Tag Archives: Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Picking Up (Migration, That Is), August 16, 2021

Baltimore Oriole

Adult male Baltimore Oriole (click to see the larger version)

We’re about a month from peak landbird migration but we’ve been getting a steady trickle of Empidonax flycatchers, cuckoos, Baltimore Orioles, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, and a few warblers, all expected late summer/early fall migrants. On the flip side, the Tree, Bank, and Northern Rough-winged Swallows that were such a visual and noisy presence in the Dunes have moved on. We’re still seeing Barn Swallows and Purple Martins, but the martins are getting restless and will be gone in a few weeks. Link to my eBird checklist for August 16 below.

eBird Checklist
August 16, 2021

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (click to see the larger version)

August is the month when migrant Ruby-throated Hummingbirds begin to appear. Ruby-throateds don’t nest at Montrose so we know these birds are in fact migrants. August is also the month when wildflowers bloom in profusion. It’s these wildflowers that attract the hummingbirds. I’ve also seen them hunting insects — even hummingbirds need protein! Most of our Ruby-throats are females or immatures, like the bird pictured.

June 1, 2014

I spent a couple of hours at Montrose this morning, trying to ring a few more drops out of migration. For June 1 it wasn’t half bad. Here’s some of what I saw:

Semipalmated Sandpiper – 4 on the beach
Semipalmated Plover – 1 on the beach
Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 1 male in the Magic Hedge (Nesting? Seems late for a migrant.)
Black-billed Cuckoo – 1
Alder Flycatcher – 3
Eastern Wood-Pewee – 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 1
Swainson’s Thrush – 2
Red-eyed Vireo – 3
Blackpoll Warbler – 2, 1 male and 1 female
Tennessee Warbler – 1
Magnolia Warbler – 2
American Redstart – ~5
Mourning Warbler – 1
Bobolink – 1 male
Dickcissel – 1 female

It ain’t over until you know who sings.

Olive-sided Flycatcher, August 30, 2013

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Olive-sided Flycatcher (click to see the larger version)

I walked around Montrose for a little while this morning. I didn’t see any unusual shorebirds (a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was seen on 8/29) but there was activity around the water feature and Magic Hedge. Best was an Olive-sided Flycatcher that moved between the water feature and adjacent Honey Locusts. I also had a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, a couple Swainson’s Thrushes feeding on mulberries in the Magic Hedge, Tennessee Warbler, and American Redstart.

May 29, 2013 – Still Going

Montrose was fairly birdy this morning, especially for Empidonax flycatchers, American Redstarts, and Common Yellowthroats. Here’s some of what I saw in about an hour and a half:

Lesser Scaup – 1 male in Lake Michigan just off the beach
Horned Grebe – 1 in full breeding plumage just off the beach
Semipalmated Sandpiper – ~50
Pectoral Sandpiper – 1
Semipalmated Plover – 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – 1 seen and heard giving the “rain crow” call
Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 1
Olive-sided Flycatcher – 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee – ~5
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher – 6
Least Flycatcher – 3
Willow Flycatcher – 3
Willow/Alder Flycatcher – ~4
Philadelphia Vireo – 1
Blue Jay – ~40 migrating west
Swainson’s Thrush – 3
Veery – 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 1
Cape May Warbler – 1
Magnolia Warbler – ~4
Black-throated Green Warbler – 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler – 1 female
Canada Warbler – 3
Wilson’s Warbler – ~6
Ovenbird – 1
Common Yellowthroat – ~15
American Redstart – ~15
Lincoln’s Sparrow – 2
White-throated Sparrow – 1
Orchard Oriole – 1

May 21, 2013

There were decent numbers of birds this morning. Last night’s south winds did us some good. Flycatchers seemed to be everywhere. Warblers were dominated by American Redstarts, Magnolia, Wilson’s and Common Yellowthroat. Most sparrows seemed to have pulled out. Here’s some of what I saw in about an hour and a half:

Blue-winged Teal – 2, pair
Black-bellied Plover – 1
Semipalmated Plover – 2
Ruddy Turnstone – 2
Dunlin – 2
Sanderling – 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper – ~15
Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee – ~8
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher – 3
Alder Flycatcher – 2
Willow Flycatcher – 2
Alder/Willow Flycatcher – ~8
Least Flycatcher – 3
Eastern Kingbird – ~10
Cliff Swallow – ~8
Bank Swallow – ~10
Eastern Bluebird – 1
Veery – 2
Swainson’s Thrush – ~5
Gray-cheeked Thrush – 2
Cedar Waxwing – ~60
Chestnut-sided Warbler – 1
Magnolia Warbler – ~15
Black-and-white Warbler – 1
Black-throated Green Warbler – 1
Bay-breasted Warbler – 1
Mourning Warbler – 2
Kentucky Warbler – 1 in the Magic Hedge
Canada Warbler – 1
Wilson’s Warbler – ~20
Common Yellowthroat – ~20
American Redstart – ~25
Bobolink – 1