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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Early Migration? (1 Viewer)

Beach Bum

Well-known member
I'm in the Kansas City area and have been feeding Hummers for years. This year, it seems that our Hummers have left for the southern beaches early, like a couple of weeks ago. It seems that, normally, I'll see them around here until well into October and, occasionally, early November. Anyone else seeing this?
 
I'm about 700 miles south west of you and yes, this has been an exceptional year for migrating Ruby-thoated.

Normally, starting in September, I get waves in groups of 4 or 5 with breaks of a day or so where no birds show up. Usually they hit the feeders for 3-4 days and then they're gone. The first wave pushes out my Black-chinned, they move south either by aggression of the RTHU or by some other trigger....I wish I knew which.....but they leave as soon as the RTHU show up.

Since early August I've had constant RTHU, no more than 4 or 5. I imagine they change out as new arrivals move through but that's speculation.

Then on the 29th of September, around 3pm, I was hit by a group of 15 or 20 RTHU. Prior to this year, I never had those numbers. This was a one day wave. Since then, I have 8 to 10 birds in the morning but by evening their numbers are down to 3 or 4.

Don't no how long this will last. My records show I have no hummers after the 20th although I leave the feeders up till December.

I keep track of my patch as best as I can. Texbirds has no reports of waves or fall-outs but then again they have little to no reporting for my part of West Texas. Occasionally a wave is reported in Lubbock and a day or so later it hits San Angelo. Last year it happen to Painted Buntings. It was pretty neat, for 2 days I had a mix group of 10 to 15 hit my birdbaths.

So, the question now is, what's happening up north that pushed out the RTHUs...??
 
Well, they're gone.

They were here for 8 days.

Only one bird at the feeders all day yesterday. This morning there's not a one.
 
I'm in the Kansas City area and have been feeding Hummers for years. This year, it seems that our Hummers have left for the southern beaches early, like a couple of weeks ago. It seems that, normally, I'll see them around here until well into October and, occasionally, early November. Anyone else seeing this?
I'm located in West Georgia and usually every year we will see our last hummer around Oct 15. I saw one this year on Oct 6, none on Oct 7 or 8. So It seems they are leaving a bit early.
 
I'm located in West Georgia and usually every year we will see our last hummer around Oct 15. I saw one this year on Oct 6, none on Oct 7 or 8. So It seems they are leaving a bit early.

Had one come by the feeder this morning Oct 11.
 
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