Date: 05/26/2020

Number: 2

25 May: Ten days after first hummingbird returned, this day had constant traffic of many individuals male and female visiting feeder nearly every minute or more on average all sunlight hours. 'Short Leg' (male named for his short, deformed right leg most often seen with right foot barely extending outside of belly feathers) has been notably unique and frequent.
26 May: Short Leg's busy day defending feeder sunup to sundown. From sunup until 1146, not another male was allowed to use the feeder as Short Leg chased away all comers and sat sentry on electric service line above the area. At 1147, Short Leg allowed a beautiful large female to come to the feeder and briefly pose before taking a few sips, then he pursued her. For approximately a ten minute period before 1700, with the area relatively calm and in the shade of the large Maple to the west, another male sat on the line and it appeared Short Leg was gone and bested, though that did not hold. At 1950, a final epic jet-fighter-like battle was captured in the attachment. Short Leg attacked an intruder at the feeder, they danced spinning around the feeder from opposite sides holding themselves in a vertical tall posture in hover and rotate-translate with tail-spread display, before Short Leg attacked and chased away the heavier-looking but shorter male with a less impressive tail shape. A few chasing, fighter jet-looking fly-bys were captured before Short Leg is seen at the end of a 'final battle' of the day animation to the right of the feeder and in two victorious wing beats (animation replaced with attached image as Journey North would not allow animation attachment). The animation spans 23.5 seconds, and includes exposures of 0.125 of a second total time. 27 May: Cleaned feeder put out at 545 sunup, with chasing action immediately following. Short Leg prevailing over much less action all morning, with only one moment observed of another male sneaking a few quick sips while Short Leg was away briefly.
First Monarchs observed at 1215 feeding on dandelions in south 'lawn'.

Gulliver, MI

Latitude: 46.1 Longitude: -86.1

Observed by: James
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.