The banded female Rufous left a week earlier this year. I last saw her on March 9th. Activity had slowed down considerably before that with only about six regular birds around. Earlier this week, I still had at least 3 regular hummingbirds, 2 adult male Ruby-throats (one with a pink stripe on its head from the banding and at least one without) and the one assumed to be a female Black-chinned. The female was last seen yesterday before the roofers began re-roofing my house. It's been a slow day for hummers today but that may be due to all of the noise.

 

Although I have seen at least 6 hummers in the yard in the past two days, things seem dead. The female Rufous seldom comes out to see me like she has all winter. Throughout the winter, every time I walked in to the backyard, she would start chipping and come out to her preferred perch in whichever part of the yard I was in. Now, occasionally I can find her perched (usually because I see her coming or going from feeding) but she is usually quiet. I've noticed her feeding at flowers more lately. The other birds follow suit in being quiet resulting in very few chases and a quiet yard.

 

I saw the male Rufous yesterday. He's also very quiet. I hear his wings as he flies by but I've found it very hard to actually see him lately. He doesn't sit out in the open. When I have been able to follow him, he sits inside clumps of bushes or high in the trees.

 

Most of the sparrows have left. The Clay-colored was just on the feeder today with a chippie. I've gone days without seeing any sparrows. The Palm Warblers who regularly fed at the hummer feeders have also been noticeable absent in the past few days. The Robin who had been guarding a corner of my front yard has not been seen the past two days. Even the Yellow-rump numbers have been down the past few days. A flock of a dozen or so goldfinches have shown up in the neighborhood this week spending most of their time in a neighbors yard. Noticeably absent this year has been catbird. I haven't seen one all season.

 

The Parulas have been singing every day this week. A lot of birds are singing including the warblers, wrens, cardinals, mockingbirds, and thrasher. Add to that the scent of the oranges blooming and it was a very pleasant morning to just sit in the yard.