There have been a couple of reports of female Rufous here on Vancouver Island in the last week, it is not know if they over wintered here or are the first migrants, usually the males come first and the females a week or two later.

I am putting my feeders back up tomorrow, I took them down for the freezing weather since they weren't getting used, I was hoping for an Anna's but still haven't seen one here.




Martin
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Vancouver Island, zone 8B
Nikon D70/D200 300 f4 af-s, 400 2.8 af-i
www.frogpondphotography.com
www.frogpondphotography.blogspot.com

Martin
our first ruby throated hummers will be on the move very soon and the Rufous are usually at least a week or two ahead so you may have some movement already.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Martin, a couple of weeks ago, I caught an adult male Rufous that was really packing on the fat, so he is preparing to migrate from Louisiana. Of course, it will take him several days or weeks to reach his destination. It does seem odd for there to be females, but I suppose it is possible that they spent the winter in the area. We do get quite a few Ruby-throateds in winter - not the breeding population Ruby-throateds though. Maybe the female Rufous are from the far northern reaches of the species' range.

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

A third sighting just came in this one from a bander, earliest sighting they have seen and this is just thirty miles south of here.

There is still snow on the ground, some of the Robins and Sapsuckers stayed around all winter and its one of the coldest winters we have had in years, in general the winters have been getting colder and longer here.

I will be keeping a close eye on the feeders.




Martin
--
Vancouver Island, zone 8B
Nikon D70/D200 300 f4 af-s, 400 2.8 af-i
www.frogpondphotography.com
www.frogpondphotography.blogspot.com