Posted by Bub Kelley on August 22, 2003 at 00:30:52:
In Reply to: Hummingbird Question Please posted by Roberto on August 21, 2003 at 15:55:01:
: When do hummmingbirds begin arriving in Dade County?
To see a hummingbird in southeast Florida in the summer is a VERY RARE EVENT. Roger Hammer reported one at Castellow Hammock this summer, and
this is the first one that I have heard of in many, many years. Tom Lodge reported one nesting near their home in Coral Gables a few years back,
and that is the only such record the I can remember in 39 years of birding here.
Roger Hammer wrote an article for the pld FTG Bulletin mant years ago. Send me your regular mailing address, and I will send you a copy. I have never heard of an Allen's Hummingbird appearing in south Florida, but we did have a black chinned some years ago at Mary Krome Park
near Homestead. The Rufous Hummingbird is a regular winter visitor and an occasional Bahama
Woodstar shows up(but not recently).
Alex is correct that the main migration of RTH
appears in mid-September, but some seem to be here already. They usually are gone by mid-April.
Check out the sterile Bauhannia blakeannia( the true Hong Kong Orchid Tree ) when they syat blooming in mid-October. The wintering RTH use them as a base for their feeding circuits, but that is another story. Always listen for their high pitched chirping.
If you are ever in Freeport, Grand Bahama check out the Rand Bird Sanctuary for Bahama Woodstars and Cuban Emeralds. RTH also winter there.
Bob Kelley
RKelley@math.miami.edu