We moved to our location along the Snake River in 1988, the year of the Yellowstone fires. That particular summer, we had 3 hummingbird feeders going full blast, filling all 3 every other day. The hummers were primarily Broad-tailed and Rufous (with a handful of Calliopes) and the battles at the feeders were epic, mid-air chest-to-chest crashes and face-offs. We would see as many as 6 to 8 hummers at each feeder, starting at daybreak and continuing until sunset, everyday. In the years since, we’ve never had those numbers again, and I relate that particular summer to the fires. Since 1988, our main hummingbird visitor has been the Broad-tailed with some spectacular and loud tail-feather whistling, mating flight displays by the males. But in numbers that require the need for only a single feeder and filling about every 3 days.

Two summers ago, we noted a change. The arrival of Black-chinned Hummingbirds. And just the briefest passage through of an occasional Rufous and Broad-tailed. Now, I have both male & female Black-chinneds visiting the solitary feeder, with one female quite consistent. I suspect it’s the one I observed collecting spider webs a few weeks back. Just an interesting shift in hummer species during the past 30 years.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot