I would add that there is a network of specially trained hummingbird banders who monitor reports of late season hammers, including those found in Maine. The birds (with homeowner permission) are trapped and banded. These records, as Scott notes, continue to provide information as to range expansion, migration dates and routes.
Stella
> On Nov 26, 2014, at 14:24, Peter Vickery <crescentchest@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Scott Weidensaul asked if I'd post the following regarding hummers in northern latitudes in winter:
>
> "As a hummingbird bander and researcher, I wanted to correct a common misconception that been reinforced by the "rescue" of a healthy rufous hummingbird in Minnesota, discussed yesterday on Maine Birds, which I read because of my work at Audubon's Hog Island camp (and my long-standing love of birding in Maine).
>
> "I agree that trapping and shipping that hummer to Texas was a mistake, but not for the reasons given.
>
> "Thanks to thousands of rufous hummingbirds that have been banded in the East and Southeast in recent decades -- including many originally banded in the Great Lakes states and later recaptured in the South -- we know that this sort of situation is common and increasingly normal for healthy rufous hummingbirds, and to a lesser extent several other western species. We're seeing the rapid evolution of a new migratory route and wintering area by birds that are able to tolerate extremely cold weather. Last winter in Pennsylvania, for instance, a number of rufous hummingbirds I and my colleagues banded survived air temps of -9F and wind chills of -35F for several days during the so-called polar vortex.
>
> "As evidence that the rufous hummer in Minnesota did not need to be hijacked and shipped to Texas, consider the fact that a rufous hummingbird banded in Wisconsin on Oct. 19 was recaptured this week in New Bern, NC, one of a number of rufous banded in the Great Lakes that were encountered, hale and fine, in the Southeast.
>
> "These birds do not need our help -- only our admiration.
>
> "With thanks,
>
> "Scott Weidensaul
> Schuylkill Haven, PA"
>
> --
> Maine birds mailing list
> maine-birds@googlegroups.com
> http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
> https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
--
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
0 comments:
Post a Comment