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--Boundary_(ID_6HRxMaGTuECtzeXNoCJ2ng)
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Hi all,
Bob McDonald and I are indeed looking at different maps. =20
One has to find or guess where the crest of the migration wave is =
currently located to try and estimate arrival times here in Nova Scotia, =
rather than studying the erratic and unpredictable locations of the lost =
leaders. If last years migration wave crest on April 7th did actually =
occur on a front extending more or less along the =
Arkansas/Tennessee/Northern Carolina border, which is about 1600 =
kilometres, as the crow flies, from Nova Scotia then the mass of hummers =
should have arrived here about 40 days later, assuming a daily overland =
migration leg of about 40 kilometres per day which is believed by some =
to be their overland speed. Their migration legs are much longer over =
water, of course. That rate of movement would have the mass of hummers =
arriving here in Nova Scotia on about May 17, which is about right. Here =
in Portuguese Cove we get our first hummers usually around May 7th and =
lost leaders can arrive much earlier. My "eyeballed study" of the 2010 =
map has the wave crest further north than the =
Arkansas/Tennessee/Northern Carolina border on April 7th, but I suppose =
everyone can draw their own conclusions using their own eyeballs.
So rather than speculating on "diurnal cycles" a better indication would =
be the results of this year's Nova Scotia Migration Count which occurs =
on May 8 or counts from banding stations. If they are indeed arriving =
significantly and statistically early this year the Nova Scotia =
Migration Count will tell us so.
In the mean time early arriving birds will be hungry and sometimes =
desperate and in distress. They can easily perish due to starvation and =
hypothermia so getting those feeders up early is a sensible precaution =
for all hummingbird lovers.
Three years ago we had our first hummers in the third week of April.
Hans
=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Bob McDonald=20
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2010 3:00 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] earliest hummingbird
If you look carefully at the maps for 2009 and for 2010, so far, there =
is not really a significant difference as far as Canada is concerned.
Last year at this time, there had been 2 reports in Canada (s. =
Ontario), while this year there have been 4 reports. Is this =
significant? I don't think so. As far as NS is concerned, there are no =
reports yet for 2010 while in 2009 the first reports came on April 20, =
22, 22, 23. April 20 is only 11 days away.
Most migrating birds time their migration according to the diurnal =
cycle (the length of the day) so just because we are experiencing late =
spring-like weather here does not necessarily mean birds will arrive =
here early. Those outliers which do arrive "early", like the =
Ruby-crowned Kinglet that Suzanne and I saw and heard last Tuesday, may =
be more readily noticed since it was singing in the warm sunshine.
Overall, I am sceptical that our unseasonably warm weather here has =
any effect on the arrival timing of migrating birds.
Cheers,
Bob McDonald
Halifax
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Hans Toom=20
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2010 12:22 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] earliest hummingbird
Hi all,
The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are about 1400 kilometres further =
north this year than last year. Last year they were crossing the North =
Carolina border in early April while this year they are probably in =
Maine already.
Hans
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Angela Joudrey*=20
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2010 11:54 AM
Subject: [NatureNS] earliest hummingbird
Hello all.
I was wondering what the earliest date was that you first noticed =
a hummingbird ( from last spring ).=20
Unless I read the map wrong on hummingbird.net, it looks like they =
are later this year? ( I was showing a student the web page and it is =
totally possible that I didn't see it correctly )
Angela
Grade 4/5
Falmouth District School
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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Hi all,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Bob McDonald </FONT><FONT size=2 face=Arial>and I
are indeed looking at different maps. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>One has to find or guess where the crest
of the migration wave is currently located to try and estimate arrival times
here in Nova Scotia, rather than studying the erratic and
unpredictable locations of the lost leaders. If last years migration wave
crest on April 7th did actually occur on a front extending more
or less along the Arkansas/Tennessee/Northern Carolina border, which is about
1600 kilometres, as the crow flies, from Nova Scotia then the mass of
hummers should have arrived here about 40 days later, assuming a daily
overland migration leg of about 40 kilometres per day which is believed by some
to be their overland speed. Their migration legs are much longer over water, of
course. That rate of movement would have the mass of hummers arriving
here in Nova Scotia on about May 17, which is about right. Here in
Portuguese Cove we get our first hummers usually around May 7th and lost leaders
can arrive much earlier. My "eyeballed study" of the 2010 map has the wave
crest further north than the Arkansas/Tennessee/Northern Carolina border on
April 7th, but I suppose everyone can draw their own conclusions using their own
eyeballs.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>So rather than speculating on "diurnal cycles" a
better indication would be the results of this year's Nova Scotia Migration
Count which occurs on May 8 or counts from banding stations. If they
are indeed arriving significantly and statistically early this year the Nova
Scotia Migration Count will tell us so.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT>&