Pushing Southward
September 5, 2017 by Rita Welch

Migration is building as more hummers head south. Summer residents are moving on and new visitors are stopping briefly at flowers and feeders.


"Females and young nectaring on Plox and Orange Lilies in the afternoon," reported Keith DeClercq from Erieville, New York on August 30, 2017
Time to Go
The push south continues in earnest as days become shorter, temperatures fall, and blooms fade. By mid-September, the hummingbirds you see are likely migrants on the move, not your familiar summer residents. Notice how steadily they are nectaring at flowers and feeders. Feeding intensely is a clear sign that your hummers are getting ready to leave.

"For the past week, hummers have been feeding heavily at our 3 feeders as well as flowers that are still blooming. Females and juveniles. Hummingbird 'wars' are standard happenings," reported Peter from Church Point, Nova Scotia on September 4th.

Weathering Storms
Hurricane Harvey reminds us about one of the perils of fall migration. During intense conditions, hummingbirds must hunker down in sheltered places. Once the high winds and battering rains pass, they need to find food resources to rebuild fuel energy. Food availability is essential for weathering a storm and surviving the aftermath. According to one account published on BirdWatchingDaily:

“Hummingbirds are frantically searching for flowers along the Gulf Coast of Texas and finding none where Hurricane Harvey destroyed most flowers and flowering plants.... I have heard from friends who can’t keep their feeders full due to the high drive-thru demand.” More...

Where possible, keep fresh feeders up.

 


Fayetteville, North Carolina
Richard Samuel


Newburgh, Indiana
Amy Evoniuk


Conroe, Texas
Gary Bielak
Journal: Migrating Southward: How Far? How Fast?

As ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate southward, how quickly will they travel?

 journal
Report Your Sightings

Report at least once per week while hummingbirds are present. With your help, our map will show where hummingbirds are present during the fall migration season.

 

Hummingbird fall sightings
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Next Update September 12, 2017
 
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