First Hummingbird of the Year!

Today, May 2, 2012, I saw my first Ruby-Throated Hummingbird of the 2012 season! I read that Ruby-Throats were moving through early this year, but the strange thing is, I saw my first hummer last year before my first hummer this year!

 Last year, I saw my first hummer on April 16, but this year my first hummer was sighted today, May 2! I even read that hummers were early this year, but my personal experience doesn't suggest that. But perhaps they have been here already and I just haven't seen them.

 Today I actually saw the hummer by accident. i was outside photographing a male House Finch on a pine tree when I heard the unmistakable hummingbird 'squeak' call. I sat and waited for about 4-5 minutes before two hummingbirds started diving around each other and darted away. The hummers didn't go to any of my 3 feeders, even though I watched carefully for about 10-12 minutes, and I just refilled them today, too.

 While I was waiting to see them, I heard a song coming from a nearby tree. I haven't heard that song around before, so I went to investigate. It was a male Baltimore Oriole! The first one I had ever seen so close (I believe I saw an Oriole before, but I am not 100% sure that is what it was). I took a photo that was pretty good, except for a stick going through the photo where the head should have been. Look for a picture soon in a 'My first Baltimore Oriole' article.

 Back to hummingbirds... I didn't get a photo even though I tried. I have up 3 feeders, and I hope to see a hummer at one tommorow. I am hoping to get a great photo of a male Ruby-Throat this year, because I haven't done it yet. I have a few photos of a female hummer, though. The males seem to not visit feeders as often.

 I am just happy to have finally seen my first hummer of the year.