Hi Tweets,

Michael Price writes (concerning my siting of a rufous hummer today):

>Wow, a real gatecrasher!
>That would make your average arrival date there February 10? Hoo
>doggies, that means they cover the distance from their arrival sites
>in California to mid-Washington State in almost nothing flat, then
>take three weeks to go just 240 km (150 mi) further north to
>arrive--on average--in Vancouver BC in Week 1-2 March. Hmm, not
>impossible.

This send me scrambling. Was my recollection that out of whack? I'd
put Michael's knowledge of local birds up against almost anyones....
So - I went and checked my records for first sitings of Rufous
Hummingbirds. All of these sitings were in the same general location on
Cougar Mountain.

1990 - Feb 12
1991 - March 1 (significant snow in mid-Feb if I recall)
1992 - Feb 13
1993 - Feb 10
1994 - Feb 20
1995 - Feb 16
1996 - Feb 12
1997 - Feb 14

That makes ~Feb 16 as the average date. So this date is not 10, but 15
days early - believe me, I was surprised as heck. In a previous house I
lived right next to a big patch of salmonberries and could predict
within a day or two when the rufous hummers would arrive by the date of
the salmonberry flowers opening.

Today I saw a purple plum (Prunus Cerasifera Altropupurea) completely
budded out and with a few open flowers - something we usually see in
this neighborhood the SECOND WEEK IN MARCH, when it isn't unusual for
them to be dusted by a late snow. But then with temperatures in the mid
to upper 60's for almost a week (with LOWS around 45) what plant
wouldn't be confused - hope we don't get a blast of arctic air now.
Another strange plant phenom that I noticed today was that pine cones on
all of the ornamental plantings were "snap, crackle and popping" -
warmish temps and low humidity with lots of wind were drying the cones
out and they were opening and dropping seed.

I also saw RUFFED GROUSE and RED CROSSBILLS after my earlier posting
today - what a strange mix of birds.

Rob Conway
Bellevue, WA

robin_conway at hotmail.com

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com