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Re: RUHU



Gary, here in the southernmost part of Georgia (15 miles from the
Florida state line), I had a Rufous Hummingbird spend three months
in my back yard guarding his feeder and in warm spells hawking for
insects.  His tongue stuck out because he had lost one-third of his
bill, probably in a fight, Bob Sargent said when he banded him.

During that time we had a spell of really cold weather (for us).  The
temperature went down to 18 deg. F for at least two nights, and I
was very afraid for him.  But he survived and stayed on until the
first day of Spring.  Our yard is fenced with a board fence and
he stayed in a rather protected place on the south side of the fence
in a large old camellia where his favorite perch was on a smilax 
vine (I like to leave things "natural" and so do the birds like it).

Oh, yes, Bob Sargent advised me to have feeders only where he
could see them at one time, which would decrease the amount of
energy he would have to spend guarding them.  Before, he would
disappear, but afterwards he was visible most of the time, until
he began to feed at the flowers.

I learned to locate him by his peculiar little sounds which I have
never heard since.  Sigh.

Good luck with your Rufous.

Barbara

Barbara Passmore
Valdosta GA


At 09:45 AM 1/26/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Hello y'all,
> The little guy's still here. He appears to be becoming much more at
>ease here, buzzing and "chupping" at me yesterday. This morning (sunny,
>29ºF, wind NNW 10-15 mph) he perched at the feeder and cautiously
>allowed me to observe him from ~6 ft. He's also varying the direction
>from which he approaches and departs the feeder now. I'm curious to see
>if he'll discover/use the feeder in back today.
>
>Cheers,
>GP 
>-- 
>Gary Phillips
>Conway, SC
>axis1@sccoast.net
>
>"A dog might as well speculate on the mind of Newton." (Darwin)
>
>