07-20-2023, 05:17 PM
Hummingbird visits are heating up with several thousand visiting our flowers and feeders daily. The little meadow by the cabin is bursting in flowers and dancing with hummingbirds. The migrant Rufous have arrived on their southbound journey and mix with our breeding Broad-tailed. Rufous are more aggressive and attempt to dominate any scene. At this time we're seeing mostly adult males, some adult females, and a very few juvenile males.
There have been several adult male Calliope here, but I haven't spotted a female or juvie yet. Calliope are like miniature Broads-tailed, but with a very short bill and a very short tail. This gives them a rather pot-bellied appearance.
In another week we should begin seeing juvenile Broad-tailed visit feeders. They are the same size as adults and look like the adult females, but with some minor differences in throat spotting, flight feather shape, and visibly fresher feathers.
If you feed them, they will come. Keep your feeders clean and fresh every three to four days.
There have been several adult male Calliope here, but I haven't spotted a female or juvie yet. Calliope are like miniature Broads-tailed, but with a very short bill and a very short tail. This gives them a rather pot-bellied appearance.
In another week we should begin seeing juvenile Broad-tailed visit feeders. They are the same size as adults and look like the adult females, but with some minor differences in throat spotting, flight feather shape, and visibly fresher feathers.
If you feed them, they will come. Keep your feeders clean and fresh every three to four days.