[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

REALLY exciting hummer banding trip to Wilmington area



Hello All,

Just got back form a two-day action packed hummer banding trip to Hampstead
and Wilmington, NC.  It was *pretty incredible* all the way around.  Due to
the number of yards with hummingbirds, I asked Gary Phillips to come up from
SC to lend a hand.  Also we had NC hummer enthusiast Jill Froning along to
help with trap set-up, data recording, etc.  It was fortuitous that we had
another set of hands because, as it turned out, we needed it!

We spent the day Thursday in Hampstead and caught 5 Rufous Hummingbirds.
The first two(adult male and female) in the vicinity of Rex and Louise
Willis's (Betty Scott' sister) were recaptures of banded birds from last
year.  Both of these birds had avoided the traps on our last visit in
November but we got 'me this time!  Both birds were vocal and very feisty.
Gorgeous birds that did not appreciate 'thier' feeders being messed with!
Unfortunately another unidentified hummer that had been seen in the yard
somewhat regularly did not make an appearance while we were there. It showed
up about mid-day but vanished again when I returned later in the afternoon.
Nonetheless we had a wonderful visit with Louise and Betty and were treated
once again to Louise's scrumptious oatmeal cookies and coffee.

Our second stop was in Paulette Biles's yard where we quickly caught two new
female Rufous: one juvenile and one adult. Paulette's grand-daughter,
Alexis,  is finally old enough to be able to 'assist' us and had a grand
time letting each go.  Both hummers lingered in her palm while she just
stared at them wide-eyed amazement.  Each returned immediately to defending
their own parts of the yard, none the worse for wear.

Then we split up and headed each to two new contacts in the Hampstead area.
I went just down the street from Paulette and caught a gorgeous, fat adult
male Rufous in the Lemery's yard.  Jill and Gary moved on to the Van Ness's
to try to catch their Selasphorus but got skunked.  It was a warm afternoon
and the bird was just not hungry enough to venture into the cage.  However
it is a safe bet that we will be returning for a second attempt in the not
too distant future...

This morning Jill and I headed out to the Blackmore's just west of
UNC-Wilmington.  No long after setting up the cage, we had the resident
hummer approach and dive in after her feeder. Upon inspection, I realized
she was an adult Black-chinned and HAD A BAND ON HER RIGHT LEG!  When I read
the combination, I knew it was not one I had banded last year (this was my
first Black-chinned of the 2001-2 season).  But as I thought about it, I
realized I knew precisely who had indeed banded it--Gary Phillips!  It was
in the series I gave him in the early winter!!  Gary confirmed this
afternoon that it was the first Black-chinned he banded--back in early
November on Pawley's Island, SC.  The little gal (now dubbed 'Noel' due to
her arrival the week before Christmas) had headed NORTH---after being run
out of the yard in SC by an ornery Rufous Hummingbird!  WOW!!

(Meanwhile Gary had an unsuccessful attempt at an Archilochus just to the
west of where we were on the west side of Wilmington.)

After that excitement, we headed to the Landfall community and the home of
Peggy and Joe Sargent (where I banded a young male Black-chinned last
winter).  They had been seeing two hummers and were very anxious for me to
catch  and identify them.  So we set to work, and before long, had *five*
immature Ruby-throats (4 male, 1 female) banded!  Definitely another winter
Ruby-throated hotbed in coastal NC to add to Roanoke Is., Southern Shores,
Hatteras Is. and Morehead City.  Oh, and we saw one other female at the
Sargent's that we did not catch as well as one at a feeder around the corner
in a different yard --more for my return trip in February...

Boy, I think I will sleep well tonight   :)

Susan Campbell
Whispering Pines, NC