Late and Last Sightings Reported 2007

Adult Males: Observers from northern Vermont (Milton, Jericho Center),  northern New Hampshire (Colebrook) , and inland northern Maine (Beaver Mtn. Lake)  all reported their last adult male was seen on 8/30 or 8/31.  In Massachusetts, all reports of last sightings of adult males fell between 8/24 and 9/11.  In New Hampshire, the last adult male reported was 9/8.  Along coastal Maine, adult males were reported gone by 8/26 in Lubec, 8/24 in Lincolnville, and 9/3 in Old Orchard Beach.  By September 9, observers from Boothbay, North Haven and Unity  were commenting on "maine-birds" that their [adult] male hummingbirds had been gone for "a couple of weeks" . 

General Migration: In Peterborough, New Hampshire, the Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory,  run by New Hampshire Audubon, has been observing the hawk migration every day since September 1, and incidentally reporting Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.  The dates on which they reported hummingbirds give a snapshot of the migration over this summit: 9/1 (2 birds);  9/2 (2 birds); 9/5 (5 birds); 9/6 (1 bird); 9/7 (3 birds); 9/8 (1 bird); 9/12 (4 birds). No hummers were reported there after 9/12.

In Connecticut, migration, and preparation for it, was taking place by mid-August, as evidenced by increased numbers and competition around feeders. Don Morgan, in Coventry, wrote on August 23 that

In the last few weeks I've had sudden increase in the number of hummers in my yard.  The most I've figured I had using my  feeders in the past was about 6. Now I have seen as many as 8 at one  time and I'm guessing that 16 to 20 total would be a conservative  estimate.   I have them fighting 3 and 4 at a time over a single  feeder, and often all 8 are in use.  I added 2 to the 6 I had up.  In addition, I'm seeing several hummers  every time I go out for a bird walk, and I used to consider 1 a rare  event. At this time of year I usually start to get new birds coming in to fatten up or already on the way south, but this time I don't think  the others have left, and the new ones are standing in line.

Dana Campell in Hartford reported similarly on 8/24 that there were more hummers than usual in her backyard, and that " last night there was a territory war going on by the back yard feeder."  On 8/18, Dave Rosgen in Litchfield at the White Memorial Museum area, counted 6 hummers, but only 2 and 3 after that day. About all this, Jim Zipp, an experienced CT observer, commented that  "This is peak season for hummers. This is the time of year that people that have them all summer have more, and those that almost never do are seeing them for the first time....The number of adult males is already dropping fast but still plenty around."

On 8/26 at Greenwich Point in Old Greenwich, there was a major swallow and kingbird migration, and with them were 8 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.  That same day migrating though Lighthouse Point Park (LPP) in New Haven were 18 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.  On 9/4 at Quaker Ridge Hawkwatch in Greenwich, 10 Hummingbirds were seen migrating through (B. Bielfelt). However, none were reported there on 9/12, 9/15 or 9/16.  Back at LPP migrant hummingbirds were observed on 9/3 (1, G. Hanisek),  9/4 (6, S. Mayo), 9/9 (31, S. Mayo),  9/13 (3, E.J. Raynor & N. Bonomo), 9/17 (5, G. Hanisek), 9/20 (1, J. Jankura), 9/21 (2, D. Campbell), 9/23 ("a good flight", S. Mayo), and 9/28 (1, D. Campbell). After that,  there were no more hummers reported migrating through Lighthouse Point Park.

On 9/17 Jayne Amico in Southington wrote: "Today I was able to see 3 RT hummingbirds at once so there are at least 3 of them still present. They are quite pear shaped with fat packed along their flanks so do not expect these particular guys to be here much longer."  On that day, Diane Tucker in West Hartford and Tammy Eustis in Chester, also still had hummingbirds visiting their yards.  By 9/24 Jayne Amico had only 1 hummer, and her last sighting, a juvenile, was on October 1.  The last date reported for a hummer in western CT was 9/18 in Litchfield, reported by Dave Rosgen.  A late fem/juv was reported in Norwalk on Oct. 6, in the yard of Larry Flynn
State Day Month Town comment ad males fem/juvs sex/age not rep Observer
CT 23 8 Enfield last ad male     John McGurn
  23 8 Pomfret,Bafflin Sanct.       many Don Morgan
  24 8 Hartford,Cedar Hill Cem.       many Paul Cianfaglone
  25 8 Stonington, Barn Island       1 Carolyn Cimino
  26 8 New Haven, LPP       18 Steve Mayo
  26 8 Greenwich Pt, Old Greenwich       8 Meredith Sampson
  28 8 Middletown last ad male     Wendy Steele
  31 8 Litchfield, Little Pond Bdwlk       7 Dave Rosgen et al.
1 9 Middletown last fem/juv Wendy Steele
1 9 Roxbury last ad male Judith Taylor
1 9 Groton, Bluff Point 2 Glenn Williams et al.
4 9 Greenwich, Quaker Ridge 10 migr Brian Bielfelt
6 9 Coventry last ad male Don Morgan
8 9 Madison, Hammo SP 1 Diane Adams
9 9 Newtown last ad male Maggie Moller
10 9 East Hampton 2 Pat Dufour
11 9 Coventry last fem/juv Don Morgan
16 9 Roxbury last 1 Judith Taylor*
16 9 Putnam last fem/juv Margery Mosher
18 9 Litchfield, White Mem. Mus. last-2 birds ad male fem/juv Dave Rosgen***
20 9 Orange late fem/juv-1 Bev Propen****
28 9 Hamden last 1 Gary Prestash**
28 9 LPP, New Haven last?? 1 Dana Campbell
1 10 Southington last fem/juv Jayne Amico
6 10 Norwalk last fem/juv Larry Flynn
25 10 Mystic fly-by; spp?? Beth Williams (fide Glenn
29 10 Willington archiloch spp fem/juv fide M. Szantyr#
RI 1 9 Little Compton last ad male G. Dennis
5 9 North Kingstown last ad male Dan Crowley
6 9 Wakefield last fem/juv Don Lapp
9 9 North Kingstown last fem/juv Dan Crowley
18 9 Snug Harbor last fem/juv Cynthia Drummond
19 9 Newport last fem/juv french lessons
19 9 Moonstone Beach late 1 Peter Capobianco
20 9 Coventry last fem/juv Tom
22 9 Port Judith (CampCronin) late 1 Philip Budlong
6 10 Little Compton yard 1 last HYM G. Dennis
9 10 Little Compton yard 2 last HYM fide G.D.
22 10 Wakefield last HYF Barbara Chaves
2 11 Little Compton yard 2 last HYF fide G.D.*
MA 15 8 Attleboro last ad male Jan V
19 8 Westport last ad male Elizabeth
22 8 Westport last ad male Ollie
24 8 Newbury last ad male Sharon Stichter****
26 8 South Hadley last-banded ad male Anthony Hill
26 8 West Whately last ad male Bill Benner
26 8 Groveland last ad male Doug Chickering
27 8 Chelmsford last ad male Giancarla Kalpas
29 8 Stow last ad male Bill Howell
31 8 Northampton last ad male Axel Hildebrandt
31 8 Boxford last ad male Kathryn Disney
1 9 Tyringham last ad male Laurel Baluk
1 9 Wayland last ad male Barbara Howell
1 9 Cotuit last ad male Janet Leigh##
2 9 South Easton last ad male John Mitchell***
2 9 Gloucester last ad male John Nelson
3 9 Essex last ad male Phil Brown
3 9 Acushnet last ad male Kay Langevin
3 9 Gloucester last fem/juv John Nelson
3 9 Princeton last fem/juv Job Dekker
3 9 Holyoke last ad male Don Cooper
3 9 Stockbridge last ad male Chris Deno
3 9 Cummington last fem/juv Barbara Spencer
4 9 Washington last fem/juv Marilyn Wiley
4 9 Bradford last ad male Dave Larson
5 9 Tyringham last ad male Dottie Naventi*****
5 9 Mattapoisett last ad male Mike LaBossiere
6 9 Washington last ad male Marilyn Wiley
7 9 Chelmsford last fem/juv Giancarla Kalpas
7 9 Haverhill last fem/juv P. Schiavoni
7 9 Wayland last fem/juv Barbara Howell
10 9 Holyoke last fem/juv Don Cooper
10 9 Dartmouth last fem/juv Alice Morgan**
10 9 Pepperell late  garden Erik Stromstead
11 9 Stow last fem/juv Bill Howell#
11 9 Pembroke last ad male Joanna
11 9 Stow last ad male Barb Dolan
12 9 Stow last fem/juv Barb Dolan
12 9 Blueberry Hill, Granville migrating 8 John Weeks
13 9 Goat's Peak, Mt Tom Res late 2 Tom Gagnon
13 9 Pittsfield, Springside Park late 4 Tom Collins
13 9 Cumberland Farm fields late 1 Dan Furbish
13 9 Georgetown last fem/juv Marjorie Watson
13 9 Fitchburg last 1 Cindy Cringan
14 9 Mt Watatic, Ashburnham late 1 Tom Pirro
14 9 Millennium Park, W. Roxbury late 1 Marshall Illiffe
14 9 Brewster, Wing Island last-banded AHY/F Sue Finnegan
15 9 Thompson Isl., Boston late 1 Bob Stymeist, et al
15 9 North Andover last fem/juv Marty Allen
15 9 Northampton last fem/juv Axel Hildebrandt
15 9 Cotuit last fem/juv Janet Leigh
15 9 Plymouth last fem/juv Stewart Sanders
15 9 Stockbridge last fem/juv Chris Deno
15 9 Groveland last fem/juv Doug Chickering
16 9 Acushnet last fem/juv Kay Langevin
16 9 Bolton Flats late 2 Linda Ferraresso
16 9 Eastham late 2 Rick Heil
17 9 Newbury on salvia fem/juv Lynette Leka
17 9 Leicester last ad male Mark W. Rowden
18 9 Florence last fem/juv Tom Gagnon
18 9 Pembroke last fem/juv Joanna
18 9 Essex late 2 Phil Brown
18 9 Ash Swamp, W. Newbury late 1 R. Heil; I. Davies
20 9 South Easton late 2 John Mitchell
20 9 Hamilton, Miles River on buddleia 1 Martha Campbell
20 9 Tyringham last fem/juv Dottie Naventi###
20 9 Essex last fem/juv Phil Brown
20 9 Boxford last fem/juv Kathryn Disney++
20 9 Westport last fem/juv Ollie (fide D.Saffarewich)
23 9 Bradford last fem/juv Dave Larson
23 9 Leicester last fem/juv Mark W. Rowden
23 9 Hinsdale last fem/juv Lynne Roberson
24 9 Mashpee late 1 Mary Keleher
25 9 Newbury last fem/juv Sharon Stichter*
25 9 North Andover last fem/juv Beverly Everett
25 9 South Hadley last-banded HY/M Anthony Hill
25 9 Pittsfield late 2 f/j Tom Collins
25 9 Sheffield last AD MALE Sherry Macdonald
25 9 Westport last fem/juv Elizabeth
27 9 West Whately last fem/juv Bill Benner
28 9 Sheffield last fem/juv Sherry Macdonald
29 9 Newbury last fem/juv Dorothy Saffarewich+
1 10 Northampton Comm Grdns late fem/juv Tom Gagnon
1 10 Acoaxet (Westport) late fem/juv Mark Lynch
1 10 Marshfield last fem/juv Lester
2 10 Tyringham last fem/juv Dottie Naventi+++
1 11 Beverly last fem/juv Bob Heil++++
ME 24 8 Lincolnville last ad male Bob Heald*
26 8 Lubec last ad male D. and J. Pressley
31 8 Beaver Mtn Lake last ad male Don Herbert
3 9 Old Orchard Beach last ad male Liz Dunkerley
6 9 Schoodic Mtn. Hawkwatch late 3 Richard Hildreth
9 9 Old Orchard Beach last fem/juvs Liz Dunkerley#
3 9 West Kennebunk last x Sharon Finley##
8 9 Sedgwick late fem/juv Sally Rooney
9 9 Limerick last x Christine Lowthian
10 9 Auburn late fem/juv Walter Burbank
13 9 Augusta, Pine Tree Arboret late 1 Michael Smith
13 9 Windham, Highland Lake late 1 Erik and Ken Eklund
13 9 North Berwick last fem/juv Cathy
13 9 Lubec last fem/juv D. and J. Pressley***
14 9 Winthrop late 2 Shelley Dorr
14 9 Monhegan Island late 3 Jim Berry
15 9 East Dixfield late x Terry Karkos
16 9 Portland on flowers 1 Connie Jones
16 9 Andover cardinal flowers 2 Trudy
16 9 North Haven in garden 1 Terry
17 9 Steuben last fem/juv Richard Hildreth
18 9 Sedgwick migrating 2 Chip Moseley
18 9 Sedgwick last 1 Sally Rooney
18 9 Rockport late 1 Amy Campbell**
19 9 Alexander late 1 Connie
20 9 Mooselookmeguntic Lake last fem/juv H.&G.Wright fide Yunick
22 9 Greenville late 1 Bob Duchesne
24 9 Sandy Point late 1 Stella
24 9 Southwest Harbor last fem/juv Kathy Archer
25 9 W. Stoneham (nr EvansNotch) late several Eileen Giuliani
1 10 Monhegan Island late fly-by 1 Derek Lovitch et al
1 10 Berwick last fem/juv Scott Richardson
7 10 New Harbor-Grosnold Inn late fem/juv D. Lovitch, M. Fahay
4-8 11 Otis late-probRTHU fem/juv A Patterson;E. Hynes****
NH 25 8 Rumney last ad male John R. Williams
27 8 Loudon last ad male Bill and Gayle Baird
30 8 Colebrook last ad male Heather Cleary*
2 9 Meredith last ad male Fred Tyrell
3 9 Rochester last ad male Dan Hubbard
8 9 Temple last ad male Patty Gettman
11 9 Rochester last fem/juv Dan Hubbard
12 9 Snow Pond migrating 4 Phil Brown
12 9 Pack Monadnock Hwkwtch late 4 Lance Tanino et al
13 9 Chatham last fem/juv Bob Crowley
14 9 Henniker last x Judy Flanders
16 9 Windham last fem/juv Phil Arrigo
16 9 Westmoreland last fem/juv Greg Seymour
16 9 Temple last fem/juv Patty Gettman
17 9 Nashua last fem/juv Emmalee Tarry
17 9 Loudon last fem/juv Joyce Milligan
17 9 Munsonville late 1 Keith Gordon
17 9 2.5 hrs at sea off Seabrook late 1 Mark Taylor
18 9 P0 Fields, Concord late 1 Steve Mirick
19 9 Goffstown last 1 Susan K. Tucker
19 9 Colebrook last 1 Heather Cleary**
20 9 Hancock late 1 Lillian & Don Stokes***
20 9 Deerfield late fem/juv Chris Carr
21 9 Meredith last fem/juv Fred Tyrell
22 9 Odiorne SP --Bioblitz late 2 Steve Mirick
22 9 North Sutton on flowers 1 Jane Williamson
22 9 Campton last fem/juv Anna Wilken
23 9 Loudon last fem/juv Bill and Gayle Baird
26 9 Rumney last fem/juv John and Jody Williams#
2 10 Deerfield late, on flowers fem/juv Chris Carr
19 10 Derry "Humm spp." late, at feeder Bill8362
NY 7 9 Jenny Lake, Corinth last, banded ad fem Bob Yunick
VT 30 8 Jericho Center last ad male Maeve Kim**
30 8 Rutland last ad male Mary-C. Marro***
31 8 Milton last ad male Richard Harlow
1 9 East Burke late 1 Anthony Hill
5 9 Shelburne last fem/juv Kathy Archer
10 9 Pittsford last ad male Diane Pearson
11 9 Brandon late 1 Sue Wetmore
15 9 West Brattleboro late fem/juv Laurie Miner
15 9 Huntington late 1 Jay Moore
17 9 Madonna Peak--3500' late 1 Scott Morrical
20 9 East Dorset late 1 Ruth Stewart*
20 9 West Rutland Marsh IBA late 1 Roy Pilcher
22 9 Retreat Meadows late 1 Taj Schottland
23 9 Charlotte late fem/juv John H. Lunde****
23 9 Rutland late-on flowers fem/juv Roy Pilcher
24 9 Milton last fem/juv Richard Harlow#
24 9 West Brattleboro on card flowers fem/juv Al Merritt
25 9 Burlington late 1 Nancy Goodrich
30 9 Pittsford last fem/juv Diane Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CT: * on hostas; her previous fem/juvs had left on 9/7; **"have not had any in a couple of weeks"--until this one.  ***At the White Memorial Museum area, there were 2 to 3 hummers every day 8/20 to 9/1. On 9/18, the last adult male chased off the last fem/juv from the feeder ****"at my fuchsia plant for the past 3 days."  #"I have reviewed photos {of this bird} and am fairly certain that it is in fact Ruby-throated" - Mark Szantyr. Nick Bonomo also reviewed the photos and agrees.

RI: * The HYM left on Oct 9, but then a HYF showed up on Oct. 26 and continued until Nov. 2.

MA: ****"This adult male came daily, several times each day, up until 8/24. Not seen after that."  *****This was the last of many adult males I had this year; more adult males than usual.  *My previous 2 "regulars"  left 9/14; this was probably a late-comer, migrating, though she stayed for several days.  **"Male long gone--probably 3rd week in August"  ***"Three females/juvs still here in drizzle, 9/15"  #"See ya next year!" ##"last date slightly later than prior years--but last date for fem/juv about the same as prior years."  ### "this was my last juvenile male. He  was the one that I nursed back from being hurt. I know it was him, because he had the funniest hair on the top of his head, it always stood up in front."   +Dorothy also had a possible adult male at her feeder at 11 am on 9/29, which if confirmed would be the latest report of an adult male so far. The female was seen about 6:30 pm that day. Both sightings were migrants, not seen before or afterward.  ++on shrimp plants, which were still sitting outside  +++"Her resident birds were last seen on 9/20, but she had several migrants after that, on Sept 26, 30, Oct 1 and 2"   ++++Latest in MA this year!  This bird showed up 10/29 and stayed thru 11/01, at feeder and pineapple sage.

ME:*"The cool weather we've had recently (3 nights in the upper '40s) may have triggered an early departure of the males."   # "those at my feeder left 9/7; this was a late one at the salvia; apparently just passing through."  ##"My three hummers disappeared over the last weekend--Labor Day." In Limerick and Clinton, they were gone by Sept 9,, but in North Haven, females and juveniles remained, although there had been no male for "a couple of weeks."    **"on tall verbena; our resident birds seem to have left about September 3."  ***"We look forward to their return next year." ### Kathy wrote: "Mid-August we saw 2 hummers fighting, battering each other with thuds and clicks; locked in combat they spiraled to the deck at my feet, pinned to the deck. They finally got free and flew away. We learned from a park ranger that they sometimes do fight to the kill."  ****This bird was present at a feeder on Beech Hill Pond in Otis, ME, from Nov 4 - 9 at least. The owner said it had a green back and was probably a RTHU female, but further confirmation is needed.

NH: *"I hate to see them go. See you next spring!" **"Our resident female left on 9/7/07, but we just had a migrating female outside our kitchen window on 9/19/07."  ***"feeding at our planter of Salvia 'Lady in Red'" # a late juvenile; a five-day gap since our resident juvenile left on 9/20

VT: **"A few days earlier than usual..."    *** "They left early..."  * "on phlox";"My resident hummers seem to have left several days ago" ****"at feeder - latest we've observed one here"  # His "regular" left on 9/9. This one was working over the zinnias. 

    

NOTE: In the table, last= the last date on which a Ruby-throated Hummingbird of that age/sex was reported from that site.  These are yard/feeder reports, unless otherwise indicated. Late = a sighting that is late, but not known to be the last at that site.

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page updated February 7, 2008