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NC hummer recaptured in MI last week!



Hello All!

I have extremely exciting news to report.  Over the weekend I was contacted
by a hummer bander in Michigan who, believe it or not recaptured a Rufous
hummer originally banded by me in  NC mountains last December!  This is
indeed a very rare occurrence!!

Allen Chartier, the bander who made the recapture, posted the following to
Humnet on Sunday:

"I have made contact with the original bander of the Rufous Hummingbird I
recaptured at the home of Gary & Candy Hirschleib near Ortonville, Oakland
County, Michigan on November 1, 2001.  As of today (Nov. 4) the bird is
still being reported there.

According to Susan Campbell, the bander of this hummingbird (permission
given to post this information), he was originally taken off of a feeder
near Brevard, North Carolina (perhaps when in torpor) and taken to a
wildlife rehabilitator, thought to be in poor condition.  This might seem
reasonable given the latitude, elevation, and time of year.  Susan banded
this bird a few days later on December 2, 2000, and brought it back to the
home where it was first found and released it there.  She could not provide
me with details of how long it remained because she was not at home when she
called me back today.  It was banded as a Hatch-Year (imm.) Male and weighed
about 4 grams.  He weighed 3.5 grams when I captured him on November 1.
Brevard, North Carolina, is roughly 500-600 miles due south of Ortonville,
Michigan.

This recapture in Michigan is certainly a strong indication of how hardy
these hummingbirds can be!

Allen Chartier
1442 W. River Park Dr.
Inkster, MI  48141
amazilia1@home.com
Website: http://www.amazilia.net
Michigan HummerNet: http://www.amazilia.net/MIHummerNet/index.htm "



So---hummingbird banding here in North Carolina is already paying *huge*
dividends.  This makes the second hummer recapture by another bander in  a
week(Gary Phillips' Ruby-throated recap in Murrell's Inlet being the other)!
Thanks so much to all of you for your interest, tips and support.  It is
hard to believe I am just beginning my third winter season...somebody pinch
me!!!


Susan Campbell
Research Affiliate--NC State Museum of Natural Sciences
Whispering Pines, NC