Hummingbird Migration

Hummingbird migration has begun. In the Hampton Roads area, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is common. Tiny yet ferocious, the Ruby-throat weighs less than a nickel and can and does, fly nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico. Their wings beat 60 to 80 times a second.
Most of our hummingbirds here in Hampton Roads will be gone by mid October but there are always some stragglers. I leave my feeders up until December. Leaving feeders up will not discourage hummingbirds from migrating, as they migrate in response to daylight and change of seasons, not in response to the availability of feeders. Leaving your feeders up will help these stragglers finish their journey. I use the one part sugar to 4 parts water recipe with no food coloring. You may also see hummers plucking tiny insects from the air or from spider webs. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds sometimes take insects attracted to sap wells or pick small caterpillars and aphids from leaves.
Ruby-throats are frequent victims of collisions with man-made structures such as towers, turbines, and glass windows, particularly during their yearly migrations to and from Central America. Free roaming cats are perhaps their biggest predators. Predators also include other birds, praying mantis, snakes, and bullfrogs. I use decals on my windows and I have humanely trapped free roaming cats. If I come across a praying mantis, I relocate it away from my feeder or flowers.
In spite of their diminutive size, hummingbirds can be very aggressive. I had one “bully bird” here all summer, chasing other hummers away from my feeder and also attacking Crows and Blue Jays.
The Bully is gone now, but new migrants arrive daily.  Please remember to keep your feeders clean and fresh and enjoy the migrants. They have a long trip ahead of them! Godspeed.

Tree Swallows in the Bluebird Box

It was a huge disappointment when the Eastern Bluebirds that had nested in my box the last 5 years did not return there this Spring.  Fortunately, my disappointment was short lived.
When we returned from a short vacation in Georgia, I saw a blue bird fly out of the box. But, it wasn't an Eastern Bluebird. It was a Tree Swallow! I know that they will use nest boxes but I was skeptical that they would stay as the box is right off our neighborhood golf course cart path. So I waited until I saw them both leave the area, then I checked the box. Low and behold, the nest was complete with 2 eggs in it! And it was lined with several feathers; so sweet!

Over the next several days, the adults were busy.

3 more eggs were laid, bringing the total to 5 in the beautiful, feather lined nest. The feathers reminded me of a soft, baby blanket.

After a couple of weeks, were were aware that the eggs had hatched. The parents began bringing small insects into the box and removing fecal sacks (poo).

And we finally were able to see the babes at the box entry hole.

They grew really fast.

And the insects got bigger! Here is a dragonfly for lunch!

Then, they were almost ready to go!

 Shortly after this photo was taken, they all fledged the nest.

A happy occasion for the parents, but we will miss them. Such a joy to watch and learn. Maybe they will return next year!