[mou] FW: [PABIRDS] Hummingbird behavior, Berks County

[Alt, Mark]

This note from Scott Weidensaul makes the point that if you are seeing
hummers on a daily basis, they may not be the same ones day to day.=20

Mark Alt
Black Belt-in-Training
Lean Six Sigma Program
Project Resource Group
Best Buy Co., Inc.
612-291-6717
mark.alt@bestbuy.com



-----Original Message-----
From: Bird discussion list for Pennsylvania
[mailto:PABIRDS@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG] On Behalf Of Scott Weidensaul
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 9:41 AM
To: PABIRDS@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG
Subject: Re: [PABIRDS] Hummingbird behavior, Berks County

   It's typical for hummingbirds to find a prominent perch from which=20
to keep an eye on feeders, flowers and passing insects. But I'd=20
suggest that, given that we're in the midst of heavy hummingbird=20
migration, it may not be the same youngster you're seeing day after=20
day.

   By banding and color-marking the hummingbirds in my yard in=20
Schuylkill County, I realize I have near-complete turnover every day=20
or two in late August, as hummers leave and new ones appear - yet=20
they all seem to chose the same handful of perches (a dead branch on=20
the maple, an arching sprig of New York aster, and a leafless branch=20
on the crabapple are the favorites this year), day after day. I=20
suppose it's because hummers are all looking for the same combination=20
of factors, including prominence, location, proximity to food=20
supplies, etc., but I suspect it masks just how many hummingbirds may=20
be passing through.

   Scott Weidensaul
   Schuylkill Haven, PA



>For the last two or three weeks , we have had a juvenile ruby=20
>throated hummingbird take up residence in our fringe tree in the=20
>front yard.  She seems to be using the tree as a base of=20
>operatiions.There is a hummingbird feeder in the tree but there are=20
>also butterfly bushes, pentas, phlox and other flowering perennials=20
>surrounding the tree.  She leaves for periods of time but always=20
>comes back and perches on some of the same branches in the tree. We=20
>are getting great views of her preening and relaxing in the tree and=20
>she is tolerant of other birds using the seed feeder that is also in=20
>the tree.  The only birds she chases away are other hummingbirds. Do=20
>most hummingbirds have specific roost trees when not nesting ? We've=20
>always had hummingbirds coming to the flowers in our yard but this=20
>is the first time one has taken up temporary residence in our yard=20
>and given us such great viewing from our picture window.
>Some of our other yard birds are carolina wrens, house finches,=20
>goldfinches, a cardinal family and noisy blue jays.
>
>Cindy Spayd
>Hamburg, PA