As many of you know, this month marks my 30th anniversary as a hummingbird bander. One of my stated goals when I initiated the winter banding project was to find the sources of some of the hummingbirds that spend their non-breeding season in Louisiana. That goal has been elusive until recently. Just 2 months ago, a female Rufous that was a youngster when I banded her in Metairie, Louisiana, last November was caught in Langley, Washington, by Dan Harville.

Well, there is more good news. A little while ago, Fred Bassett called from Inkom, Idaho, to let me know he had caught a female Black-chinned that I had banded in Houma, Louisiana, in February 2006. She was already an adult when she was first handled so she would not have been hatched any later than 2004, placing her age to be at least 5 years 1 month. The distance from banding site to recapture site is 1502 miles. Oh, what tales she could tell!

As far as I know, this is the first Black-chinned to be banded in the Southeast and then be re-encountered on or near the nesting grounds. Thanks, Fred, for helping me celebrate this occasion!

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

Does this about sum it up?

Yes, Kristin, those data points do sum it up. A picture says 1000 words - sometimes more!

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

Nancy - That is so very impressive! Specially when I read the details in your reports....


Nancy on reading your 'Living Bird' report (thank you) and the Winter Hummingbirds Banded in LA from July 1979 to July 2009 it was so evident how important banding work is... I am wondering now what the next 30 years will bring. The total Black-chinned (696) vs. the Ruby-throated (599) is in itself very interesting. And now I can see how you must be hoping to one day catch a Green-violetear - number now at 0...and a Magnificent would be cool also. I am happy to see the report of 26 Broad-billed. And the little Calliope at 182 made me keenly aware - since there was one sighting here in New Haven, CT at Light House Point in 2007.

And yes Kristin - that visual is telling! Very nice.

Carol
Milford, CT
Zone 6

I didn't think lightning struck twice so quickly after the first strike. Just think, if you would have ended your study at the five year projection you wouldn't have obtained this data. Who knows what is just around the corner. Oh, if only Sweet pea would come back and make it a round trip.

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

You are oh, so correct, Joan! Just think of all the neat details I'd have missed if I had just gone for 5 years.

Another interesting thing about this report. As with your Sweet Pea, this was a place where I only banded a very few birds. I banded 3 in 2006 and 1 in 2007, but never got back there last two seasons. What are the odds?

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

If I knew that I'd be in Las Vegas.

That's super Congratulations!

sarah merion station, Pennsylvania zone 6B

Wow! That's such neat information. Congrats on your 30 years of wonderful dedication to and study of the hummingbirds!

Patti--Zone 8
Mobile, AL