NEWS AND NOTES, SUMMER 2009
JUNE 2009: Ruby-throats in New England struggled through a June of nearly constant rain, during which feeder use was heavy and could become very competitive. See Hal Klavsen's dramatic photos below of 2 males fighting over a feeder. Despite difficult conditions, the first new juvenile birds arrived at some feeders at the usual times; however, in other locations, the arrival of young birds was delayed, and there was a smaller number than normal. See Bob Yunick's report below.
Pat Folsom, of Mad River Birders, Waitsfield, VT, sent in this great 5/26/09 photo of a mother Ruby-throat sitting on her beautifully-constructed nest. If you find a hummer nest, please send a short report to us here at New England Hummers. Please do not harass the bird, and do not reveal the location of the nest. In many parts of New England, nesting and fledging of hummers may have been adversely affected by the prolonged spell of cool, rainy weather in June 2009.
JULY 2009: Highlights from the Summer Yard Count: THANK YOU to everyone who sent in their Summer Yard Count during the last week in July. The season was apparently a good one in most parts of southern New England. Cynthia Drummond in Rhode Island reported "the most hummers ever" at her feeders in July. On May 31, Kay Langevin of Acushnet on the south coast of MA had 10 hummingbirds around her feeders: she recorded 31 visits to one feeder within a 20 minute period!
July yard counts varied from 2 up: Dottie Naventi counted 15 on Goose Pond in Tyringham, MA (see her photo below), and Joe Misiaszak of Sturbridge and Pat Bade of Hamilton reported over 20 at their sites. Debbie Bowie of Keene, NH wrote that she had "only" 8 hummingbirds at her feeders at one time. She said "Our feeders have constant activity. This year we have more feeders and have added gardens...previous years we have had 10-12 hummingbirds at once in our yard." Way to go, Debbie! Sherry Macdonald, in Sheffield, MA, with 7 hummingbirds on her July count, attributed it to the several plantings of Monarda (Bee Balm) she has; an "absolute magnet for hummers!" she says. And Susan Roman of West Alton, NH, wrote that she had a large population of hummers all summer around her three feeders, despite the rains.
But over in New York state Master Bander Bob Yunick found that this season was not a good one at his banding station at Jenny Lake, near Corinth. Hummer numbers were way down after the rains of mid-June. He weighed the amount of sugar water consumed, and that was low as well. Nesting success was affected, because the arrival of juvenile hummers was much delayed. He banded his first hatch-year female on August 10, and first hatch-year male on August 15, both much later than usual. The total of hatch-years banded at Jenny Lake this year was only 3 out of 70 hummers handled (4.3%), whereas in 2008 it was 7 HYs out of a total of 59 birds handled (11.9%). In addition, at another location west of Jenny Lake, he banded 14 HYs out of a total of 78 hummers (17.9%), whereas last year at that location he banded 33 HYs out of 94 total hummers (35.1%). The decrease in HYs at both locations was about one-half or more. Bob writes "Things went well in May and early June....but the bottom fell out in July and thereafter."
Similarly, in MA and RI there were several reports of hummingbirds still feeding young and working on nests at the end of August; these were undoubtedly second nesting attempts. Steve Gabel of Lee, MA, sent in an 8/28 photo of a female still working on her nest. In Narragansett, RI, a group of office workers observed a nest between 7/21 and 8/19, when the young fledged. Barbara Sherman of Narragansett sent this photo, taken 8/17, of a nestling taken shortly before fledging on 8/19.
At many locations which reported to us, young birds arrived at feeders at the normal time in mid-July. First sighting dates included 7/10 Sherry Macdonald in Sheffield, MA; 7/15 Janet Leigh in Cotuit, MA; 7/19 Bill Benner in West Whately, MA; 7/21 Will Sweet in Sharon, MA; 7/24 (approx.) Pat Folsom in Waitsfield, VT; 7/29 Debbie Bowie in Keene, NH, and 8/5 Pat Bade in Hamilton, MA. Our July yard count is timed to try to catch the arrival of local hatch-year birds to your feeders.
AUGUST 2009: Through August, birds begin
to move around over greater distances, and there often is a buildup of numbers
at good feeding sites. Hummingbird banding is often done in August. This year on August 9 Master Bander Anthony
Hill worked in the yard of Joe Misiaszek, on Leadmine Pond in Sturbridge, MA.
Joe is a native of Massachusetts who now spends winters in Florida. He was a
Navy pilot stationed in Kingsville, Texas, in the 1960's, where he first began
to appreciate hummingbirds, especially their ability to fly at high speeds,
hover in midair, and change direction at will. "As a pilot, there isn't an
aircraft in the world that can match that kind of performance," he said. Joe
generally keeps 5 feeders going in his yard in Sturbridge, but not many flowers.
Anthony Hill banded 6 birds there on August 9, 4 adult females, 1 adult male,
and 1 hatch year male. Down in Florida, Joe gets up to five different
species at his feeders, including one Ruby-throated which has spent the winter
in his yard for the past six years! A very good report of the banding in
Sturbridge appeared in the Worcester Telegram, at this link:
http://www.telegram.com/article/20090810/NEWS/908100373/1101/NEWSREWIND
Bill Howell of Stow, MA, sent this great photo of a young male on 8-31-09, showing off his new round red gorget feathers growing in! By the time this fellow returns next spring, he'll have a full red iridescent throat! In mid-August Bill had 3 hatch-year birds and one adult female buzzing around his yard.
Dottie Naventi of Goose Pond, Tyringham, MA, sent this photo, taken in late summer this year, to show how many hummers she has around her feeders!
Hal Klavsen of East Walpole, MA, recorded an exciting spectacle at his feeders this May: two male Ruby-throats showing their famed aggressive and territorial behavior. One hummer attacked the other, knocking him off the feeder to the ground, where they wrestled for a long time. What was particularly interesting in this case is that when it became clear that neither male could drive off the other, the two finally decided to share a companionable drink!
Hal writes:
Pictures 1 -3 show the "initial attack" where one male
absolutely bombed the other male sitting quietly at the feeder, enjoying a
drink.... notice in picture 2 & 3 how he was knocked clear off the feeder. The
fight continued to the ground (pictures 4,5) and lasted a good 45 seconds while
on the ground. (Yes - there are two birds in every shot). Picture 6 shows
them enjoying a sip of nectar at the same feeder (I have six in close proximity
of each other) - and this is AFTER the fight. They continued fighting back and
forth for an additional 20 - 25 minutes. Quite a show.
page updated 1/17/2010