Interesting discussions are still going on about moult. From local banders data sheets and photos I took of birds at feeders and study skins in Berkeley, the timing of moult here in the PNW seems little different from that in both northern and southern California. Perhaps this should not be too surprising, but it is helpful in understanding Annas behaviour here. This hummingbirds existence here and in BC is often described as a "range expansion" hence some of the misleading statments about global warming, popukation shifts etc. A better word I believe, would be "transplant". Annas has "transplanted" or even "grafted" itself to urban and suburban situations where there are feeders, ornamental plantings that bloom year round, and, in certain situations, like Discovery Park, sizable populations have built up because of extensive areas of native bloom and display sites. More later. DH

--
David Hutchinson, Owner
Flora & Fauna: Nature Books
Discovery Gardens: Native Plants
3212 W.Government Way
Seattle,WA.98199
http://www.ffbooks.net/
206-623-4727



_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail? is up to 70% faster. Now good news travels really fast.
http://windowslive.com/online/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_70faster_032009