We had a female Rufous Hummingbird spend the 2005-06 winter in North
Chesterfield and she did just fine. As Adam pointed out, sugar water has a
lower freezing point and by using a window feeder we had only a couple of
nights when the contents froze over. It was a wonderful experience to see
this beautiful bird come to the feeder in the rain, cold and snow
throughout the winter. She left with the arrival of a male Ruby-throated
Hummingbird in early April. A couple pictures are attached.
In light of Maria's comment on the high altitude hummingbirds of the Andes,
I had the good fortune to see and photograph a nesting Ecudorian Hillstar
(photo attached) on the paramo of Ecuador's Antisana Volcano at 13,000
feet above sea level. The paramo is very windy and bitter cold at night
most all the time. I understand what torpor is but I would love to hear
from someone who can explain how a tiny bird can go into torpor every
night and still generate the warmth to incubate her two eggs.
Naseem Reza
On Thu, Apr 7, 2016 at 12:11 PM, Vazquez-Amaral, Maria Elena (mes2uq) <
mes2uq@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
P.S. I have seen hummingbirds at high elevation with really cold temps
and snow….although it was in the Andes (LOL) so maybe they don’t migrate
THAT far!
Maria E. Vazquez-Amaral, J.D.
Director of Operations, Medical Simulation Center
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Office: 434-924-2566
Fax: 434-982-6419
mes2uq@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.medicalsimulation.virginia.edu
From: <va-richmond-general-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of "
juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx" <juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: "juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx" <juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 12:06 PM
To: "D'Onofrio, Adam" <bigadfromlb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "jimvb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <jimvb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, dmarc-noreply <
dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Richmond Birds <
va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [va-richmond-general] Re: Hummingbirds in Prince George County
south of Petersburg
Jim,
Read about torpor. Read about the tenacity of hummingbirds. Having been a
"landlord" of an Allen's and Rufous Hummingbird from Nov-April during 2
season's I have no concern's of the weather impacting their survival.
Perhaps their migration may slow but if they are here they are fine.
JulieKacmarcik
Chester
------------------------------
*From: *"Adam D'Onofrio" <bigadfromlb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
*To: *jimvb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Cc: *"Julie Kacmarcik" <juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Richmond Birds" <
va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*Sent: *Thursday, April 7, 2016 11:27:28 AM
*Subject: *Re: [va-richmond-general] Re: Hummingbirds in Prince George
County south of Petersburg
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are quite capable of enduring freezing
weather. If you happen to have one attending a feeder before Saturday
night, just take the feeder in at dark and put it back out before first
light. The 1:4 sugar/water solution does not begin to freeze until the
temp dips down to 26-27 degrees.
Adam D'Onofrio
North Dinwiddie
------------------------------
*From: *"Jim Blowers" <jimvb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*To: *juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx, dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Cc: *"Richmond Birds" <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*Sent: *Thursday, April 7, 2016 11:08:13 AM
*Subject: *[va-richmond-general] Re: Hummingbirds in Prince George County
south of Petersburg
But I am not putting out my feeder until Sunday, because of the freeze
threat. I don’t want the nectar to freeze and ruin the feeder. I wonder if
the freeze will harm the birds. They do fly south in the autumn for a
reason.
Jim Blowers
*From:* va-richmond-general-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [
mailto:va-richmond-general-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<va-richmond-general-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>] *On Behalf Of *
juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx
*Sent:* Thursday, April 07, 2016 11:01
*To:* dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Cc:* Richmond Birds
*Subject:* [va-richmond-general] Re: Hummingbirds in Prince George County
south of Petersburg
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
JulieKacmarcik
------------------------------
*From: *"Patricia Munford" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*To: *"Richmond Audubon Society Mailing List" <
va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*Sent: *Thursday, April 7, 2016 10:50:51 AM
*Subject: *[va-richmond-general] Hummingbirds in Prince George County
south of Petersburg
Hummingbirds are here!
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2006_0212_090054.JPG
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Attachment:
Antisana II-198.jpg
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