August 26, 2008

Hummingbird migration

Last week the number of hummingbirds at our house started to increase about 10-fold. This has not been a particularly hummer-rich year for some reason, but it is obvious that the hummingbirds are headed south. They come to fatten up for the journey: some of them go as far as southern South America, some cross the Gulf of Mexico to their winter habitats, and some just go to Central America.

I am going through 8 cups of nectar a day, and I put up some extra feeders to minimize the territorial battles. I am always happy to get them in good shape for the journey as it is an amazing feat of such a small bird. And the migration just lasts a month or so.

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