Thank you Paul for that element of the equation. While the Rufus Hummers'
return does seem to be timed to about the same time as the first (few) open
Salmonberry blooms, I never thought that those occasional first blossoms
would be enough to sustain them at the time of their arrival. At least the
Anna's Hummers "flycatch" to get a fair amount of small flying insect food
like gnats in the winter and I would guess that Rufus may do the same.
Adding the sap to the equation may account for the main food resource at
that time.

That said, I imagine that the sap may run best at about the same time as the
first Salmonberry blossom opening. In Vermont the Sugar Maple sap would run
the best with freezing nights and warmer days. We don't have many freezing
nights here now, but this may be the equivalent time for the sapsuckers'
main sap trees in our area. It never occurred to me before that Rufus
Hummers may be commensal with Sapsuckers. I expect that some of our
Nymphalinid butterflies, the Anglewings (Polygonia) and the Mourning Cloaks
and Tortoiseshells (Nymphalis and Aglais) are also somewhat commensal with
sapsuckers, as they are also largely dependent on sap when they fly on the
first warmer days in March.

-Stewart

Stewart Wechsler
-Ecological Consultant - Nature Guide
Naturalist - Botanist
206 932-7225
ecostewart at quidnunc.net
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potential for native biodiversity
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private groups
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Bannick" <paul.bannick at gmail.com>
To: "Stewart Wechsler" <ecostewart at quidnunc.net>
Cc: "Carolyn Eagan" <eaganc at seanet.com>; <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 3:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] 1st Rufous - any Salmonberry Blossoms?


> Stewart and Tweeters,
>
> It is interesting to note that migratory hummingbirds rely a great
> deal upon the sap wells from sapsuckers when they first arrive on
> breeding grounds. Rufous Hummingbirds benefit from the wells of
> Red-breasted sapsuckers and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds of the East are
> tied tightly to the availability of the sapwells of Yellow-bellied
> Sapsuckers.
>
> There is evidence to suggest that these wells are the primary source
> of early spring food in many cases, which often results in nests being
> created quite close to active wells.
>
> Paul
>
> On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 1:15 PM, Stewart Wechsler
> <ecostewart at quidnunc.net> wrote:
>> 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
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Tweeters mailing list
>> Tweeters at u.washington.edu
>> http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Paul L. Bannick
> Nature and Bird Photography
> www.paulbannick.com
> 206-352-1940
>
> My first book, "The Owl and the Woodpecker: Encounters with North
> America's Most Iconic Birds" is now shipping!
>
> For sample pages, book event dates and more information, see:
> http://www.paulbannick.com


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