I’ll admit that serious birdwatching is new to me. After moving to an old farm place in Union County, the amazing array of beautiful birds we encountered just flew into our hearts, so to speak. It was a natural process, but before we knew it, we were feeding, watching, and documenting every new bird species we encountered out here on Buttercup Hill.
But nothing prepared us for our growing love for these tiny but mighty hummingbirds that now consume so much of our daily time and attention. Seriously, they are addictive. We cannot stop watching them, feeding them, and learning more about them each day. It is an amazing experience to hear the hum of dozens and dozens of these beauties at our multiple feeders.
Now, I am a little ashamed to say just how much nectar we make every night or confess to how many pounds of sugar we go through each week. Suffice it to say, I am very glad sugar prices are not what they were recently. Otherwise, we might have to sell some treasures to buy these hummers their food.
And again, what we are learning about and from these little birds is the best part of our experience. For example, we learned that, according to their body mass, hummingbirds have the largest brain of all other animals. And that fact is obvious the more we watch our hummers.
In fact, researchers say hummingbirds not only remember and visit the same places annually, but they can also recognize and remember faces. We will discover the truth of this statement next spring when these birds return from their winter migration.
Speaking of migration, the southbound journey has begun for northern hummers. The hummingbird migratory maps (yes, these are real and quite informative) show that several species have already left Canada and other northern spots and are traveling through our area. The National Audubon Society offers migratory information and map sites for hummingbird watchers at www.audubon.org.
Our very own Mississippi State University Extension Service (https://www.facebook.com/MSUExtService) is also a great source of reliable migratory information on the hummingbirds in our area. Of course, many other online migratory resources are available, even on Facebook. (Just be careful about sharing personal information on other sites until you vet each one well.)
Audubon also provides great information on which hummingbird varieties might be zooming through each area of Mississippi. Of course, the Magnolia State is always home to the Ruby-throated hummingbird. We watched 7 pairs of these beauties all summer, as they built miniature nests high in our oak trees, raised their tiny babies, and vied for dominance of the flowers and feeders in our yard.
But I was overjoyed to see a Black-chinned hummingbird at one of our feeders in the spring as he made his way northward after winter migration. I had to check Audubon to identify this beauty correctly, but the Rubies here already knew for sure that he was just passing through. So, they made sure to bid him farewell quickly. (They evidently did not understand their responsibilities as welcoming and gracious representatives of the Hospitality State.) I, on the other hand, wanted this purple-streaked beauty to visit just a little longer, but he took a few drinks and headed on his way.
But this week, we had another Northern guest among our dozens and dozens of hummers: our first Rufous hummingbird was sighted Monday morning enjoying some nectar at one of our feeders. Thankfully, our regular hummers were a little less anxious to see him leave. His golden feathers were a sight to behold; that’s for certain.
Even though our golden guest soon departed, his appearance only made us more eager to wait and watch for more visitors as they make their way south for the winter. It also made me want to invite others to enjoy the amazing beauty of these tiny creatures.
So, go ahead and put out a feeder filled with nectar. Then, grab a rocking chair and watch some hummingbirds. They will fill the world with wonder, beauty, and amazement. Don’t miss out, my fellow Mississippians. It is a sight to behold!
