Hummer show.

Well then Judy, I don't understand how the scouts would get the message back to the others down south, unless they make a trip down there and back. Maybe they have a bird internet that we aren't aware of.

:D

This:
http://www.hummingbirds.net/coldsnap.html
— relates to the "scout" birds and the weather.

and this:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=511127
— particularly the part I've copied below, explains what I was saying. No Internet, just smart birds.

.... But the migration is spread over a three-month period, which
prevents a catastrophic weather event from wiping out the entire
species. This means that a few birds will arrive at any location very
early (the dots on the migration map), but the bulk of the population
will follow later, so you may not see your first hummingbird for
several more weeks. Each individual has its own internal map and
schedule, and "your" birds may arrive early, late, or anywhere within
a two-month span...

This message was edited Mar 21, 2008 4:07 PM

Judy, well thanks for that. It's some fun reading. I'll put mine out early too, though they don't seem interested in my yard until the late summer/fall.

A couple of pics from today.

xxxx

Very cute!!

Hummer fix for the day.

Wonderful pic adel!!

I put up 2 Hummingbird feeders yesterday for those very early scouts since their so close.

The same little male has been here five days now.

Pelle, when do you normally put them up? Do you always watch the map and use that as a guide?

Nice pic...is that a Ruby-throated Hummer?

Frank, I am pretty sure that is one of mine!! LOL

Must be another wave of hummers coming up b/c there were major hummer fights in my yard yesterday. I believe I ended up with the same female that I started with b/c she's posing in the exact same spot!

Nice pics adel and elphaba!!

This morning another hummer showed up and they parked 2 feet away from each other in the same tree. It's a tree with a downy woodpecker nest in it and I was sure the downies would go after the hummers, but they were fighting off starlings. I had heart palpitations all morning as the starlings and then brown-headed cowbirds tried to get to the nest. I took this one photo of a hummer though.

One more -- you can't really see her in this photo, so I wasn't going to post it. I decided that I love the light through the wings, so I'm posting it anyway! Can you have too many pictures of hummingbirds?

No such thing as too many!! Great pics!

Wonderful pics Elphaba!!

Oh I hope those Downys make out okay!!

Pelle

Hummer envy big time going on here!! My hummer feeder looks naked with no hummers!

Yes I do put feeders up when I see they are 2 states away. :-)

This male Rufous is.................

wearing himself to a frazzle trying to protect 3 feeders.........

see what I mean?

LOL, cute pics adel!!

Great pics adel. Aren't they funny to watch covering so much territory. Zip, zop all over the place.

Poor little guy IS frazzled isn't he!! LOL

Adel, your photos are wonderful! I'm visiting my brother in California in a month. I'll definitely be watching for hummers like these!

El.phaba......................Hope you see bunches of them.

Our frazzled hero is still on the job.

Not quite as frazzled as yesterday.

gosh, he is cute as a button adel!!

He sure is adorable!! Great pic adel!

He couldn't be any cuter Adel...definitely a feel good pic!

A bright spot on a glum morning.

:D Looks like it is a part of the branch. Brings new meaning to "hummingbird flower."

It does at that.

like a red hot fire poker!!

I'm humming in the rain. Our frazzled hero doesn't seem to mind this female Rufous at his feeder. Either love is in the air or he's just too frazzled to care.