WELCOME TO NEW ENGLAND HUMMERS!
A Research Project designed to learn more about our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
In 2010 New England Hummers will again be collecting 'first sightings' of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in the six New England states and in eastern New York. The link for reporting sightings will be posted in early March. Please sign up to be a Site Monitor (see Project Description and Project Director) and use this time to plan your hummingbird garden!
LATE AND LAST SIGHTINGS 2009. See photos of some late "stragglers"!
By the end of September 2009, the majority of female and first-year Ruby-throats had left, and most adult males had left by the end of August. On the Rhode Island coast, where there are often late Ruby-throats, the few known stragglers had left by mid-October. A late Ruby-throated in Stratford CT was last seen 10/22, and one on Martha's Vineyard also last seen 10/22. However, the latest New England Ruby-throat this winter appears to be the one reported from near Fonda, NY on 11/14. For more, follow the above link.
OUT OF RANGE HUMMINGBIRDS REPORTED IN NEW ENGLAND 2009
Only three this year. There was a hatch-year Rufous Hummingbird coming to a feeder in Hollis, NH, until Nov. 2; it was banded by Anthony Hill on Oct. 25. Another Selas in Scituate, MA turned out to be an Allen's Hummingbird--only the second confirmed Allen's ever in Massachusetts! but at an outdoor feeder, this bird did not survive the cold and wind. A SECOND Allen's in Harwich had been there since October, but was only confirmed and banded on January 1, 2010. This was only the THIRD confirmed Allen's ever in Massachusetts! This bird nearly died from the cold, but was saved and sent to a rehab clinic. More at the above link.
FIRST BIRD REPORTS AND MAPS 2009 (Arrival Data and MAPS as of MAY 3 and 16, 2009)
NEWS AND NOTES, SUMMER 2009 (Rainy weather effects; dramatic photos of a food fight)
CLICK HERE TO REPORT Your Last sightings of Hummingbirds IN 2009. (New England States and New York east of 75º longitude only, please.)
Fall is the time when we in New England sometimes see non-Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. These are vagrant, out-of-range hummers from further west, which cannot survive New England winters. The most common species to be seen here is the Rufous Hummingbird. Please report any non-Ruby-throated sightings to nehummers@comcast.net
RESEARCH REPORTS AVAILABLE: average arrival date, trend toward earlier 'first birds'
New England Hummers is pleased to announce the availability of two research reports based on data submitted by hummingbird observers.
Research Report No. 1: "Spring Arrival of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in New England, 2003-2005," presents charts of daily variations in numbers of arrival reports, and identifies an average arrival date for each of these years. It utilizes scatterplots to give a picture of the migration movement across latitudes. These analyses are for New England as a whole, but are planned for particular states as well. To read this report as a .pdf file, click here
Research Report No. 3: "First Hummingbird Reports in Eastern and Central Massachusetts 1933-2006: A Trend toward Earlier Arrivals?" reviews historical "First Sightings" for two areas of New England where there is a long time series of published data. Data cover the last 74 years, from 1933-2006. The analysis demonstrates a trend toward earlier first bird reports, and discusses whether this indicates actual earlier arrivals or simply increased observer interest and effort. To read this report as a .pdf file, click here.
Articles summarizing and updating these reports by New England Hummers have appeared in New Hampshire Bird Records, Vol. 25, No. 1, Spring 2006; and Bird Observer, Vol. 35, No. 3, June 2007.
Previous Reports:
FIRST BIRD REPORTS 2008 (Arrival data for 2008, Arrival Summary and Maps)
FIRST BIRD REPORTS 2007 (Arrival data for 2007, and Maps through 5/31)
FIRST BIRD REPORTS 2006 (Arrival data and maps for 2006)
FIRST BIRD REPORTS 2005 (Commentary and Data)
FALL 2006 RUBY-THROATED MIGRATION (Late and Last Sightings)
FALL 2005 RUBY-THROATED MIGRATION (Late and Last Sightings)
Fall 2004 Ruby-throated Migration (Late/Last Sightings)
OUT-OF-RANGE HUMMINGBIRDS REPORTED IN NEW ENGLAND 2005 (Check this for how one Rufous survived a New England Winter)
OUT-OF-RANGE HUMMINGBIRDS in NEW ENGLAND 2004
NEWS AND NOTES, SUMMER 2007 (Hummer banding in Newbury, MA)
NEWS AND NOTES, FALL 2006 (Hummer migration, RTHU Banding data, more)
NEWS AND NOTES, SUMMER 2005 (Five 2005 Nest Reports; and "Will Rubies sit on your finger?")
Identification and Other Instructions at the following links:
Feeder Maintenance: Instructions, Tips, and "Where did my Hummers go?"
New England Hummers is a research project designed to learn more about our beautiful Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), as well as other less common species of hummingbirds in New England. Our region includes the six states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, plus New York east of 75º longitude. The Project Director is Sharon Stichter (see below).
The aims of the project, with respect to Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, are:
To track yearly variations in arrival and departure dates for different locations in our region.
To provide information on the distribution of hummingbirds across the region, identifying possible migration corridors, elevations, hotspots and areas lacking in hummingbirds.
To roughly gauge year-to-year hummingbird population variations during nesting season, as well as numbers of migrants.
To confirm what species of woody vegetation and what ecological niches hummingbirds are using as nesting sites.
To investigate the impact of feeders on hummingbird populations and distribution.
To report research results on these web pages and to cooperate with and provide data to other nationwide hummingbird tracking efforts.
This project depends on citizen observation as the primary source of data. We welcome the assistance of birders, gardeners and nature lovers in actively looking for and reporting sightings of Hummingbirds and Hummingbird nests. We would also welcome your participation as a site or feeder monitor.
HOW TO REPORT YOUR SIGHTINGS: Please report your sightings directly to New England Hummers here on the website, using our on-line form. Or, simply report the sighting to the birding listserve in your state. These include: MassBird - RIBirds - NH.Birds - Maine-Birds and VTBird . Connecticut sightings may now be reported on the new CTBirds. These listserves are monitored by New England Hummers and your report if appropriate will be entered into our database. To report on-line, "Click here"
HOW TO BECOME A SITE MONITOR: If a number of hummers regularly visit your yard or feeder area, you are in a good position to become a Site Monitor. To apply, send an email describing the plants and feeders at your site, and your nearest street or road intersection (street address not necessary) to nehummers@comcast.net. Site Monitors agree to report numbers of hummers seen by age and sex on a day in the last week of July. They also report their first and last hummer sightings, arrival of juveniles, and possible hummer nests. Site Monitors are collecting population and migration data which may contribute important new information about New England hummingbirds. If accepted as a Site Monitor, you will receive occasional mailings, reporting instructions, and tips for identifying birds by age and sex. To report on-line as a Site Monitor, "Click here".
WRITE TO US! We have space on the website for contributions from you, our readers and visitors. Send in your questions about hummers, your own experiences and anecdotes, and any data you may have from monitoring feeders in your yard. Send your contributions, long or short, to us at nehummers@comcast.net We'll edit them and put them up under relevant topics.
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Sharon Stichter has been observing birds and butterflies for many years, and is Editor of the journal Massachusetts Butterflies. She is also Professor Emerita of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. She presents programs on hummingbirds and other natural history topics, and maintains a large Hummingbird and Butterfly garden in Newbury, MA.
Links to other Hummingbird Information and Research:
Lanny Chambers' Ruby-throated Hummingbird migration maps Day to day progress of the spring arrival of Ruby-throats across eastern United States
Stacy Peterson's Trochilids website - Mapped the occurrence of "out of range" "winter hummingbirds" of all species across North America 1999-2004, and continues to keep some rarity records.
Bob Sargent's Hummer/Bird Study Group - Hummer expert and Master Bander, based at Fort Morgan, Alabama
Operation Ruby Throat -The Hummingbird Project- Bill Hilton's banding and hummingbird education project, based in South Carolina
Ontario Hummingbirds To report your Ontario sightings and learn more about hummingbirds in Ontario.
Quebec Hummingbirds: http://www.projetcolibris.org/English For an interesting new site monitoring and tracking Ruby-throats in Quebec, go to this site!
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Page updated Jan. 17, 2010 © Sharon Stichter 2007, 2008, 2009. All rights reserved.