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Spring, 2006 Journey North News was posted on Thursdays: Feb. 9, 23, Mar. 2*, 9, 16*,23, 30*, Apr. 6, 13*, 20, 27*, May 4, 11* (* Migration Data Only) Hummingbird Migration Update: May 11, 2006 Rufous hummers make it across the Continental Divide and are sighted in Whitefish, MT and Parker, CO this week! Ruby-throat migration is in full swing into the northern states arriving to the great excitement at the Journey North headquarters in MN. Keep your feeders full and enjoy a summer of watching these delightful little birds. Hummingbird Migration Update: May 4, 2006 Rufous hummingbirds have nearly reached the edges of their expected range, but Rubythroats are surging north! View 15 seconds with a male hummer at a feeder to see what you discover. Can hummers tell the flowers that still have nectar from the ones they've already emptied? Be a hummer in search of nectar while playing a simple memory game, and see what's next in the hummingbirds life cycle. There's wonderment ahead! Hummingbird Migration Update: April 27, 2006 This week’s map and data are telling us a story. Study the maps and see if you can find out what it is. Ruby-throats have reached as far north as Duluth, MN in the Midwest, but seem stalled out on the East Coast. Can a temperature map help us learn why the hummingbirds seem to have stopped in their tracks this week? Is this delay due to cooler temperatures? Could it be the prevailing north winds of late? What do you think? Watch for a full report next week. Hummingbird Migration Update: April 20, 2006 Whoosh! That’s the sound of Ruby-throated hummingbirds filling our map in a BIG push northward! One week brought amazing changes. The Rufous range map closely matches our map of sightings; how much farther north do you think this species will go? A new video clip lets you watch a female hummingbird for one minute while she visits a feeder. Our handout guides your observations. Hummingbird Migration Update: April 13, 2006 This week we received sightings reporting dates BOTH earlier and later than normal: Grayling, MI reports their first Ruby-throated hummer almost a month earlier than the past 5 years, and in Candler, NC the first sighting is almost 3 wks later than last year! These birds have made long journeys! A hummingbird report from MS, "He looked tired and thin and drank repeatedly from the feeders at 5:05 pm." Watch for a full update next week. Laura Erickson Hummingbird Migration Update: April 6, 2006 An early sighting in Alaska has raised some questions: Should we keep it on the map? Evaluate the situation and share your advice. There's one special hummingbird we watch for each spring, Mr. Lanny Chambers' first. Use 15 years of data to predict its return. Then look at the map: Where is YOUR hummingbird right now and when will it reach home? Hummingbird Migration Update: March 30, 2006 Just a quick update today to give you the latest maps and data. This week think about how weather affects migration. Watch for a full update next week - and keep watching and listening for hummingbirds! Hummingbird Migration Update: March 23, 2006 Weather slowed progress for Rubythroats and Rufous, but we have a Rufous report from Juneau, Alaska! Rubythroats entered new states, too. See the progress by clicking maps in our week-by-week animation. While Rufous hummers follow a nectar trail, Ruby-throated hummers often arrive well before their food plants are blooming. What partnership helps them survive? Start your comparison chart of short-distance and long-distance migrants with our exciting new lesson. Reminder: Ask the Expert now welcomes your questions! L.Erickson Hummingbird Migration Update: March 16, 2006 "Once in North America, Ruby-throated migration proceeds at an average rate of about 20 miles per day, generally following the earliest blooming of flowers hummingbirds prefer," writes our hummingbird expert, Lanny Chambers. Do you agree? Study today's map and see if this week follows Lanny's rule.  Just a quick update today to give you the latest data for your migration map. Watch for a full update next week - and keep watching and listening for hummingbirds! Hummingbird Migration Update: March 9, 2006 Here they come! Ruby-throated hummingbirds are finally arriving in Gulf Coast states, where delighted observers welcome them home. Rufous hummer sightings continue to rise, with an unusual surprise ceating some excitement. This week's double challenge questions call on your detective skills; how will you explain the Poseyville Rufous? D. Edgington Hummingbird Migration Update: March 2, 2006 Are the hummingbirds late? Ruby-throated hummingbird migration usually begins by the end of February. "Still waiting for credible migration reports," says hummingbird expert Lanny Chambers. "I have no explanation for the lack of data." Meanwhile, almost two dozen Rufous hummers have appeared in the Pacific Northwest. Just a quick update today to give you the latest data for your migration map. Watch for a full update next week - and keep watching and listening for hummingbirds! Hummingbird Migration Update: February 23, 2006 "I didn't think it was possible for one of my hummers to be back this early, but there he was," exclaimed an Alabama observer. Is this the season's first migration sighting of the season, or was this an overwintering bird? Is YOUR habitat ready for hummingbirds? Look outside your window today and tell us what you see. Find out what hummingbirds need to survive. Photo: Edward Registrato Hummingbird Migration Update: February 9, 2006 Rubythroats are still on their wintering grounds, but the very first Rufous hummingbirds are on the move. Why do they come back? Learn what sets the two species apart. Get set for the migration with a fun map-making exercise. Print your own official hummingbird migration journals and get ready to welcome your hummers home!     Copyright 1997-2006 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form