This has been a very strange spring for hummingbirds at my house. Usually, a pair has established the yard as its territory by now - but this year I saw a male early in May and then not again for ten days. I saw the first female this morning and now my yard is similar to what Carolyn reports: hummers visiting all the nectar feeders and buzzing and scrapping all over the place.

There's a lot of activity at my one remaining seed feeder, too, including a scrappy and beautiful female Red-Winged Blackbird who's willing to attack blue jays, grackles and mourning doves every time one gets near "her" food.

Maeve Kim
Jericho Center


On May 24, 2013, at 10:49 AM, carolyn boardman wrote:

> In Brownington, we are seeing frantic hummingbird activity with up to now 10 birds
> buzzing around under cover from the pouring rain on the porch. All six feeders are being 
> visited with much excitement and defense
> This must be fallout I think.
> 
> Carolyn Boardman
> we usually only have 2 or 3 for the summer