Thank you all, for this interesting discussion. In past years, I have found that the hummingbirds at my feeders are numerous in the spring, seem to disappear early summer, and the "local" birds start up again in mid to late July, with the migrants coming later.
My theory is based on anecdotal evidence of this year's spring migration. I didn't see as many migrants in terms of sheer numbers and species compared to other years. My guess is that conditions in their wintering grounds and on their migration northward, were inhospitable so many didn't make it. However! Conditions here in MN have been pretty good for the birds that did make it. Therefore, nesting birds are probably having more success with less competition. Case in point: I didn't see as many male Baltimore Orioles at my feeder in Spring as in previous years. However, now that their young have fledged, I am getting more orioles at my feeder than I've ever had. I usually consider taking down my grape jelly feeder around now. Yesterday, I had to refill it THREE times! I'm hoping that I'm right that conditions in MN have hoped boost their numbers. Judy > On 07/22/2024 7:44 PM CDT Nancy Steinhauser <nancyhu...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Thanks, Greg, for the data. > Anyone putting out theories? Weather? Climate? Chemicals? Bird flu? > Thanks. > Nancy > > On Mon, Jul 22, 2024 at 10:51 AM Greg Seitz <greg.se...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > If I crunched the numbers correctly, eBird shows an ~ 9% decline in > > observed hummingbirds in Minnesota this year: > > > > - 2023, Jan 1 - July 22: 293 > > - 2024, Jan 1 - July 22: 266 > > > > Any real data scientists out there are welcome to check my math! > > > > Greg > > > > > > On Sat, Jul 20, 2024 at 9:22 PM Nancy Steinhauser <nancyhu...@gmail.com> > > wrote: > > > > > Hi Jason, > > > Do you have feeders up - and - if so, did you notice a drop in numbers > > of > > > birds at those feeders compared to previous years? When did the "drop" > > > occur? > > > Thanks for responding! > > > > > > On Sat, Jul 20, 2024 at 9:19 AM Jason Frank <jmfran...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > I would note that last year, in the Ortonville area, as far as I > > > observed, > > > > numbers were what I'd call "normal." Even during the periods when they > > > > hunted insects to feed nestlings, they'd still be seen around > > residential > > > > areas with gardens. > > > > > > > > This year, I never saw a single mating dance or territorial dispute > > > > between males, which have always been a regular sight in my yard. > > > > > > > > Jason Frank > > > > > > > > On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 8:23 PM Nancy Steinhauser < > > nancyhu...@gmail.com> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > >> Alex, > > > >> Did you have more in the Spring, did you notice? > > > >> > > > >> On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 8:20 PM Knopick, Alex < > > > >> alex.d.knop...@craig-hallum.com> wrote: > > > >> > > > >> > We see 1-2 almost every evening at our feeder between 6-8pm, > > including > > > >> > tonight. > > > >> > > > > >> > Alex Knopick > > > >> > a...@craighallum.com > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > Alex Knopick - Partner > > > >> > Managing Director - Investment Banking > > > >> > Craig-Hallum Capital Group > > > >> > M: 612-237-5281 > > > >> > Work Text: 612-482-2583 > > > >> > O: 612-334-6341 > > > >> > a...@craighallum.com > > > >> > > > > >> > On Jul 19, 2024, at 7:56 PM, Nancy Steinhauser < > > nancyhu...@gmail.com> > > > >> > wrote: > > > >> > > > > >> > Thank you all for replying. This is very troubling. > > > >> > A lot of migrating hummingbirds got back here but what happened > > > >> afterwards? > > > >> > And the monarchs have been very few. Only a few caterpillars found > > on > > > >> many > > > >> > milkweed plants. > > > >> > Nancy > > > >> > Superior Highlands > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 4:07 PM Charlene Nelson < > > birdnir...@gmail.com > > > > > > > >> > wrote: > > > >> > > > > >> > > We have very few butterflies, and we have an abundance of milkweed > > > and > > > >> > > other natives for them to enjoy. > > > >> > > > > > >> > > Charlene Nelson > > > >> > > Grant County farm > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > On Jul 19, 2024, at 3:43 PM, Rebecca Field < > > > >> rebeccafiel...@gmail.com> > > > >> > > wrote: > > > >> > > > > > > >> > > > I just saw a single Monarch in our hillside prairie where we > > have > > > >> > planted > > > >> > > > milkweed. Hope. > > > >> > > > > > > >> > > > Becky Field > > > >> > > > Orono > > > >> > > > > > > >> > > > On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 3:10 PM Tom Gilde < > > > >> > > > 00002247eb7407f6-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote: > > > >> > > > > > > >> > > >> One of the profound threats to Monarchs is the decline of their > > > >> > > wintering > > > >> > > >> forest. It's not just logging but also climate change. I'm > > > planting > > > >> > > >> milkweeds, anyway. > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> Tom Gilde > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> On Fri, 19 Jul, 2024 at 2:41 PM, Jeanne Baumann < > > > >> > > jbaumann-...@outlook.com> > > > >> > > >> wrote: > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> To: mou-net@lists.umn.edu > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> I've seen one single monarch - just yesterday. And my yard is > > > full > > > >> of > > > >> > > >> wild milkweed. > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> On 7/19/2024 12:22 PM, Missy Bowen wrote: > > > >> > > >>> No monarchs. Troubling. > > > >> > > >>> > > > >> > > >>> On Fri, Jul 19, 2024, 12:17 PM Jeffrey Saffle< > > > >> > > >> jeffrey.saf...@hsc.utah.edu<mailto:jeffrey.saf...@hsc.utah.edu > > >> > > > >> > > >>> wrote: > > > >> > > >>> > > > >> > > >>>> We have a few hummers here in Lake Elmo but I’m much more > > > struck > > > >> by > > > >> > a > > > >> > > >>>> near-total absence of monarch butterflies. I successfully > > > raised > > > >> and > > > >> > > >>>> released 16 monarchs in June/early July but since then I’ve > > > only > > > >> > found > > > >> > > >> one > > > >> > > >>>> caterpillar and seen one adult. I suspect the relentlessly > > > rainy > > > >> > > >> weather > > > >> > > >>>> was hard on them. What are others’ thought? > > > >> > > >>>> Jeffrey Saffle > > > >> > > >>>> Sent from my iPhone > > > >> > > >>>> > > > >> > > >>>>> On Jul 19, 2024, at 11:27 AM, Jason Frank< > > jmfran...@gmail.com > > > >> > > <mailto: > > > >> > > >> jmfran...@gmail.com>> wrote: > > > >> > > >>>>> > > > >> > > >>>>> I'm in Ortonville, and haven't seen a single hummingbird > > all > > > >> > summer > > > >> > > >>>> long. I > > > >> > > >>>>> only saw a few in the spring. > > > >> > > >>>>> > > > >> > > >>>>> There are no Japanese Beetles this far west yet, so no one > > > >> around > > > >> > > here > > > >> > > >> is > > > >> > > >>>>> spraying for them. Plenty of people are spraying for > > > everything > > > >> > else, > > > >> > > >>>>> though. Ortonville is governed by the type of 20th Century > > > >> idiocy > > > >> > > that > > > >> > > >>>>> employs a municipal mosquito spray truck which circles the > > > town > > > >> > once > > > >> > > a > > > >> > > >>>> week > > > >> > > >>>>> to kill every flying insect in its path (can't have all dem > > > >> golfers > > > >> > > and > > > >> > > >>>>> lakeshore dwellers gettin all itchy, don't ya know). There > > are > > > >> > plenty > > > >> > > >> of > > > >> > > >>>>> flowers around town, and good nesting habitat in the parks > > and > > > >> > > >> ravines. I > > > >> > > >>>>> too am noticing low numbers of Barn and Tree Swallows... > > and I > > > >> > > haven't > > > >> > > >>>> seen > > > >> > > >>>>> a Kestrel since April. At this point, it could be a whole > > > >> > cumulative > > > >> > > >>>> effect > > > >> > > >>>>> of climate, over-spraying and insect population collapse, > > and > > > >> bird > > > >> > > flu, > > > >> > > >>>>> which I'd imagine could spread to hummers if their feeders > > are > > > >> in > > > >> > > close > > > >> > > >>>>> proximity to seed and suet feeders. All those storms and > > heavy > > > >> rain > > > >> > > >>>> during > > > >> > > >>>>> nesting season probably didn't help, either. > > > >> > > >>>>> > > > >> > > >>>>> Jason Frank > > > >> > > >>>>> > > > >> > > >>>>>> On Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 8:36 PM Nancy Steinhauser < > > > >> > > >> nancyhu...@gmail.com<mailto:nancyhu...@gmail.com> > > > >> > > >>>>>> wrote: > > > >> > > >>>>>> > > > >> > > >>>>>> Wondering if anyone else has seen the numbers go down this > > > >> summer. > > > >> > > >>>> From a > > > >> > > >>>>>> great start (over 30 birds arrived at the feeders.....and > > who > > > >> > knows > > > >> > > >> the > > > >> > > >>>>>> ones I didn't see) in mid-May, the numbers now have > > dwindled > > > to > > > >> > less > > > >> > > >>>> than a > > > >> > > >>>>>> dozen, and that's up from 3 or 4 because the little ones > > have > > > >> > > fledged. > > > >> > > >>>>>> Neighbors and co-workers (the north shore and inland above > > > Two > > > >> > > >> Harbors) > > > >> > > >>>>>> have reported the same "drop" in birds. Bewildered. They > > > >> started > > > >> > > to > > > >> > > >>>>>> disappear early to mid-June and have not returned. > > Wondering > > > >> about > > > >> > > >> bird > > > >> > > >>>>>> flu. > > > >> > > >>>>>> We have had a huge mosquito population this summer because > > of > > > >> all > > > >> > > the > > > >> > > >>>>>> rain. But that hasn't dropped hummingbird numbers coming to > > > >> > feeders > > > >> > > >> in > > > >> > > >>>>>> previous wet summers. > > > >> > > >>>>>> Any ideas/experiences? The numbers here have been steadily > > > >> going > > > >> > up > > > >> > > >> for > > > >> > > >>>>>> over > > > >> > > >>>>>> 25 years. Many feeders out. Such a shock to have so few > > > birds. > > > >> > > >>>>>> Thanks in advance. > > > >> > > >>>>>> Nancy in Superior Highlands > > > >> > > >>>>>> > > > >> > > >>>>>> ---- > > > >> > > >>>>>> General information and guidelines for posting: > > > >> > > >>>>>> https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > >> > > >>>>>> Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > >> > > >>>>>> > > > >> > > >>>>>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, > > > >> practice > > > >> > > >>>> social > > > >> > > >>>>>> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > >> > > >>>>>> > > > >> > > >>>>> ---- > > > >> > > >>>>> General information and guidelines for posting: > > > >> > > >>>> https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > >> > > >>>>> Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > >> > > >>>>> > > > >> > > >>>>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, > > > >> practice > > > >> > > >>>> social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > >> > > >>>> > > > >> > > >>>> ---- > > > >> > > >>>> General information and guidelines for posting: > > > >> > > >>>> https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > >> > > >>>> Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > >> > > >>>> > > > >> > > >>>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, > > > >> practice > > > >> > > >> social > > > >> > > >>>> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > >> > > >>>> > > > >> > > >>> ---- > > > >> > > >>> General information and guidelines for posting: > > > >> > > >> https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > >> > > >>> Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > >> > > >>> > > > >> > > >>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, > > > practice > > > >> > > >> social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> ---- > > > >> > > >> General information and guidelines for posting: > > > >> > > >> https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > >> > > >> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, > > > practice > > > >> > > social > > > >> > > >> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > >> > > >> . > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> ---- > > > >> > > >> General information and guidelines for posting: > > > >> > > >> https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > >> > > >> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > >> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, > > > practice > > > >> > > social > > > >> > > >> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > >> > > > ---- > > > >> > > > General information and guidelines for posting: > > > >> > > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > >> > > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > >> > > > > > > >> > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, > > practice > > > >> > > social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > >> > > > > > >> > > ---- > > > >> > > General information and guidelines for posting: > > > >> > > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > >> > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > >> > > > > > >> > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > > > >> social > > > >> > > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > >> > ---- > > > >> > General information and guidelines for posting: > > > >> > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > >> > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > >> > > > > >> > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > > > >> social > > > >> > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > ------------------------------ > > > >> > This email has been scanned for email related threats and delivered > > > >> safely > > > >> > by Mimecast. > > > >> > For more information please visit http://www.mimecast.com > > > >> > ------------------------------ > > > >> > > > > >> > > > >> ---- > > > >> General information and guidelines for posting: > > > >> https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > >> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > >> > > > >> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > > > social > > > >> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > ---- > > > General information and guidelines for posting: > > > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > > > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > > > > ---- > > General information and guidelines for posting: > > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > ---- > General information and guidelines for posting: > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. --Judy Chucker "...The authors calculated that being around fourteen additional bird species provided as much satisfaction as earning an additional $150 a month." ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
