The range expansion of Anna's Hummingbird is almost certainly
an artifact of human-caused changes in the landscape, though
more probably the introduction of winter-flowering plants in
gardens and micro-climate changes associated with buildings.

Rufous Hummingbird, however, has apparently alway been an
early migrant. Gabrielson and Jewett (1940) place the arrival
date at late-February/early-March, pretty much what it is
now. This year's early migration is attributable to the very
warm winter (5-6?F above average) associated with el Ni?o.

The first Rufous Hummingbirds reported on the South Coast of
Oregon (around Feb 2) were reported from the New River, Coos Co.
around blooming Hairy Manzanita and nowhere near any feeders
and the first Rufous I saw was checking out early Salmonberry
blooms.

I would postulate that most first detections of Rufous Hummingbirds
are associated with feeders because feeders get checked every day
and usually several times everyday. Suitable native habitat gets
checked (at best) on weekends....

> Rob Sandelin wrote:
>
> I notice that all the reports are from feeders. I had our
> first rufous of the year, on the Red Flowering currant, which is
> hardly just opening the past few days. I wonder if human enticements
> like feeders change the migratory patterns of these birds in terms of
> their timing. And, I also wonder if the early sightings are birds
> heading north (they go all the way to Alaska), and if populated
> areas with lots of feeders set them up to move north too early, and
> once they get into the wilder areas without feeders, if there is a
> problem, because they are ahead of their natural food?
>
>
> Rob Sandelin
> Sky Valley Environments <http://www.nonprofitpages.com/nica/SVE.htm>
> Field skills training for student naturalists
> Floriferous at msn.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
> [mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of
> MEYER2J at aol.com
> Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 8:59 AM
> To: Tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: Rufous Hummingbird
>
> Hi Tweets:
>
> On Tuesday March 11 I reported seeing the first male Rufous
> Hummingbird at my yard feeder. I saw the first female
> Rufous Hummingbird at the feeder on Thursday, March 13.
>
> Joyce Meyer
> Woodinville, WA

--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

A child who becomes acquainted with the birds about him
hears every sound and puzzles out its meaning with a cleverness
that amazes those with ears who hear not.

-Neltje Blanchan

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html