The lake itself is completely covered with tall vegetation with some reed beds around the edges, but these looked dried up also. There is some water in the marshy areas near the top of the road on the corner of the WMA, where we heard a Virginia Rail. The marshy area on the other side of the road looked much the same but the trail there has been turned into a gravel road. Access to this is almost impossible since the gate there was so tight it was v difficult to unfasten, even with both Amy & I trying. There is also a new gravel road alongside the length of the WMA, below the observation platform.
Does anyone have any idea what is going on here? I am just wondering if we will ever see a lake again.
The southward trek of Rufous Hummingbirds arrived at my location this weekend. Males, females & juveniles hitting the feeder & outnumbering the Black-chinneds 3:1. A few really bright Rufous males appeared & catching the sun just right to flash that fiery crimson gorget! Good to see.
Saw my first juvenile hummingbird, a Black-chinned female, of season this AM. Most I’ve seen at feeder at one time is 4: male, female & juv BC & adult female Rufous. There’s been some male Rufous come thru, too. Not huge numbers this season, but enough to keep me entertained.
Hey all, just a note on how listservs work. When you reply-all and send an email to the IBLE@groups.io email address it sends that message to everyone on the entire listserv (which I’m guessing is hundreds of people if not more)
These messages are now on the internet for anyone to find Billie’s phone number and home address.
I think best practice for this group would be to NOT share personal contact information for other people with the entire group. Best to reply only to the original sender who made the inquiry.
Group admin, is there a way to remove those messages from the public site to protect Billie’s privacy? With how many spam robo-calls are out there these days I’m sure she would appreciate it.
Thanks for posting, Jeff. Haven’t had any juvenile hummingbirds at my feeder, yet. Still adults of Black-chinned & Rufous. Think there’s a Black-chinned nest in a windrow of Rocky Mtn Junipers, as I see both a male & female visit the feeder & return to same opening in one of the junipers, repeatedly. It’s about at a 15 ft level, so can’t see anything from below & not going to disturb them. From past years, juvenile hummingbirds should start appearing any day now. Most common juv hummers are the BC & Rufous, for us. Calliope usually show at our location by mid-Aug.
Although I don’t have more than a few, the hummers started showing up here about a week ago. Had a fun little segue with a Calliope taking a bath in my garden hose about 2 feet from my face. Haven’t looked close at the others, but I suspect they’re juvenile Rufous. I’m putting out a second feeder today.
Think it must be habitat. The only year I had numbers like yours, was 1988, summer of Yellowstone fires. I had 3 feeders draining daily with: Broad-tailed, Rufous, Calliope & a few Black-chinned. After that, for about 10 yrs, our most numerous hummer was Broad-tailed. Then, became Black-chinned. And, that’s been our typical summer resident hummer, since. BT have about disappeared, only a couple Fall migrants, usually late Aug.
I wonder if it’s habitat difference. We have some nearby riparian area with Rapid Creek west, but lots of open fields and aspen/pine fir boundaries. We’ve both been feeding for years.
Don’t have near your numbers, Bill. But, getting both male & female adult Rufous & Black-chinned Hummingbirds hitting the nectar, esp AM & evening time. No juveniles yet.
Juvenile-wise: numerous BH Grosbeak, Bullock’s Oriole, Robin, Spotted Towhee, Yellow Warbler young about. Best bird this AM was a Gray Catbird working through backyard streamside willows. Only a handful of House Wrens this year, usually have a dozen + about.
