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Friday, August 31, 2007
Typical August
This year is following suit with last year. The female Rufous is a regular as is at least one young male Ruby-throat.
An adult male has become a regular this week in the back corner by the well. There are at least 4 hummingbirds regularly n
the yard. I can usually find all of them within a half hour or so. Each one may not be present at any given time but they
usually are around. If not seen, they will be heard.
An adult male American Redstart has been the only warbler to join the regulars, Northern Parula and Yellow-throated
Warbler.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Normal August Hummingbird Activity
I was thinking that things were slow in the yard until I looked back at my archived posts from last August. I hadn't
even reported multiple hummingbird chases over the yard yet and I had five in the yard at one time last week. For the most
part, I have the female Rufous and a young Male Ruby-throat regularly in the yard. I've seen a couple of different gorget
patterns on young male Ruby-throats but only one is consistently in the firebush, defending all of the back yard. He's got
a couple of different regular perches but I believe it's the same bird because the perched bird always has the same gorget
pattern. There must be other birds around to take part in the chases. I assume they're the ones just passing through.
I'm seeing the Rufous every day now and I can usually find her pretty much any time of day. Looking back at my archived
posts again I noticed that she was missing many days after her arrival last year. I believe she spends a number of days quietly
adjusting to the yard and recuperating from the long flight. Rufous Hummingbirds summer in the Pacific Northwest. Sunday
was the first time I really heard her chip. Today, she chipped pretty much every time I walked into the backyard. It makes
it easier to find her. Also, Sunday I observed her chase a hummer away from a feeder and a butterfly from the Pentas.
She's back.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
She's Still Here
The female Rufous is still in the yard. She's not easily seen as she sits quietly observing the goings on in the yard.
For the most part, she doesn't take part in the territorial chases and is happy with her small portion of the yard around
the bottlebrush. I've found her sitting in the persimmon
next to the bottlebrush the past two evenings after work. This picture was cropped from a photo I was able to take yesterday.
I was able to see the band on her leg at one point when she stretched.
This morning, she briefly sat on the same perch but has spent most of her time up in the oak just above the bottlebrush.
She has a couple of preferred perches in the oak but she's still hard to find when she's just sitting. I've not been
able to observe her feeding at a feeder yet. I've placed three feeders along the back of the yard in hopes that
she'll be able to feed comfortably without harassment from the young male Ruby-throat. Unfortunately, these feeders
are not easily monitored.
The young male Ruby-throat is still chasing all other hummers around the yard and he is monopolizing the feeders close
to the house. I'm assuming he's the reason I haven't seen her at these feeders yet. She has been chased away from these feeders
in past years but has always eventually wound up a regular outside the kitchen window. The aggression usually lessens when
new birds stop passing through and the regulars get used to each other.
Monday, August 13, 2007
She's Back!!!
For the past week, I've been watching closely for a female Rufous in the yard in hopes that it'll be the fifth year return
of the bird banded in November of 2003. She was first noticed on August 11th last year. I was beginning to get concerned because
each year I've found her a little earlier than the past year.
I've had an aggressive young male Ruby-throat chasing an occasional second hummer off for the past couple of weeks. This
morning, I observed at least 5 hummingbirds in the yard so I quickly increased my three feeders to seven. Unfortunately, none
of them was a Rufous. I was running late for work and had to leave without having a good chance to really see them all well.
This evening after work, I walked into the backyard and as I walked toward the bottlebrush (the Rufous' preferred perch)
a hummer dropped down from the oak (her other preferred perch) and perched on the top of the key lime tree just in front of
the bottlebrush. It was her (or at least a female Rufous). As I approached closer to look for the band, she flew behind some
bushes and out of sight. This has been typical behavior of this bird each year. She comes out and says "hi" and then hides
for a few days before claiming control of the yard.
Winter is here (and that's hard to say with temperatures in the upper 90's).
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Click on dates above to view archived entries.
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Questions or comments?
Invitation to Visit
My yard is open to anyone who would like the chance to see the birds and other wildlife it offers. I only ask that
you call at
Maps to my yard can be found at:
Summary of Hummingbirds Banded in My Yard:
January 2002
Rufous -
After Second Year Female
Black-chinned -
Second Year Male
Ruby-throated -
After Hatching Year Female
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male
January 2003
Rufous -
Second Year Female
November 2003
Rufous -
After Hatching Year Female
Rufous -
After Hatching Year Male
January 2004
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male
January 2005
Rufous -
After Second Year Female
(Originally banded 11/2003)
Black-chinned -
After Hatching year Female (1)
Black-chinned -
After Hatching year Female (2)
Black-chinned -
Second Year Male
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male
Ruby-throated -
After Second Year Male
August 2005
Rufous -
After Second Year Female
(Believed to be the bird originally banded 11/2003 - Not confirmed)
November 2005
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male
January 2006
Ruby-throated -
After Hatching Year Female
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male (1)
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male (2)
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male (3)
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male (4)
Ruby-throated -
After Second Year Male (5)
August 2006
Rufous -
After Second Year Female
(Originally banded 11/2003 - Confirmed by photo of 3 numbers on band)
January 2007
Rufous -
Second Year Male
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male
Ruby-throated -
After Second Year Male
January 2008
Ruby-throated -
After Second Year Male
Ruby-throated -
After Second Year Male
Rufous -
After Second Year Female
(Originally banded 11/2003)
Ruby-throated -
Second Year Male
Ruby-throated -
After Second Year Male
Ruby-throated -
After Second Year Female
Ruby-throated -
After Second Year Male
Totals:
Rufous - 5
Black-chinned - 4
Ruby-throated - 21
Return Birds - 4 (Same individual 4 years)
A Few Photos of Hummers That Have Passed Through My Yard
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