Hummingbird map

[karen J]

Here is one migration map, I'm sure there are some others out there.
http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html

I just thought I'd post that, because I'm so surprised at how early they seem to be this year. Time to dust off those feeders and get them outside!
Happy Spring.

[miguynmkoi]

I guess we don't have ruby throated hummingbirds in our neck of the woods. 

Cool chart though! 

[Joyce]

Karen J that is one awesome map! 
I can not wait to show it to Jamie!   

[Jonna]

It was reported in the news down here in the Yucatan that a nightly strong northerly wind has allowed migrating birds to make the trip from here to mainland US in a rapid 12 hours.  This last week they say that thousands of birds have hopped on this 'freight train heading north' and made the passage in record time.

Here's a link to a Mississippi tracking site http://jasmigration.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/april-10-yucatan-express-in-overdrive/

and a quote from an English news site here called Yucatan Living:

Yucatan Express: Tailwinds over the Gulf
All of this heat is good news for birds migrating northward from Yucatan. Last Thursday night, while tornados raged over much of the central portions of the U.S., our birds got a fast ride north. According to the Feathered Pixel (what a great name for a website, huh?) a very large group of travelers hopped aboard the winds early in the evening and were as far north as Jackson, MS, within 12 hours! Two nights later, the "Yucatan Express" winds took that night’s feathered travelers to Alabama and Florida. We tend to think of weather patterns in terms of how they affect people. It was interesting to read the Feathered Pixel and consider who might have needed a fast, free ride on what to many north of the border humans was a dark and stormy night.

[emm]

Thanks for posting that map link.  I'll be keeping an eye on it.  It will be a few weeks before we'll probably see any hummingbirds.  I just learned recently that some hummingbirds use sap-sucker holes to feed from because they arrive here before the flowers are out.  emm

[karen J]

Jonna, that was really interesting. I ended up surfing that site (& links) for an hour!

emm, that is really interesting too! I always wondered how they could survive up here when nothing is blooming except crocuses.

Joyce, I hope Jamie likes it. (And thanks for the reminder- I forgot to show it to Laura!)