PA Plantings

We had a beautiful male Rufous Hummingbird show up at our house last Wed. afternoon, July 29, 2020. He spent his time guarding our nectar feeders and keeping away all of the local and migrant ruby-throats. According to Scott Weidensaul this was the earliest "Fall" record for this species in PA. Several close friends got a chance to see him and we were hoping more people would get a chance spread out over time, but he was only here He was here through Friday evening. On July 31 he left after being banded.  We invited Sandy Lockerman and her husband to come and try to trap him and band him because I think that it is a good thing to try to understand the changing migration patterns of hummingbirds from western North America like this species. I hope that he may be re-trapped sometime and contribute to our knowledge base about these wonderful creatures. Sandy tells me that hummingbirds usually stay after banding, but this one took off and hasn't been back, Mike Slater  

I just came across a web site that I would like to share with people. It is the Listening to Birds an anthropological approach to bird sounds web site. As soon as I found it I just had to tell my sister about it and put in my contribution about R-b nuts ! I love hearing many bird songs and call but the one that always brings a smile to my face is the little anh-anh-anh sound that Red-breasted Nuthatches make as they chat among themselves as they energetically search for food along the branches and trunks of trees. I like this call so much because this subtle yet cheerful sound inspires me during the cold months that they spend in our area and also the fact that they don't come here every year so they are an irregular delightful surprise when the do come and spend the winter.