Mike Morrell reports: “I’ve been seeing a few Warblers and Tanagers in my yard, but on the whole I’ve been impressed by the lack of songbirds lately. It’s been weeks since I saw a single American Robin, but we should see waves of them soon.
The lack of birds has left me with little enthusiasm for birding…
One bright spot is a first for my yard: an Anna’s Hummingbird (female or immature) now coming regularly to our feeder. I know this is old hat to East Rd and Morrison Marsh people, but it’s a big deal for us up here in the high country.”
Dennis Forsyth responds: “It must be tough, Mike, to be living in the neo-arctic regions of the island where the hummers rarely venture.
We don’t see our Anna’s as much in the summer although they are here. Even though they are larger than than the Rufous’s, they seem to be easily bullied away from a feeder by their more pugnacious cousins. Still, they do nest down the bank toward the beach, and they do sneak in once or twice a day to grab a quick lunch while the Rufous males are busy squabbling.
Now, of course, they have the feeder to themselves and we see them regularly. I think that likely a few more show up here when some of the summer-resident humans nearby take in their feeders for the year. This juvenile is, I think, a new arrival to our yard a couple of days ago. Dennis”
