This discussion has been fascinating to me, particularly in hearing all the
different accounts and experiences regarding date ranges that hummers are
observed in the region.

Interestingly enough, I've had hummingbirds return in force. After the one
and a half-week hiatus, I started seeing them again around the yard on
Thursday, and they've been at my feeders all weekend.

Now, one other item that may be of interest to note: I have noticed one new
female with a particularly long bill, that's been frequenting my feeders. I
have yet to see the two distinctive males that I mentioned previously;
Mephisto and Jupiter. It is possible that they have started their southern
migration already (but boy, would that be depressing! Summer's only just
begun--I'm not ready to think about autumn yet!).

We live at an elevation of 500'. It's true that my hummers show up
significantly later than other reports for the Puget Sound region. By the
same token, however, our rhododendrons and azaleas (wait--make that our
hyacinths and other bulbs, as well) go into bloom as much as two to three
weeks before even places as close as Redmond. Right now in the foothills,
our bushes are all out of bloom (with a few exceptions), but insects are
abundant.

This year, I started seeing hummers sporadically at my feeders on April
10th. However, I didn't see my "regulars," or any frequent feeder use until
April 26th. This was fully weeks before people in Redmond and Bellevue saw
them. However, as little as two weeks ago, I was able to watch the
hummingbirds flit from our big cedar trees to the feeders...(oh, I'm
guessing) twenty times an hour, all day long.

As far as the southern migration, I have a video tape from last August that
is about 30 minutes long, that shows one male rufous repeatedly using the
feeder off our bedroom window (we have three feeders in the yard). My guess
is that this individual had come down from British Columbia, and was passing
through on his way south. The usual "residents" had already left by that
time.

What I find to be interesting is why I don't see more evidence of nest
activity on our immediate property. We have thick rhododendron bushes, as
well as salmonberries, blueberries, etc. And, of course, an abundant food
supply very close; as I keep three fresh, clean feeders active. There are
very few outdoor cats that come onto the property. It seems to me that this
is perfect nesting habitat. Why I haven't been able to find evidence of a
nest is a mystery to me.

By the way, could someone answer a question for me, please? Yesterday I saw
a bird that looked...for lack of a better way to describe it...like a female
rufous with a small goatee of darker feathers under the neck. Is this a
recently-fledged male? His size looked comparable to an adult female
rufous....

Thanks,
-Jacki Bricker
Woodinville, Washington