Summer 2013 Update- garden tour

And the humming-bird that hung Like a jewel up among The tilted honeysuckle horns They mesmerized and swung In the palpitating air, Drowsed with odors strange and rare. And, with whispered laughter, slipped away And let him hanging there.”
- James Whitcomb Riley

In This Issue:

·        Welcome & Our Garden Tour Information

·        Wisconsin Has  A New Hummingbird Bander!!

·        Some Very Sad News

·        New Hummingbird Webcam

·        Learn About The Hummingbirds of Louisiana

·        Help to Save an Arizona Hummingbird Haven

·        Touching Story About a Nesting Ruby-throated Hummingbird

·        Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Bee Balm & Cardinal Flower

·        Read Our Article About Hummingbird Gardening in “A Second Opinion” Magazine

·        2013 Sedona Hummingbird Festival

Hi Everyone,

We hope you are having a wonderful summer and are enjoying your hummingbirds and gardens.  For many people, this enjoyment has unfortunately been diminished a bit because the numbers of hummingbirds in the Midwest have been less this year.    Our numbers of hummingbirds have been about the same, but there are reports from many other people that paint a much different picture.  One thing Michael and I learned early on is that you cannot control nature and wildlife---whether this was caused by our cold and wet spring or some other cyclical variation, we have to enjoy what we have in front of us right now.

In that spirit, we would like to invite you to our upcoming Hummingbird Garden Tours at our home, 5118 Buffalo Trail in Madison, Wisconsin, 53705.  For those of you who don’t know where we are located, here is information about how to find us:

https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=5118+buffalo+trail,+madison,+wi++53705&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x8807ac24bd7182b7:0x7e3f9e124195bef4,5118+Buffalo+Trail,+Madison,+WI+53705&gl=us&ei=WtwUUtWtK-nhygHcqIDgCA&ved=0CCwQ8gEwAA

The dates of the tours are:

·        SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013, 1-5:30 p.m. (Door Prize Drawing at 3 p.m.)

·        WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013, 3:00-7:30 p.m. (Door Prize Drawing at 5 p.m.)

It is not necessary to RSVP unless you have a special need or request of some kind (unfortunately, our yard is not wheelchair accessible with the exception of our front garden area).  Please wear comfortable and practical shoes and be aware that there are many bees this year---if you are allergic to bee stings, please be aware and come prepared! 

Light snacks and beverages will be provided.  If you would like to, please bring something simple to add to the food table (no pork or shellfish please) or a favorite beverage.  You can also bring a bag of sugar or a small bag of potting soil, but this is completely optional.

Please note that you must be present to win a door prize.  Door prizes have been generously donated by Wildbirds Unlimited in Middleton and Michael and Kathi Rock.  We wish to thank Wildbirds Unlimited for their wonderful and long time generosity and support of our work and we hope that you will patronize their beautiful store for all of your birding and nature inspired gift needs.

The event will be held rain or shine (pray for hummingbirds and dry weather!)

If you have any questions or concerns, please call (608-233-7397) or e-mail (kathijr@yahoo.com) Kathi.

We are looking forward to seeing many of you at our garden tour and sharing a little slice of our hummingbird paradise with you!

Michael & Kathi

 

THANK YOU WILDBIRDS UNLIMITED!!

 

WISCONSIN HAS A NEW HUMMINGBIRD BANDER!

We have a new hummingbird bander in Wisconsin. There has not been a person who is licensed to band hummingbirds living in Wisconsin for quite some time and the majority of Western hummingbirds that show up in Wisconsin in fall and early winter have gone unbanded. Her name is Michelene "Mickey" O'Connor and she is an avian zookeeper at the Milwaukee Zoo and has also worked in wildlife rehabilitation. She recently completed her bander's training with Bob and Martha Sargent, Master Hummingbird Banders (and the best in the business!!). Here is her bio:

http://wsobirds.org/?p=4829

Mickey and her assistant met with us in our garden in late August. We have a garden in full swing, but unfortunately not many hummers right now (and most of the hummers we have are using flowers exclusively, which would make them extremely difficult to band). Mickey is very anxious to get some practice in and would like to come to your hummingbird garden with her banding equipment if you live in Wisconsin.   If you are interested, please e-mail me.

We are very excited about Mickey's work as a hummingbird bander in Wisconsin. We are especially pleased that she will be able to study the life cycle of the Ruby-throated hummingbird in the Upper Midwest and that she will hopefully be able to band those special fall and winter birds that show up from the west.

I hope that anyone who can will offer to have Mickey visit their yard and band a few hummingbirds. Who knows, maybe a Ruby-throat that she bands here in Wisconsin will go into a trap of Nancy Newfield's in Louisiana---now, wouldn't that be a thrill!

SOME VERY SAD NEWS

A great friend of ours and supporter of our work, Ken Wood, passed away on August 16, 2013.  Ken attended our Garden Tour every year to check out all of the unusual salvias in our garden.  He loved nature, dahlias, salvias and hummingbirds.  He did so much throughout his life in birding and nature conservation and we applaud his life’s work and passion and will miss him so much as a friend.  Here is Ken’s obituary:

http://www.cressfuneralservice.com/obituary/117990/Kenneth-Wood/

No life is ever long enough, but dying at age 69 is way too young for such a wonderful man who had so much to do!  Ken, we will miss you so much!  We plan to do a brief tribute to Ken at our upcoming garden tours.

NEW HUMMINGBIRD WEBCAM

Not seeing many hummingbirds at your house?  Check out this new webcam to get your hummer fix:

http://www.hummingbirdwebcam.com/

This webcam comes from the brother of Lanny Chambers, the hummingbird bander who created and maintains the website  www.hummingbirds.net with the Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration Map.

LEARN ABOUT THE HUMMINGBIRDS OF LOUISIANA

Like Wisconsin, the only breeding hummingbird in Louisiana is the Ruby-throat, but the Gulf Coast of Louisiana is also a hotspot for many beautiful hummingbirds from the West beginning in August.  You can learn about this fascinating new trend in this report:

http://www.casacolibri.net/wp-content/uploads/LA-Winter_Hummingbird_Report_2012-2013.pdf

Hummingbirds such as Rufous, Anna’s, and Green Violet Eared have shown up in Wisconsin in fall and early winter (one more reason to leave your feeders up a little longer!)  If you ever see a hummingbird that looks more brown than green and vocalizes with a chipping sound, please give us a call!

HELP TO SAVE AN ARIZONA HUMMINGBIRD HAVEN!

When we took our birding trip to Arizona, we stopped at this magical place.  Many beautiful Violet-crowned Hummingbirds can be enjoyed there.  We want to make sure that it is preserved for future generations.  Here’s how you can help:

Alert: Hummingbird Haven Facing Uncertain Future - Act Now

Several months ago, American Bird Conservancy board member Victor Emanuel
made an impassioned request that American Bird Conservancy help acquire an
American birding landmark that had recently come on the market: Paton's
Birder Haven.

This property, located in Patagonia, Arizona, is the loving project of Wally
and Marion Paton, who for more than 35 years built their property into a
premier Arizona birding site and opened their home to thousands of local,
American, and international birders to see Arizona¹s outstanding hummingbird
diversity. Many visited the site for a chance to get a ³life² Plain-capped
Starthroat, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, or Magnificent Hummingbird for their
North American list.  The property has passed on to the Paton¹s children,
who would like to honor their parents¹ labor of love in making the property
a memorable, welcoming stop for birders visiting Arizona.

In partnership with Tucson Audubon Society and Victor Emanuel Nature Tours,
American Bird Conservancy has entered into a contract with the Paton family
to acquire the property and to maintain the property in perpetuity as a
hummingbird sanctuary open to visitors. We have raised $100,000 of the
needed funding, but urgently need to raise by October 15th the remaining
$200,000. Once acquired, Tucson Audubon Society will assume long-term
ownership and management of the property.

Can you please help by making a donation at http://www.abcbirds.org/paton/
and by FORWARDING this email to as many birders as you can, encouraging them
to click on the link provided and make a donation today? Please post this
request for help on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, websites, and any other outlet
you think will reach birders who have visited Paton¹s or plan to in the
future.  One hundred percent of each tax-deductible donation will be applied
to the acquisition and management needs of this historic property. We truly
need every dollar to succeed.

Thank you very much for your support and help!  Please let me know if you
have any questions or you have a favorite picture from Paton¹s Birder Haven
you would like to share.

Learn more - please give now!

Steve Holmer
Senior Policy Advisor
American Bird Conservancy &
Director, Bird Conservation Alliance
202-234-7181 ext. 216
sholmer@abcbirds.org
Skype: sholmerabc

 

TOUCHING STORY ABOUT A NESTING RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD

This link was sent to us by a member of the Wisconsin Birding List.  Please enjoy:

http://www.couleeaudubon.org/hummer_photo_small.html

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD AT BEE BALM & CARDINAL FLOWER

A member of the Wisconsin Birding List shared these beautiful images of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Bee Balm and Cardinal Flower.  You just can’t go wrong with these native plants in your hummingbird garden!

http://www.windowtowildlife.com/ruby-throated-hummingbird-on-red-bee-balm/

http://www.windowtowildlife.com/ruby-throated-hummingbird-on-cardinal-flower/

READ OUR ARTICLE ABOUT HUMMINGBIRD GARDENING IN “A SECOND OPINION MAGAZINE”

This winter, a periodical in Western Wisconsin, “A Second Opinion Magazine”, asked us to write an article about hummingbird gardening from the perspective of health and wellness.  It was a little different for us, but forced us to look on this passion of ours in a whole new way.  Here is the article (and the photo of a hummingbird at zinnia is from our yard):

http://asecondopinionmag.com/archives/3787

Take a break with your hummingbirds today and enjoy improved health and a happier life!

2013 SEDONA HUMMINGBIRD FESTIVAL

Last August we attended the very first Sedona Hummingbird Festival as observers.  This year, we attended the event as program presenters.  This is the longest distance we have ever taken our “Gardening for Hummingbirds” program and it was a special experience.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Festival, here is the website for the event:

http://www.hummingbirdsociety.org/festival.php

The beauty and majesty of Sedona certainly make it an appealing place to hold a Hummingbird Festival.  Who can forget those beautiful red rocks----this very special setting just seems to scream hummingbirds!

The Hummingbird Society, the Sedona-based organization that sponsors this event, has been able to garner community support here in a way they were unable to in Tucson.  While the majority of the attendees were from Arizona and Southern California, 18 different states were represented, which speaks to the quality of the Festival’s offerings.

The activities of the festival include presentations by hummingbird experts from around the world, garden tours of local hummingbird gardens, hummingbird sunrise “breakfasts” at local homes hosting a lot of hummingbirds,  a banding demonstration, a hummingbird conservation lecture, and a hummingbird shopping mall.

Each aspect of the Festival was valuable and interesting in a different way (although we cannot comment on the hummingbird sunrise breakfasts because we decided not to attend those given how early they were and our schedule was extremely hectic with our two presentations---but we can imagine that they were spectacular---maybe next year!)

Presentations

To attend an event where every activity is solely focused on hummingbirds is like a dream come true.  This festival offered a wide range of different presentations from the most basic (Dr. Ross Hawkins kicking off the Festival on a light-hearted but knowledgeable note speaking about “Why Do We Love ‘Em?”) to the most unusual (self-taught Sri Lankan artist Gamini Ratnavira showing us how he draws and paints hummingbirds.)  We were supremely wowed and fascinated by Jacques Ducros speaking about breeding hummingbirds in his French aviary (this would be illegal in the US) and Karen Krebbs led us through the establishment and development of the hummingbird aviary at Tucson Desert Botanic Garden (who ever realized how intense it can be to care for hummingbirds in captivity).  Photographer Dr. Larry O’Mealie showed us stunning photographs of hummingbirds and their allies from Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and the U.S. (I was as interested in the flowers, or “the resources” as Dr. O’Mealie called them, as I was in the hummingbirds).  Steve Bouricius led us through how he and his wife Debbie band hummingbirds in Palisade, Colorado---although we have heard so much about banding before, we realized what a truly exacting process this is after this program.   We unfortunately did not have time to see the presentations given by James Currie---“Hummingbirds---A Video Journey” (we saw this last year and it was fantastic—see his outstanding work in the Hollywood film about birding, “A Big Year”) or Beth Kingsley Hawkins, “Romancing the Hummingbird:  A Sedona Focus” (we did see her unique program last year and it was sweet and special.) 

Our program, “Gardening for Hummingbirds” featured a blend of what we do in Wisconsin and what we recommend gardeners in the desert southwest can do to attract hummingbirds.  Because we live and garden in the Upper Midwest, it was difficult to make these recommendations, but Kathi spent countless hours of research developing printed handout materials for hummingbird gardening in the desert southwest (if you wish to receive those handouts, please e-mail Kathi) and we also had photographs of hummingbirds at flowers and feeders in Arizona from our many trips there.  We also shared a few door prizes, hummingbird feeders, Salvia coccinea (an annual for hummingbirds that grows anywhere in the country), and Canna indica tubers (also grows anywhere in the country).  While the program had its flaws, it was a well intended effort.  We discovered that there is a great need for hummingbird gardening information for gardeners in the Southwest and that this region of the country presents some unique challenges (intense heat, lack of rainfall, unrelenting sun, difficult soil, etc.) but also some wonderful opportunities (long growing season, continuous sunshine, vast array of plants that can be grown, and, best of all, a non-stop supply of hungry hummingbirds of so many different species.)

Conservation Lecture

Dusti L. Becker, Ph.D., who directs Life Net Nature, a non-profit conservation organization, with her husband, presented a special evening session on “Saving the Esmereldas Woodstar, an Ecuadorian hummingbird at great risk”.  We were amazed by the work Dusti and her organization are doing in the cloud forest of Ecuador (this may sound romantic, but it’s roughing it to the max---the only way you can reach their site is by mule and sleeping accommodations are in tents!)  Their collaborative work with local residents has delivered amazing results in the wonderful work to save this endangered hummingbird.  Again, I was fascinated by the local flowers that this hummingbird visits (Psychotria hazenii was not even on the internet!---And acanthus).  If you are interested in giving a donation to help save this hummingbird, or better yet, joining (for those of you who are adventurous) a trip to visit Ecuador with this organization to work hands on, please visit:  http://lifenetnature.org/.

Garden Tours

We were most excited about the Garden Tours of actual hummingbird gardens in the Sedona area.  Interestingly, all of the gardens we were able to visit were developed by gardeners hailing from the East and the Midwest!  Hummingbirds crowded the feeders at every location (for the most part, the plants were ignored).  We were amazed that these gardeners were attempting to grow plants from the East and Midwest regions in Arizona, an area that is the direct opposite in every respect (of course, every garden area and pot received supplemental irrigation)!  While we applauded their ability to do this, we wished that they would have included a few more Southwestern natives that Kathi worked so hard to research on her handout piece for the presentation.  The gardens were beautiful and fascinating though and we even saw Salvia guaranitica at one garden that the gardener, a landscaper by trade, said he bought in Arizona!

Hummingbird Banding Demonstration

Steve and Debbie Bouricious shared their banding expertise for the second year at the Festival.  Last year, they banded at a Sedona shopping mall and only banded few birds.  This year, the banding demonstrations were at peoples’ homes and that made a huge difference.  The site we visited was amazing, set outside of town and well away from people, highways, and traffic.  The homeowner (another transplant from the Midwest!) had a decent hummingbird garden (many agastaches and penstemons) and this was the only place during our visit where we viewed a hummingbird feeding extensively at a flower and not a feeder---the hummer was at Trumpet Creeper.  We saw four species of hummingbirds at the banding location:  Rufous, Black-Chinned, Broad-tailed and Anna’s and Steve explained that they had seen Calliope and were trying to get those birds to enter the trap.  The skill demonstrated by Steve and Debbie was remarkable and they patiently described the detailed process to the many observers.

We enjoyed the second Annual Sedona Hummingbird Festival very much and loved our lodgings at the beautiful Enchantment Resort.  We plan to attend again next year---the 2014 Sedona Hummingbird Festival will be held August 1-3, 2014.  Sedona is a wonderful, special, and stunning place to visit.  To learn more about visiting Arizona and Sedona, check out the following sites:  http://www.arizonaguide.com/

http://www.visitsedona.com/article/87

Sedona and most of Arizona is a fantastic place to view hummingbirds and experience nature at its finest (if you want to see Wisconsin in Arizona though, check out Flagstaff---they have a similar climate to ours and grow many of the same plants)!