Hummer Preparations for Katrina (1 Viewer)

Oubliette · Aug 29, 2005

My thoughts are prayers are with all who are in harm's way from Hurricane Katrina. I'm far enough north to be out of the way of hurricane force winds, but we do expect some wind and lots of rain, so I've been trying to look out for the hummingbirds who make take shelter here. I've moved all the saucer style feeders that are in trees and other open areas to a covered porch, and replaced them with Perky Pet bottle style feeders. Just hope the squirrels and house finches will leave them alone! They have all been filled with fresh nectar and a new batch is cooling on the stove for refills, should the wind blow down any feeders.

To everyone along the Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama Gulf Coast: Stay Safe!

sarahbn · Aug 29, 2005

Oubliette you stay safe too!! When I saw the map of hurricane katrina taking up the whole gulph of mexico I realized maybe those hummingbirds are smarter than us since going south they go by land thru Texas to Mexico. But in the spring they fly over the gulph of Mexico and thats before hurricane season. Sarah

crickieheather · Aug 29, 2005

sarahbn said:
Oubliette you stay safe too!! When I saw the map of hurricane katrina taking up the whole gulph of mexico I realized maybe those hummingbirds are smarter than us since going south they go by land thru Texas to Mexico. But in the spring they fly over the gulph of Mexico and thats before hurricane season. Sarah

Actually, they migrate throuigh the Gulf of Mexico both times of the year. Here's hoping that none are that far south yet! They can probably tell there's somehting coming anyway.

sarahbn · Aug 29, 2005

Supposedly alot of them go over land during fall migration they all seem to pass thru Rockport Texas Sarah

Curtis Croulet · Aug 29, 2005

crickieheather said:
Actually, they migrate throuigh the Gulf of Mexico both times of the year. Here's hoping that none are that far south yet! They can probably tell there's somehting coming anyway.

Humminbird and Tz'unun may wish to weigh in on this (I hope they do!), but it's my understanding that probably most of the Ruby-throat population migrates through Texas (both ways), and that the cross-Gulf migration, though spectacular to contemplate, involves a distinct minority of the total.

Oubliette · Aug 29, 2005

We are experiencing very heavy wind and rain at the moment (in North Mississippi). The eye of Katrina (or what is left of it) is supposed to pass through about 8 hours from now. The hummingbirds are using the feeders under the porch as roosts -- not feeding, just perching and watching as the rain pours down.

sarahbn · Aug 30, 2005

Stay safe oubliette!! take care! I hope it weakens alot and is over fast! and you don't get much damage We are supposed to get it wednesday! Sarah

Oubliette · Aug 30, 2005

Thanks, Sarah. We're only supposed to get winds of 40-50 mph tonight, so we should be OK. However, we're hearing horrific reports from Gulfport, Biloxi, Pass Christian, Ocean Springs, and other towns on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. There was a tremendous storm surge that literally wiped away everything in its path. Rescue teams can't even get to the hardest hit areas.

Vernab · Aug 30, 2005

Oubliette, I will be thinking of you (and your hummers) and everyone down in the area the hurricane has damaged. We (even in mid-Indiana) are supposed to get high winds and heavy rain tonight and tomorrow from the hurricane...Katrina was a big one! Stay safe.
Vernab

texasgranny · Aug 30, 2005

Oubliette said:
My thoughts are prayers are with all who are in harm's way from Hurricane Katrina. I'm far enough north to be out of the way of hurricane force winds, but we do expect some wind and lots of rain, so I've been trying to look out for the hummingbirds who make take shelter here. I've moved all the saucer style feeders that are in trees and other open areas to a covered porch, and replaced them with Perky Pet bottle style feeders. Just hope the squirrels and house finches will leave them alone! They have all been filled with fresh nectar and a new batch is cooling on the stove for refills, should the wind blow down any feeders.

To everyone along the Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama Gulf Coast: Stay Safe!

PRAYERS ARE COMING YOUR WAY !

humminbird · Aug 30, 2005

crickieheather said:
Actually, they migrate throuigh the Gulf of Mexico both times of the year. Here's hoping that none are that far south yet! They can probably tell there's somehting coming anyway.

I'd like a reference on that. Most studies now are showing that many of the hummingbirds migrate south by circumnavigating the Gulf (going around it) while those from the east coast apparently island hop across to Mexico. Coming north, they tend to cross the Gulf directly.

Mark
Bastrop, TX

sarahbn · Aug 30, 2005

Oubliette I hope you didn't have too much flooding or damage your poor state My thoughts are with all of you down there! Sarah

Oubliette · Aug 31, 2005

Thanks, so much, Sarah. My ISP has been down since last night and I am just now able to get back online. We didn't expect many problems this far north (and we were on the west side of Katrina, the best side to be on) but when we woke up this morning, half of my county was without electricity, mostly due to downed trees. My parents had a huge old oak tree down and my next door neighbor had a tree down, but we are still the lucky ones.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is just devastated. This is the same area that endured the wrath of Camille in 1969, one of the few Category 5 hurricanes ever to hit the U.S. Many of the buildings that survived Camille, including many, many Civil War era homes, are now completely destroyed. There are buildings that are 30 feet above sea level and one mile inland that flooded from the storm surge. Those closer to the coastline were simply wiped away.

However, the very worst thing is the loss of life -- over 100 confirmed dead at this point, and the number is expected to double over the next few days.

Many from our town's Fire Dept., Police Dept., and State Highway Patrol have traveled to the Coast to assist emergency officials and we have a Red Cross shelter at a local church that is housing over 100 people (in addition to all the area hotels and motels that are housing Katrina refugees). The veterinarians in town have taken in all the animals that the refugees brought with them. One poor family of four that traveled here from Louisiana brought their dog, but he died enroute, and they had to stop and leave him in a wooded area on the side of the highway -- they were heartbroken.

On a happier note, the hummingbirds seemed to have fared the storm well. They were zipping about all day, maybe in greater numbers than before. I wondered if the storm blew some in, or if the increased number is just because of fall migration.

sarahbn · Aug 31, 2005

I'm glad your okay Oubliette!! and I read on other forum that Miss Sherry and her husband and 4 dogs left sunday for monroeville Alabama because Katrina was headed in their direction. Hopefully there will be no more hurricanes in a long time and they will be mild ones.

Those hummingbirds are amazing! And your probably right the wind probably blew them in and they are migrating too! Sarah

Linda313 · Aug 31, 2005

Oubliette, I'm so glad you and your hummers are okay, too and I hope Miss Sherry and her family are too. The scope of the destruction and suffering that the residents of New Orleans and the MS and AL gulf areas are having to endure is mind-boggling. The governor of LA has called for a day of prayer Wednesday.

PennyD · Sep 1, 2005

Oubliette,
I too am glad to hear you are safe. I have been thinking of all of you down there and our little hummers while I keep telling mine that they can't leave right now because the need to put on lots more weight.

Penny

sarahbn · Sep 2, 2005

I'm with you on that one Penny! There were four this morning and a male by this afternoon I only saw three but the bees were all over the place ! Sarah

Frankj · Sep 2, 2005

Oubliette said:
Thanks, so much, Sarah. My ISP has been down since last night and I am just now able to get back online. We didn't expect many problems this far north (and we were on the west side of Katrina, the best side to be on) but when we woke up this morning, half of my county was without electricity, mostly due to downed trees. My parents had a huge old oak tree down and my next door neighbor had a tree down, but we are still the lucky ones.

......

On a happier note, the hummingbirds seemed to have fared the storm well. They were zipping about all day, maybe in greater numbers than before. I wondered if the storm blew some in, or if the increased number is just because of fall migration.

Glad to hear you and your little friends made it through the turmoil. Been watching the news for the past few days and can't believe the destruction and all the grief left behind.

bluetit · Sep 2, 2005

I know there's another thread going at the moment sending all of you in the affected areas our thoughts, prayers and good wishes but I would like to transfer some of that to this thread as well from accross the water.
I think I speak for everyone over here when I say we're all glued to the news watching with dismay and disbelief as the awfulness of the situation unfolds, wishing there was a way one could help directly and immediately! So saddened at each 'story' that comes to the fore and so glad about each little ray of hope and positive outcome, human as well as animal-related, just don't loose heart, the human spirit always wins over adversity.
Bluetit

PennyD · Sep 2, 2005

bluetit,
We who are in other parts of the country are also watching with dismay and disbelief as the devatation continues to unfold. As many of you know I grew up in Louisiana and I lived in Biloxi for three years. Though I have been in several hurricanes, I never experienced a hurricane of this dimension and even I can't fully rationalize the full impact. I can't imagine what those who are returning to their homes for the first time after evacuating are facing seeing everything completely gone including their jobs in many cases. It is truly whole cities, towns and villages of homeless people. They are even running shelters for pets that have lost or been separated from their owners. But it is through catastrophes that the human spirit rises above the ashes and pulls together to help one another in whatever way they are able. I am not a violent person by nature but I think the looters that are stealing luxury items and arms need to be shot where they stand and not waste time and money putting them in jails where they are taking up space and food that could be given to people who need it.

Penny

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