Hectic Hummingbird Monitoring Session!
Posted by Devin Manky June 12, 2015
This past Tuesday, June 9th we had an amazing hummingbird monitoring session here at Grouse Mountain. It was only the second one of the year but it broke all records.
We examined over 70 hummingbirds in a five hour sitting. Many more visited the feeders that we were unable to examine. Most were Rufous Females, our standard variety, but we had two adult male Rufous (only the 3rd and 4th one's ever up here!!) and numerous Anna's Hummingbirds as well.
We did have some recaptures from previous years too - the most impressive being a female Rufous Hummingbird banded in 2008 as an adult - making her at least 8 years old! That's a lot of trips to Mexico and back for the little lady.
Our previous record session was 33 birds in about mid-July a couple years back. So this one beat that session hands down and it is still very early in the monitoring season. We are going through a large amount of sugar water everyday as the birds visit the feeders. Hopefully this trend continues!
Please stop by and visit our hummingbird gardens up here and view some of these small wonders!
