I appreciate your written follow-up on the Rufous Hummingbird at Musick's Campground. Having the uncommon opportunity to see her in the dead of winter was a highlight for me as a new birder. Her fate is our reflection on all things that could be. We owe a debt of gratitude to Mae Musick for going the distance to keep this Rufous alive during her frigid ordeal in the mountains of East Tennessee. Michele Sparks Bluff City, TN From: jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx To: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [Bristol-Birds] favorable weather was in Musick's hummer's cards Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:30:11 -0500 We will never know why or if the Rufous Hummingbird left Musick's Campground but there is evidence the urge to travel north for the spring may have played a role. Mae Musick's knowledge of its stay spans an estimated 69 days or 11 weeks -- almost 2.5 winter months. It was first seen there 4 Nov 2009 and last seen 11 Jan 2010. Now, in its third calendar year of life, this female (as a survivor) may go to nest where she was hatched in early 2008, anywhere from the most northwestern US states, across British Columbia or even into the Yukon Territory in western Canada. She was trapped and found banded at 8:00 a.m. on 1 Dec 2009 at Musick's Campground and determined to have been banded by James Bell at Pass Christian, Mississippi which is on the Gulf coast a bit west of Biloxi and Gulfport . One year from that date in Mississippi, she was wintering at Musick's Campground. She fed long and frequently at the Musick's heated feeder until she was last seen there near dusk at 5:20 pm. on 11 Jan 2010. She survived (probably with ease) the deepest freeze in this area since the 1930s. On 8 Jan she experienced the coldest night which was 3 degrees and then conditions began to turn around on the 10th with 11 Jan being the warmest since New Years day. On that evening she fed with anticipation. She was probably gone quickly as the overnight temperature soared upwards by some 14 degrees from the previous night's low of 6, driven by the daytime high which went to nearly 40 degrees in two days. Daylight was then getting longer with earlier dawns and later dusks. Musick's Campground had past its longest nights of the winter in late December. Weeks later in January, it was easier to get longer days and visits to the feeder. Mostly likely, she left quickly as conditions became favorable. Her journey north is ahead, no matter the direction of the compass she headed as she departed Musick's Campground or the distance she put behind. In such cases, I wonder how long it was until she needed another meal and how far she flew before getting it. I also wonder if she is just a few houses away, a few hundred miles away or approaching a thousand. These hummers have a lifestyle that goes beyond our birding logic, until we look closer and think it over. Let's go birding . . . Wallace Coffey Bristol, TN _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390706/direct/01/