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Report Your Sightings! |
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A late spring held back the rufous hummer migration through the Rocky Mountains this year. That's changed now as the migration sweeps into Montana and Idaho. Another northward surge came for rubythroats this week with our first sighting in Manitoba. Sharpen your pencils to write a story to go along with today's photo slideshow. A photographer shares the day-to-day images of tiny eggs and miniature babies.
Today's Report Includes:
- Highlights, Maps, and Questions
- Eplore: Photo Slide Show: Write Your Own Story
- Journal: Three Weeks in a Hummer Nest
- Teachers: Assessment Tools
- Annual Evaluation: Please Share Your Thoughts
Photo:
Dorothy Edgington
Peek
into a Nest
Find out what you already know!
Highlights:
Hummers reach Manitoba!
A great surge northward the last few days brought our first ruby-throated hummingbird sighting from north of the 50° latitude line! Neepawa, Manitoba spotters reported a thirsty little bird at the feeder on 05/09/11. The rubies are moving into the most northern part of their territory a bit early this year.
- Winnipeg, Manitoba 05/09/11 Saw first Ruby-throated Hummingbird at feeder today at 5:15 p.m. Feeder has been up for about 4 days. Beautiful sight to see here in Winnipeg this early!
- Miramichi, New Brunswick 05/08/11 Just saw my first hummingbird of the season here.
Compare 2010 with 2011 migration maps on May 9th, and you can see the migration is ahead of last year.
In many places in the northern states the Baltimore oriole has arrived with the rubythroats. Many orioles were first sighted drinking from oriole feeders!
As the rubythroats are moving northwest, the rufous hummingbirds are marching eastward. Almost along a line, they are sweeping into Montana and Idaho:
- Missoula, Montana 05/05/11 Have been waiting and waiting. I usually see my first one the 27th or 28th of April but we've had a really cool spring so that may be the reason they are late. Now spring is here!
- Kalispell, Montana 05/07/11 Saw our first male rufous hummingbird today. We have been waiting patiently, and there he was at our feeder.
- Rathdrum, Idaho 05/04/11 Based on the progress of the Rufus eastward from the Washington coast, I hung the feeders 2 days ago. This evening I saw a Rufus male on one of our feeders. I hope that means spring is finally here; it's about a month overdue!
- Huntsville, Utah 05/06/11 Beautiful day in northern Utah yesterday...heard them twice and the second time we heard it fly around the house to our feeders.
Read all the latest hummingbird sighting reports!
Migration Map: May 9, 2011
Migration Map: May 9, 2010
Orioles and hummers arrive at the same time in many locations, sometimes sharing feeders!
| This Week's Maps Get out your Hummingbird Journals and explore the maps each week. Each map has a large-sized week-to-week animation. Click below each map to see the migrations from a different perspective. After studying the animated maps write 3 things you notice, and 3 questions. |
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Today's Hummingbird Map Questions Handout |
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A female hummingbird is about to lay tiny, jellybean-sized eggs in her nest. You're invited to peek inside the nest and welcome the nestlings into the world. Study each photograph and describe what you see happening.
- Slideshow: What Happens Inside the Nest?
Includes photo gallery and student handout.
Next, focus your eyes on a nesting hummingbird family. This one shows what happens day-by-day (for three weeks) in a ruby-throated hummer nest. As you read and observe, you'll discover how the nestlings survive and thrive in this well-built home!
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| Teachers: The migration is wrapping up in the next few weeks! What
Have We Learned? |
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Year-end Evaluation: Please Share Your Thoughts
- Assessment: What Have We Learned?
- Slideshow: Photo Slide Show: Write your own story.
- Hummingbird Migration Journals (click-and-print)
- Hummingbirds for Kids (booklets, photos, videos)
- Cool Hummingbird Facts: Questions Asked by Students, Answered by Experts
The Next Hummingbird Migration Update Will Be Posted on May 18, 2011.
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