Date: 08/30/2023

Number: 2

Monarch Waystation #271 reports sightings of 2 hummingbirds between 9:38 and 10.20 am, in the front bed. A new small hummer not seen previously, with large white tail spots flashing and very dynamic flight, bounced around to EVERY Lady-in-Red Salvia in the front bed for nectar. This newbie was trying out and tasting Ironweed, Tropical milkweed, and Tithonia blooms, but spent most time at the Salvias consistently. It approached the yellow and orange Zinnias and looked them over but did not taste them, and left. At 9:45 am the local small hummer with tiny white tail spots showed up to do its usual nectar rounds to the front Tithonias, Zinnias and Tropical milkweeds. The other new hummer came back and they began chasing each other and then zipped away. The local "small spots" resident came back 9:50 am to the front to Tithonia and Salvias. A monarch butterfly nectaring on one front Tithonia bloom [reported as a separate sighting] flicked wings to drive the bird off, so the local hummer moved to feed on Tropical milkweeds nearby. I quit watching consistently a little after 10:20 am. My next door neighbor maintains a hummingbird feeder in her backyard, and that's why many of my hummer sightings are sporadic. Just can't be at the front and back windows at the same time to catch all the action, and they are too fast for me to photograph.

Newport News, VA

Latitude: 37.1 Longitude: -76.5

Observed by: Judy
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