One day you're here ...

             

                "One minute you're here. Next minute you're gone."

                                                                       Bruce Springsteen  

  

With due respect to Bruce Springsteen’s song, I’m going to change “minutes” to days as it relates to ruby-throated hummingbirds. So, “One day you’re here. Next day you’re gone.”

These beautiful tiny birds were around the house all summer feeding on nectar from the flowers both in the woods and in the garden.

An adult male usually arrives as the first flowers began blooming in our garden – when a red and yellow primula blooms we know a hummingbird will soon arrive. He sets up a territory and is followed a few days later by one or more adult females. Male ruby-throated hummingbirds mate with as many females as they can find in their territory.

The female builds a nest on a tree limb; I’ve never found a nest here, they’re very small and well camouflaged. There she raises her young without any help from the male. It doesn’t take long for the young ones to become independent –

As summer ended the male disappeared from the yard, but the female and young continued to visit the flowers and feeders. At least three females and/or young birds visited and fought over the flowers and feeders.

They fought over the feeder in our birch tree on September 16, but on the morning of September 17 there were no hummingbirds to be seen – and there have been none since.

One day they’re here. Next day they’re gone. Gone to fly across the Gulf of Mexico on their way to Central and South America where they winter. They'll be back next spring when the primula blooms, until then our place will be poorer for their absence.