Howdy folks,

As many of you know, south Louisiana is pretty much "Winter Hummer Central" in the United States. The greatest numbers of hummingbirds are often found in the area from the suburbs of New Orleans upriver towards Baton Rouge, with individual houses frequently hosting 6 to 8 birds, and more are not unheard of (one Christmas Eve banding session in 2004 yielded 24 birds at a single site for Nancy).

However, because the population density in many of the areas between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is low, a given geographic area, such as the 15-mile diameter Christmas Bird Count circle, often doesn't include more than a few houses with hummingbirds, and indeed, there are often not enough people interested in bird counting to conduct a Christmas Bird Count in those areas.

Individual houses in Baton Rouge often don't have the numbers of hummingbirds that some other places do, but the overall population density means that there are a greater number of hummingbird-hosting houses within the circle. So we often get some of the highest numbers of hummingbirds on our count--and a good variety of species.

Even in a slow year, we can usually count on at least four species (Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Rufous, Buff-bellied). Calliope is almost as regular here, so five is our usual hoped-for "baseline". Last year, we also had Broad-tailed, which we get on maybe one count out of three, and we had a single Anna's, taking us to seven species for the 2007 count for the first time in several years.

This year, we again had the first six of those species, and although no one has reported an Anna's this year yet in our area (or, I believe, in all of Louisiana), Baton Rouge has been hosting a young male Broad-billed Hummingbird since mid-October. Hummingbirds do have a tendency to move around some in winter, and we were worried the bird might not still be present by our Christmas count on Saturday, January 3. Indeed, the homeowners were going to be out of town from just before Christmas until the evening of January 2, so there wouldn't even be surveillance on the feeders to look for the bird! Luckily, the homeowners' son lives nearby and he maintained the feeders for his parents.

And at just after 7:00 AM, the bird zipped in for his first drink at a feeder - giving Baton Rouge a count of seven hummingbird species again, on a January day. When I heard that the bird had been sighted, I was elated!

Kevin Morgan
Baton Rouge LA

I guess you've pointed out seven more reasons we're determined to live in the south despite roadblocks that confront us along the way. Nancy, Steve, and I went on a hummingbird hunt yesterday to New Orleans, Metairie and Harahan. Our count was one young male rufous and 3 buff-bellieds. We did see another buffy and a female rufous that evaded our trapping attempts.

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

I'll concede the title of "Hummingbird central" considering the number of varieties you have, but with only 24 birds at a single location, you wouldn't stand a chance against my place in total count. Although watching Anna's is never boring, it must be exciting to see so many varieties.

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Farmer Steve
Deluz, CA usda zone 10a

I agree it must be exciting to see the different hummingbirds.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

Dianne, it was the presence of different species that drew me into the study of our wintering birds. Every day is like Christmas with all these gems around!

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Nancy L Newfield
Casa Colibrí
Metairie, Louisiana USA
USDA Zone 9

Steve,

Believe me, the numbers of Anna's y'all get out there - coupled with the fact that they seem somewhat less combative and more cooperative in feeding than, say, Ruby-throats - is impressive. No slight intended!

I keep forgetting that Anna's are year-round residents in a good part of their range, as are Costa's.

Kevin Morgan
Baton Rouge, LA

Just kiddin... didn't want SoCal to give up the title without a fight. If we did hold the title, the state would probably try to tax us for each bird.

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Farmer Steve
Deluz, CA usda zone 10a

Farmer Steve, you're in a league of your own.

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

Nancy your statment about have Christmas everyday with these little gems make me thing of the song, "Twelve Days of Christmas". Can you imagine a tree with hummingbirds in it. now I bet this song goes around in my head all day.

I just told my hubby that if I could ever get my ducks in a row I would like to leave here and head to Mobile meet Patti and then ease on along the gulf through Mississippi and end up at you place meeting all my hummingbird and butterfly friends along the way. This and driving up the east coast to New England are two trip I really want to take.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31