Banding hummingbirds is like a game of chance. One could be tossing the bands down the drain or one might win some valuable information. The odds are not so good, but we keep doing it. Most of the time, we don't win, but sometimes, the reward is huge.

In mid-November, I banded a young female Rufous Hummingbird at the home of Forum member Joan Garvey in Metairie, Louisiana, about 2 miles from my place. See http://www.network54.com/Forum/439743/thread/1226689737/last-1226779216/%26quot%3Bsweet+pea%26quot%3B . The bird had been around a few days, but she was fat and I feared she wouldn't stick around. Unfortunately, I was correct. Nicknamed 'Sweet Pea', she stayed only a couple more days before taking off to places unknown.

Well, day before yesterday, she was caught by researcher Dan Harville near Langley, Washington, more than 2100 miles away! Rufous northward migration is just about over up there and she wasn't carrying any fat, so this area is most likely her nesting ground. According to Harville, she was in fine condition but showed no signs of nesting.

Needless to say, Joan and I feel as if we'd won the lottery. In the nearly 30 years I've been banding hummers, this is my first winterer ever caught on or near the nesting grounds and it is the farthest re-encounter of any of my birds. Joan has only been hummingbirding a few years and this bird is the only one I have banded in her fine garden. WOOHOO!!!!!

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

Now THAT... is really cool... congrats to you and Joan on an excellent event!

Bud
Southwest Ohio
USDA Plant Zone 6a

Camera: Pentax K20D
Lens: Pentax DA*300 f/4, Sigma 180 f/3.5 Macro
There's 1 or 2 more hummingbird / butterfly pics located here...
http://www.pbase.com/budohio

That is stupendous, fantastic news!!!!! From Louisiana to Washington state--what amazing little travellers they are! Joan must be on cloud nine, too.

This is a great reward for all your hard work.

Fantastic report Nan! I know that this has boosted Joan's spirits tremendously. 'Her baby' made the journey to her breeding grounds! She may not have made it if it weren't four our southernmost gardeners who suppoy so much for them during the winter when everything elsewhere is dead or dormant and desolate.

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

I'm kind of speechless...I didn't realize this was the only winter bird Nancy banded in 30 years that was caught on or near breeding grounds. And it's the only bird caught in my yard? What are the chances of that? I think I better go buy a lottery ticket cause that is some stroke of luck. I guess what I lack in quantity of birds I have in quality. Hoorah for Sweet pea!

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

See there Joan, You helped to provide that bird what it needed to make it back to the PNW so that she could help keep the species going.

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

Fantastic , stupendous, Miraculous, Marvelous, need I say more. I know you and Joan are ecstatic and so very happy for such a marvelous event to happen when obviously it is extremely rare for you. Also Im impressed at the distance this little guy traveled in a seemingly short time.

Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35

Penny, when I first saw her I was hesitant on trapping her because I didn't want to spook her, but she stayed a few more days, then split. But she was trapped again up north so I need to let Nancy catch whatever comes in my yard. The information gathered outweighs the other issues.

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

Joan some of her offspring may even end up in your yard. Of course without testing DNA, you would never know that but you can always assume and she may even be back in the fall which would be even more awsome!

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

I was thinking the same thing! I'll be camping outside this fall!

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

Wow Nancy, that's absolutely mind-bending to think where the little Rufous ended up!!! Langley, WA is a short 20 minute ferry ride from where I live! Another fine example of why the work you and Joan and the others do is so important - and thanks, because I get so much out all your posts, but this one especially - I am seriously blown away!

Ruth
Everett, WA
Zone 8

It doesn't get any cooler than that.

Congratulations Nancy and Joan!!! How cool is an experience like that!!!



Linda313
OKC, OK
zone 7b

I've been thinking about this all day. It is hard to know what to say about an event so momentous, words pale.

I've been thinking about it, too. Nancy said she has banded more than 2500 winter hummingbirds in about 30 years. What are the chances that the ONLY bird banded in my yard is the ONLY one that was trapped on it's breeding grounds. It's hard to believe the coincidence.

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

Now that is totally unbelievable!!!! There are just NO words!

Kay
Zone 3b
Poynette, Wi.

Congrats to you both, Joan and Nancy, on that amazing recap! Nancy has been a tireless bander of winter hummers for many years and Joan has put a lot of effort into her hummingbird haven there in Louisiana--you are both very deserving!

Donald

Zone 4 Red Wing MN

Joan, Ward, I've thought of nothing else all day and I am still on top of the world. To clarify, the figure of 2500+ is the total of Rufous Hummingbirds banded in Louisiana. This total includes the work of several other hardworking banders, but I estimate I've done about 75%-80% of it. The total of all wintering hummers banded is in excess of 4500 and that total only encompasses through July 2008. I have not yet assessed the most recent winter, which was not a productive one but nonetheless will add several hundred individuals of 8 species. These totals come from a recent presentation. The results of winter 2008-2009 will be tallied soon and added to the previous total. Still, what are the odds of the only bird banded at your house being the first of mine to be caught on the breeding grounds?

To clarify further, that little hummer was not the first Louisiana wintering hummer to be found on the nesting grounds, just my first. Several years ago, my subpermittee, Dave Patton, banded a female Rufous that was subsequently found at Black Creek, British Columbia, Canada. So we have 2 data points that suggest that at least some of our Rufous originate west of the Rockies.

Thanks to all for your kind comments. I can only take credit for putting the band on. Sweet Pea did the hard work. This event makes all the early morning road trips worthwhile and Joan, you and Kevin, Tom, and Sparky [and all the fine assistants who went before] can share the pride of a job well done. Y'all make it so much more fun!

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

A great big congrats to both of you!!!! I would love to find a banded hummer in my yard. (RIGHT NOW I'D LIKE AN UNBANDED ONE!!) Maybe one day when I hit the lottery, Nan can teach me all she knows!! I would love to do it.

Joni
Elwood, IL
Zone 5

That is just too cool for words!!! How improbable and totally wonderful!!!



Lizette, New Orleans, La.
USDA Zone 9

Hey, like Ruth in Everett, I'm super excited too, to have Joan's hummer nearly in my backyard. Langley is farther from me than Ruth, but that hummer probably passed within a few miles of my house enroute to Langley. Congrats to all involved.

Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

How exciting this must have been for you Nancy. What all has little 'Sweet Pea' seen during those months since you put that band on. All the miles and landscape.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31