FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Ruby-throated hummers in Johnson City, TN

["Bruce J. Turner" <fishgen@xxxxxx>]

My wife Barbara and I saw our first hummers of the year on Sunday, 20 April
2003 at 12:05 PM in the back yard of our home in the Briarwood subdivision.
The first bird seen was a female, and it visited a "Lady in Red" Salvia
coccinea in flower on our back patio.  A male was subsequently seen.  The
birds also visited two of the three feeders suspended above hanging baskets
containing red or purple 'Salsa" Salvia splendens, also in flower. Two
birds were seen again an hour later.  There were repeated sightings on
Monday, 21 April as well. On Tueday morning, 22 April, at about 6:45 AM I
saw three hummers visitng these same sites and feeding from the S.
splendens and S. coccinea flowers.  Our patio also contains blue and
pinkish hybrid columbines (both in flower) and several other blue-flowered
Salvia species.

I was very relieved to see these birds, as I expected to see some a bit
earlier in the year.

******************************************************************************

                                        Bruce J. Turner
                                        Assoc. Professor of Biology
                                        VPISU, Blacksburg, VA 24061
                                        (540)-231-7444
                                        fishgen@xxxxxx


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