[Umpqua Birds] Starving hummingbird & other arriving migrant birds
- From: "Toni M" <creekwood@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2014 18:24:27 -0800 (Pacific Standard Time)
The first RUFOUD HUMMINGBIRD arrived today, a few days earlier than their
normal March arrival. It literally collapsed on the feeder and drank nectar
on its side. If anyone feeds them regularly, I hope that you've been able to
set your feeders out. It's easy for me to forget that we can make a life and
death difference for so many migrants.
5 groups of several dozen ROBINS took wing as I traveled a few miles down
South Umpqua road. They were in the fields likely looking for worms and
insects. I heard the first one singing in the trees around my house today.
SPOTTED TOWHEES, usually plentiful around my house, have been scarce this
year but appear to be returning. JUNCOS are eating voraciously (perhaps
preparing to migrate north?), but don't seem to be thinning out.
My beloved dozen wood ducks are still here, but I'm observing behavior that
isn't the norm for their stay here. Tonight they flew in circles over the
trees and streams, over and over.
My pygmy owl is behaving meaner than usual - mating season coming up
perhaps?
If anyone is observing similar events, could you please respond to this post?
Everything this year has seemed unusual- number of birds (hordes of juncos),
missing birds (last year it was "finch irruption"- this year, none), chickadees
by the dozen seen in prior years were reduced to a half dozen this year.
Weather? Food availability (I feed consistently)?
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- » [Umpqua Birds] Starving hummingbird & other arriving migrant birds - Toni M
