Thanks for the report, Bill. I just don’t have the BC hummer numbers, that usually arrive, as summer residents this yr. And, certainly, nothing close to your numbers. Very impressive! 

 

Appreciate Carl Lunblad’s post. I’ve just never had that early a push through our area of the Rufous (more like Judy & Frank and Jeff have noted). Last yr, we had probably our best Rufous numbers ever, as they went southward, starting July & well into August. We get a few Calliope, usually by Aug. Rich’s post makes me hopeful, to see more, once they start heading south, this yr. The Calliope hummers are definitely the most aggressive of all, at the feeders. Small size doesn’t necessarily relate to being meek in the hummer world, lol! 

 

Brian Carrigan 

Blackfoot 

A truly amazing migratory creature in such a small package.

 

    

I live north of Brian along Willow creek near Ucon.  Like him, I won’t see any hummers until later in the summer.  Living in a small oasis surrounded by farm fields, even in the spring & summer I get so few hummers of any kind that I quit putting out a feeder because the stuff goes bad too fast.  I put out a feeder a little later in the year when I see the birds hitting my patch of bee balm.  I’ve watched them many times fly right past the feeder to go to the flowers on it.  When they finally get here, I see all 3 kinds common to this area.    

“Fall” (i.e., southbound) migration by Rufous Hummingbirds begins in mid-late June, and they’re hitting, e.g., southern Arizona this week.  Why Brian doesn’t get them that early, I’m not sure.  Southbound Wilson’s phalaropes and other shorebirds (peeps/yellowlegs) are also arriving about now.  Migration is back – thanks for the reports!

Cheers, Rich

I’ve got two 4 cup feeders up that each drained in a little over two days, started bulk feed preparation, that would be 150-200 hummers, 50/cup emptied. Mostly BC, but others around and females. Got an oriole yesterday and Sandhill colts growing.

Bill Moore

Hoot Owl

Inkom