Incoming!

eBird.org is my Go To for tracking the spring hummingbird migration. From the website, simply choose the tab Species Maps then type in the common name of your bird. I generally refine my search by choosing Current Year and pull up the corresponding map. Zooming in gives me more specific information including the dates of the sightings.

For example, as of today, no Calliopes have been sighted in Southern Idaho, The line of purple markers clearly shows the spring migration route of these little guys up the Pacific corridor . Currently, there is a continuing male Calliope in Julietta, ID and 2 more reported in the Spokane area.

Our Broad-tailed hummers have made it as far north as Provo, Utah. When I check the 10 year records, I can see that other years these birds were sighted as early as April 9 in the Ogden area. Our earliest hummingbird ever was a Broad-tailed male that arrived at the ranch on April 9 one year and on April 7 the next.

We occasionally see a few Rufous in the spring, but they breed north of here and they never stay. The Rufous heading “North to Alaska” are already in the Juneau area and will be in Prince William’s Sound and on the Kenia Peninsula by late April and early May. They breed, then reverse their migration in mid July. The Black-chinneds, the last species to appear at the ranch, are still wintering in the south. Lucky birds. They are missing this last round of storms.

Hope you are ready and your feeders are up!