I've long told everyone that the Rufous Hummingbirds arrive with the first
open Salmonberry - Rubus spectabilis blossoms:
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?Genus=Rubus&Species=spectabilis
As you may remember one Tweeter insisted that the Rufous Hummer came out of
the first Salmonberry blossoms. While I saw my first Red-flowering
Currant - Ribes sanguineum blossoms open yesterday, I haven't noted any
Salmonberry blossoms open yet. Has anyone else seen the blossoms that
herald or produce the first Rufous Hummers?

Stewart

----- Original Message -From: "Carolyn Eagan" eaganc at seanet.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 9:49 AM
Subject: [Tweeters] 1st Rufous


> Hi Tweets,
> We had our first Rufous Hummingbird at our feeder this morning. Last year
> one did not show up here until March 6th. "Here" is on Squamish Harbor,
> the very north part of Hood Canal. It is our 56th yard bird of the year.
>
> Carolyn E