Where are the Hummers?

[kastern]

This morning one of my neighbours asked me where all the hummingbirds were....I had been asking myself the same question! Are others noticing a distinct lack of Hummingbirds right now? I know the males are heading back south but normally about now we have lots of females and young and I haven't seen a hummingbird in days. With the extreme heat maybe they've moved higher up into the mountains

Don't know. I do know my clean, freshly filled hummingbird feeder hasn't had a single visitor.

Kathy

[tmanson]

Kathy et al: Still plenty of Rufous Hummers here in Hope, including males. Mind you, we seem to get them a week or two later in March/April than communities west of here, so they may be that much delayed in their breeding cycle. Also, had a call from Jack Delair out at the airport last night, and he has an Anna's coming to his Fireweed. Anna's appear to be even more rare out here than Chilliwack/Abbotsford, so that was interesting news. Cheers, Thor

Thor Manson
Hope, B.C.

[Gord]

I noticed that there are no hummer at my place either. I had, at one point, two females and a male. I wondered if the females were going to nest. About six days ago I noticed they weren't coming around and have yet to see one since.

I noticed several up the Chilliwack River Valley. Several males were still pursuing females too. Perhaps the area is like Hope, as Thor pointed out, being a little behind. The cold start to summer and deep snowpack on the mountains might have attributed to this a bit.

However, what Kathy and her neighbors have noticed is a little unusual but we've had a bit of an odd spring and summer.

Thor, that's a good sighting on the Anna's. What date did he see it and is it still coming?

[mac]

Interesting! We lost all our Hummers about a couple of weeks ago on the high ground in Enderby when we had the cool, wet weather here.
Now with this heatwave they've returned...but only the Caliopes. Males and females and juveniles..but lots of them. Today the feeders were buzzing with them but no Rufous or Black Chinned.

Mac

[kastern]

I think I've answered my own question. They are next door! Since the excessive heat has been replaced by rain, decided to attempt a walk over to Eagle Point Park. Couldn't get very far in the park. The water level had dropped so the path was clear, but not anymore. Couldn't get near the viewing platform or any futher than the bend in the trail to the log bay. However, I did see 5 hummingbirds, including a male, and heard more. All the vacant lots over there have been allowed to grow naturally and are full of wild flowers (weeds to some no doubt!). All of the sewage treatment plant fields are also full of flowers and so are the couple of empty lots here (I battle very hard to keep those 'flowers').....so I guess the Hummingbirds are finding enough natural food that they don't need to come to feeders. And that is a good thing!

We have less Goldfinch than normal this year too and I already knew that that was because they are in heaven over in those empty lots.....clouds of Goldfinch fly up when you walk past them.

Kathy

[butterfly]

Our Hummers disappeared over the hot days and then just before the rain, they showed up again. Back at the fresh newly washed and filled feeder that was waiting for them. They are up to their old tricks, chasing each other around the yard and playing in the honeysuckle. We also didn't see any Hummers at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve during the hot days but on the second, they were back enjoying chasing each other. We didn't visit during the rain but we did see them today again. Glad to hear that yours are still around Kathy.

[Gord]

I can join in saying I had a couple brief visits during the wet spell. Just one female as far as I can tell but since has been gone again.