In a message dated 98-05-30 18:08:36 EDT, you write:

<< in Pacific co., WA, we have noticed that we have many fewer than usual
Rufous Hummingbirds at our feeders this year. Several friends in our
immediate area have also noted the same. For example people who usually
have 20 in previous years now have 2 this yr. We usually have 5 to 10, this
year 3 is our high number. We are wondering -- have others noted a similar
shortage, or is this perhaps just a local phenom?

We have also noted many fewer swallows (VG, Tree, Barn, RW) than usual >>


Hmmmm...I hadn't noticed, but you are right..I have eight feeding where last
summer I had........well...it's hard to count more than five hummers at a
time, as the don't have the decency to sit still long enough......but I betcha
I had 15 of them last year.
As for VG Swallows...I have my normal contingent. I put six more boxes up and
all are filled, with a bunch of homeless ones hanging about.

I'm wondering if the recent fires in Mexico and Central American is
responsible for the lower number of hummers....loss of habitat???

But then again...population numbers will vary. Remember last year, when
everyone was in a tizzy because there were no bees? This year I have pretty
much a normal population of honeybees................
Michelle