re: The flight of the Hummingbird 2017 Update: Pg. 6 They are on the move!

Saw one in my backyard sitting on a branch at around 8am while doing yard work. Left to do some shopping and when I came back around 1:30, it was still on the branch.

Saw my first hummingbird of the year today...glad they are back!

Saw my first one Sunday. It flew by the feeder and then came back for a few seconds

I had my first one on 3/16, just a couple per day since and all males. The males come across the Gulf first and are headed north to claim the best territory early.

For anyone near the Gulf it's worth leaving a feeder out all winter. In Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Texas coast especially. The wintering populations are growing and more often than not they are different species than the Ruby-throated that make up 99.999% of the summer sightings in the east. This winter I just had one bird show up for a couple of days in December. Last winter I had a Ruby-throated juvenile male show up and a bander came out:



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If you have your feeders out in the spring it helps improve the odds that they will nest nearby and that will give you better numbers in the fall. The fall numbers jump simply because they are breeding. The population probably doubles to triples over the summer since they can have two broods. In the fall they mostly look like females but that's because immature males look like females. A few years ago I was lucky enough to have a nest outside my office window.

Considering I am on the MS Coast and the birds have already been seen well north of the coast, I am fearing I somehow missed them this spring. I have had 3 feeders out for several weeks with none seen yet. Last year I had quite a few with only 2 feeders.

You'll probably be fine if you had quite a few last year. The numbers are still really low and they are almost all moving north. Things will pick up quite a bit by early April and then through the summer to a big peak for fall migration.

Damn. I'm running 4 feeders. Zero sightings.

2 feeders out....first 2 birds sighted today in Watson area.

First one this morning! Have 3 large feeders, but he seems to be only hitting the single. New Orleans close to City Park, have had them out for 3 weeks, so don't lose faith! Hopefully he can recruit a huge harem. Named him Harley.

You are a good man for getting me straight with catching the migration Clyde, and the rest of y'all too. Stoked!

Mine came around repeatedly for a couple hrs but has since disappeared. Thinking it was a rest stop before heading further north. Back to waiting patiently.