Still getting use to navigating the Forums.
Last week I woke to find a Rufous Hummingbird at my front yard feeder. I was completely in shock and overcome with joy at the same time. I've been here 13 years, it's the first Rufous Hummer I've had. Normally, in the spring the Ruby-throated come through followed by the local Black-chinned. Then in the fall the Ruby-throated show up and push out the Black-chinned.
Well, the Rufous stayed only one day but it was his feeded, he owned it..!! He was a feisty little guy, much more aggressive than the Ruby and Black-chinned. He hung around all day, last I saw him was a little after 5pm, sunset was around 8:20pm.
I check eBird, were I don't presently have a registered account, the last recorded sighting for Tom Green County was in July 2006. Found that very interesting..!!
I've have a very large number of hummingbirds this year. Last year a tornado came through on the north side of town, the wind storm hit my area and blew down my 30 year old faux Mulberry Tree. That was in July. In October I planted 3 Desert Willows purchased from a nursery. They were about 5 feet tall, 2 now are at about 7 feet and one about 6 which is the Bubba Desert Willow.
Anyway, they've been blooming all summer. The hummers spend their day fighting over ownership; first the male Black-chinned and then the male Ruby taking on all interlopers.
I had to cut down my rear faux Mulberry a couple years ago. Never got around to landscaping but this summer's hummer activity convinced me to put in a Desert Willow. Got it picked out, it's going in this October.
Here's the before and after pictures.
I put out only water and hummingbird feeders, no seed. Being in west Texas there's always a water shortage issue. I take advantage of that by not watering the lawn. All the birds love it that way.
Back to the Rufous.....I miss him but he sure brought me a lot of happiness during his short visit.
Sorry, no picture of the little guy.
Besides putting this in the Your Rarities Forum, I'm going to cut and paste this post putting it in the Gardening Sub-Forum and in the Hummingbird Forum. If that's not allowed, I apologize. To the mods, please delete the unacceptable cross posts. Thank you.
Last week I woke to find a Rufous Hummingbird at my front yard feeder. I was completely in shock and overcome with joy at the same time. I've been here 13 years, it's the first Rufous Hummer I've had. Normally, in the spring the Ruby-throated come through followed by the local Black-chinned. Then in the fall the Ruby-throated show up and push out the Black-chinned.
Well, the Rufous stayed only one day but it was his feeded, he owned it..!! He was a feisty little guy, much more aggressive than the Ruby and Black-chinned. He hung around all day, last I saw him was a little after 5pm, sunset was around 8:20pm.
I check eBird, were I don't presently have a registered account, the last recorded sighting for Tom Green County was in July 2006. Found that very interesting..!!
I've have a very large number of hummingbirds this year. Last year a tornado came through on the north side of town, the wind storm hit my area and blew down my 30 year old faux Mulberry Tree. That was in July. In October I planted 3 Desert Willows purchased from a nursery. They were about 5 feet tall, 2 now are at about 7 feet and one about 6 which is the Bubba Desert Willow.
Anyway, they've been blooming all summer. The hummers spend their day fighting over ownership; first the male Black-chinned and then the male Ruby taking on all interlopers.
I had to cut down my rear faux Mulberry a couple years ago. Never got around to landscaping but this summer's hummer activity convinced me to put in a Desert Willow. Got it picked out, it's going in this October.
Here's the before and after pictures.
I put out only water and hummingbird feeders, no seed. Being in west Texas there's always a water shortage issue. I take advantage of that by not watering the lawn. All the birds love it that way.
Back to the Rufous.....I miss him but he sure brought me a lot of happiness during his short visit.
Sorry, no picture of the little guy.
Besides putting this in the Your Rarities Forum, I'm going to cut and paste this post putting it in the Gardening Sub-Forum and in the Hummingbird Forum. If that's not allowed, I apologize. To the mods, please delete the unacceptable cross posts. Thank you.
