrigan_55 wrote:
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.
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.
