Migration Update: September 2, 2011
Please Report
Your Sightings!

Week #2: Still Seeing Hummingbirds? Let Us Know!
It's early September and the hummingbird migration map is about to change. Hummers are disappearing in the north and appearing in the south in larger numbers. Please report your observations:

Please Report Weekly!

  • Report frequently—but at least once a week—as long as hummers are present.
Migration Map
Hummingbird Migration Map Fall 2010
Animation | Live Map
Highlights from the Migration Trail

You can read all of the observations people have submitted at this link. Here are some of the highlights:

Fewer in the North
Adult males are becoming more scarce in the north. Look who's left to feed:

"The males left last week and now the females are eating like crazy," said an observer in Sasketchewan.

"The dominant resident males all left in the past three days. Now one young male is controlling two feeders," reports a Black Duck, Minnesota friend.

More in the South
As hummers disappear in the north they appear in the south:

"More migratory birds arrived over the past few days. Need to buy more SUGAR! They are hungry and feed constantly from dawn to dusk. Hard to estimate the number but they are thick," says the Fellenzer family from Arkansas.

"We have noted much more activity around our feeders. Been very hot for them this year. Very few flowers for them. We even turn on our sprinklers so they can play in the water and fly through it. They wash in the water on the tree leaves."
Oklahoma

Bee Careful
Several people wrote about bees at feeders:

"Hummingbirds are fighting bald-faced hornets, honeybees and yellow jackets trying to take over the feeders. Several feed in harmony with the insects. See photo," wrote John Doerper from Bellingham, Washington.

  • Tips to Share? Do you have success protecting your hummingbird feeders from bees? We'll share your suggestions. Contact us!

 

Thanks to everyone for sharing their first-hand, backyard observations of North America's favorite birds! Please continue to tell us what you see.

Images of the Week
Hummingbird sitting in a woman's finger.

Good-bye Tiny Friends

More in the South
 
Hummingbird at feeder with bees
Bee Careful
Next week's "Have You Seen a Hummingbird?" reminder will be posted on September 9th.