Date: 09/04/2009

Number: 1

I have noticed a lot of my ruby-throated hummingbirds are gone. We still have about 15 or so here, both male and female. But the majority of them are gone. This summmer I was filling my 4 feeders at least 2-3 times a day. This was about 1 1/2 gallons a day. Yesterday I did not have to fill the feeders.

I sit on the front porch every day, several times a day, and have watched their dwindling numbers. It used to be so noisy on the front porch but now it is not. I also used to have the hummingbirds a few inches from my face if a feeder was getting empty.

Our FedEx man said our hummingbirds were the biggest ones he had every seen. I guess they like getting fat.

They only started arriving the beginning of May and I thought they were leaving early. So it is not my imagination.

I guess that means that we may have a nasty winter again. I live right by the North Carolina border and I was surprised they were leaving.

But, for about a week or so the temperatures have been a lot cooler. Yesterday it only hit about 75 during the day.

I will report again as more leave.

Alton, VA

Latitude: 36.6 Longitude: -79

Observed by: Robin
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