Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
31 December 2020: I was at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington NC yesterday and heard the distinct call of a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. Typically, they migrate south between August and September with late stragglers in October.
I was so surprised to hear and see a female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. She fed on the flowers nearby and then flew onto a branch in a tree.
After searching online, I found the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences https://naturalsciences.org). They have a vagrant hummingbird sightings project. I filled out their form today https://naturalsciences.org/forms/hummingbird-sighting-report) of my finding. Within 30 minutes, I received an email with: “OK! Yes-- there are hummers in the Wilmington area in winter. That hummer may or may not be using a feeder in the area. Airlie might still have feeders up. But with things blooming there, it may be unnecessary. These tiny dynamos eat mainly insects.”
It was pretty cool to find this gem at this time of year. I’ll be on the look-out the next time I’m at Airlie Gardens.
Read MoreI was so surprised to hear and see a female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. She fed on the flowers nearby and then flew onto a branch in a tree.
After searching online, I found the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences https://naturalsciences.org). They have a vagrant hummingbird sightings project. I filled out their form today https://naturalsciences.org/forms/hummingbird-sighting-report) of my finding. Within 30 minutes, I received an email with: “OK! Yes-- there are hummers in the Wilmington area in winter. That hummer may or may not be using a feeder in the area. Airlie might still have feeders up. But with things blooming there, it may be unnecessary. These tiny dynamos eat mainly insects.”
It was pretty cool to find this gem at this time of year. I’ll be on the look-out the next time I’m at Airlie Gardens.
