This year my first Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History tied a record for earliest spring arrival on 27 March, and I've banded an unprecedented number of early spring ruby-throats in the month since then. My analysis of this phenomenon is the subject of my latest "This Week at Hilton Pond" photo essay for 27 Mar-21 Apr 2014. To access the installment, please see http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek140327.html
While there, don't forget to scroll down for lists of all birds banded and recaptured during the period; the returns are especially interesting, with a couple of very old American Goldfinches re-appearing in our traps. I also include numerous nature notes and an acknowledgement for recent supporters of our education, research, and conservation initiatives. Happy (Spring) Nature Watching! BILL P.S. Please "Like" our new Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/HiltonPond for timely updates on nature topics. Follow us on Twitter @hiltonpond. ========= RESEARCH PROGRAM c/o BILL HILTON JR., D.Sci. Executive Director Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History 1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA office & cell (803) 684-5852 Please visit our web sites (courtesy of Comporium.net): Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History at http://www.hiltonpond.org "Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project" at http://www.rubythroat.org ==================
