Hi. I have been feeding birds for 15 years. I have cut way back on feeding and changed how I feed based on my own observations over time, trying my best to judge what is best for the birds. It has been a long learning process, and I'm sure there will be more to learn. Now, I have a new bird feeding question that has arisen, and I want to do the "right" thing, but I have no experience at this, so I would greatly appreciate any input.

I live in Bellingham Wa., and have had a beautiful female Anna's Hummingbird visiting our yard for about two months now, a first for our yard. She was still here as of this morning. She has been visiting our hummer feeder, our hardy fuscia, and a few Pacific Giant Delphineums that are still blooming.

I have read so many "myths about hummingbirds" articles over the years, and they have all included the comment that it is a myth that one needs to take feeders down in the fall, because the hummers will head south on their own. This doesn't jive with what I have read about Anna's hummers and their range expansion. Those sources, including Birds of Washington by Wahl, Tweit, and Mlodinow, suggest that Anna's have expanded their range because of an increase in feeders and landscape plants.

Although Bellingham recieves less snow on average than many other places to the south in the Puget Sound region, it can experience in some winters a blast of intensely cold Arctic air from east of the mountains via the Frasier River. When that happens, I would think that it would be very difficult for a hummingbird to survive.

Should I remove my feeder? If not, is there a way to help the hummingbird survive if she decides to stay and we get that kind of weather this year?


George Heleker
Bellingham, Wa.
earthman1950 at earthlink.net