It’s almost November first! Time to talk hummingbirds! For those of
you who have been reading my Observer column for a few years, you should know what I am
talking about. For those of you who may be new readers, this may strike you as
an odd time of year to be discussing hummingbirds. Not so.
For the most part, our ruby-throated hummingbirds departed
the southern piedmont around October eleventh. The water level in my feeder
hasn’t moved since then. There may be a few ruby-throat stragglers still, but
they will almost certainly be moving on soon. If you are still seeing a
hummingbird at your feeder, you need to take a close look at it. Any
hummingbird seen in Mecklenburg County after November first is much more likely
to be a species that has flown in from the western United States. I suspect
there are some of these long-range visitors with some of you right now. Please
let me know if you are still seeing one.
As November wears on the likelihood of a hummingbird
visiting you will increase. Keep your feeders up and maintained. Watch for
fleeting visitors or dropping water levels, especially after the passage of
strong cold fronts. Last November I received a dozen messages that hummingbirds
had arrived after the passage of an unusually strong front mid-month. By New Years
Day I had records of over thirty-five hummingbirds visiting feeders in the
area. Some birds decided to move on after a day or so but some ended up staying
almost to April, departing just in time for the ruby-throateds to come back.
The most likely species that you might see will be the
rufous hummingbird. Males are pretty unmistakable, being almost all red. The
females and immature, which are the most likely to be seen are more challenging
to identify. Look for some reddish coloring on the flanks and around the tail
region. If you get one, take a photo if possible and send it to me.
I will be writing more about wintering hummingbirds as the
season goes on, providing updates on numbers and locations.
Compare the two species in the photos below.
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| Female Rufous hummingbird by Jennifer Carpenter |
In the photo of an immature male rufous hummingbird below, notice how most of the plumage is an unusual reddish-orange
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| Male rufous hummingbird by Fran Thomas |
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| Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird by Phil Fowler |
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2 comments:
Should we expect any up in Ashe County part of NC?
Wonderful post dear! i really enjoyed while reading it. these hummingbirds are rare in our area. I would like to share it with my friends too. Beautiful nature....
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