[birdky] Hummers ...
- From: "Palmer-Ball, Brainard (EEC)" <Brainard.Palmer-Ball@xxxxxx>
- To: "BIRDKY" <birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:25:23 -0400
I think everyone is probably hitting the nail on the head ... there are parts
of the state where it has been as cool and as wet during the months of June and
July as it has been in many years. Louisville ended up having a near record wet
June and is just completing one of the coolest months of July on record, again
in large part due to the rainy weather. All of this probably has several
effects on the hummers:
1) reduced nesting success at least in part to stormy weather and heavy rains;
2) delayed fledging due to intermittent periods of difficult foraging and what
is probably a large percentage of renesting attempts;
and
3) certainly lush vegetation to forage on (when the birds can forage) so far
reducing the numbers of birds at some or many feeding stations.
I know here at our place in Jefferson County, I'm seeing birds on the flowers
(especially mimosa trees right now), but they are not stopping by the feeders.
Yards that are in more open areas with less natural nectar sources often have
higher numbers of hummers feeding at feeders. And yards that are near nesting
areas (mostly tracts of forest in more rural countryside, especially along
streams) typically have more birds through the spring and early summer.
We will probably end up seeing plenty of hummers, mostly young birds, although
numbers may be somewhat reduced this late summer/early fall and the peak may be
a bit delayed.
bpb, Louisville
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