Nancy, we had the same thing happen here in Isabella, 23 miles inland from the Shore. We started out in may with two or three, normal for us, but since then they've disappeared altogether. I'm putting out a different hummingbird mix today, but your experience makes me wonder if it will make a difference. Steve Wilson
-----Original Message----- From: Minnesota Birds <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> On Behalf Of MOU-NET automatic digest system Sent: Friday, July 19, 2024 12:00 AM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: MOU-NET Digest - 10 Jul 2024 to 18 Jul 2024 (#2024-95) There are 4 messages totaling 218 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Ruby Throated Population (4) ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2024 20:36:14 -0500 From: Nancy Steinhauser <nancyhu...@gmail.com> Subject: Ruby Throated Population Wondering if anyone else has seen the numbers go down this summer. From a great start (over 30 birds arrived at the feeders.....and who knows the ones I didn't see) in mid-May, the numbers now have dwindled to less than a dozen, and that's up from 3 or 4 because the little ones have fledged. Neighbors and co-workers (the north shore and inland above Two Harbors) have reported the same "drop" in birds. Bewildered. They started to disappear early to mid-June and have not returned. Wondering about bird flu. We have had a huge mosquito population this summer because of all the rain. But that hasn't dropped hummingbird numbers coming to feeders in previous wet summers. Any ideas/experiences? The numbers here have been steadily going up for over 25 years. Many feeders out. Such a shock to have so few birds. Thanks in advance. Nancy in Superior Highlands ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2024 03:14:53 +0000 From: Kathryn Rudd <katda...@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: Ruby Throated Population I had seen several hummers last summer and fall at hanging flowers and garden flowers but this year only one this whole spring/summer. Same with bees and butterflies. Have only seen 2. Could it be that people are spraying poison on their rose bushes because of Japanese Beetles? It’s heartbreaking. Kathryn Rudd-Eagan Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> ________________________________ From: Minnesota Birds <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> on behalf of Nancy Steinhauser <nancyhu...@gmail.com> Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2024 8:36:14 PM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> Subject: [mou-net] Ruby Throated Population Wondering if anyone else has seen the numbers go down this summer. From a great start (over 30 birds arrived at the feeders.....and who knows the ones I didn't see) in mid-May, the numbers now have dwindled to less than a dozen, and that's up from 3 or 4 because the little ones have fledged. Neighbors and co-workers (the north shore and inland above Two Harbors) have reported the same "drop" in birds. Bewildered. They started to disappear early to mid-June and have not returned. Wondering about bird flu. We have had a huge mosquito population this summer because of all the rain. But that hasn't dropped hummingbird numbers coming to feeders in previous wet summers. Any ideas/experiences? The numbers here have been steadily going up for over 25 years. Many feeders out. Such a shock to have so few birds. Thanks in advance. Nancy in Superior Highlands ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2024 22:35:02 -0500 From: Nancy Steinhauser <nancyhu...@gmail.com> Subject: Re: Ruby Throated Population I don't spray anything....hence the clouds of mosquitoes. But there have been past summers with clouds of mosquitoes and the feeders were drained every day. I can't help but think something is up. Especially if this is a local phenomena and not happening anywhere in the rest of the state. Thanks for your reply. On Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 10:14 PM Kathryn Rudd <katda...@hotmail.com> wrote: > I had seen several hummers last summer and fall at hanging flowers and > garden flowers but this year only one this whole spring/summer. Same > with bees and butterflies. Have only seen 2. Could it be that people > are spraying poison on their rose bushes because of Japanese Beetles? > It’s heartbreaking. > Kathryn Rudd-Eagan > > Get Outlook for iOS <https://aka.ms/o0ukef> > ------------------------------ > *From:* Minnesota Birds <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> on behalf of Nancy > Steinhauser <nancyhu...@gmail.com> > *Sent:* Thursday, July 18, 2024 8:36:14 PM > *To:* MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> > *Subject:* [mou-net] Ruby Throated Population > > Wondering if anyone else has seen the numbers go down this summer. > From a great start (over 30 birds arrived at the feeders.....and who > knows the ones I didn't see) in mid-May, the numbers now have dwindled > to less than a dozen, and that's up from 3 or 4 because the little ones have > fledged. > Neighbors and co-workers (the north shore and inland above Two > Harbors) have reported the same "drop" in birds. Bewildered. They > started to disappear early to mid-June and have not returned. > Wondering about bird flu. > We have had a huge mosquito population this summer because of all the > rain. But that hasn't dropped hummingbird numbers coming to feeders > in previous wet summers. > Any ideas/experiences? The numbers here have been steadily going up > for over > 25 years. Many feeders out. Such a shock to have so few birds. > Thanks in advance. > Nancy in Superior Highlands > > ---- > General information and guidelines for posting: > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2024 04:15:28 +0000 From: Scott Larson <stl...@gmail.com> Subject: Re: Ruby Throated Population My numbers in Victoria are down. Scott From: Minnesota Birds <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> on behalf of Nancy Steinhauser <nancyhu...@gmail.com> Date: Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 22:35 To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> Subject: Re: [mou-net] Ruby Throated Population I don't spray anything....hence the clouds of mosquitoes. But there have been past summers with clouds of mosquitoes and the feeders were drained every day. I can't help but think something is up. Especially if this is a local phenomena and not happening anywhere in the rest of the state. Thanks for your reply. On Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 10:14 PM Kathryn Rudd <katda...@hotmail.com> wrote: > I had seen several hummers last summer and fall at hanging flowers and > garden flowers but this year only one this whole spring/summer. Same > with bees and butterflies. Have only seen 2. Could it be that people > are spraying poison on their rose bushes because of Japanese Beetles? > It’s heartbreaking. > Kathryn Rudd-Eagan > > Get Outlook for iOS <https://aka.ms/o0ukef> > ------------------------------ > *From:* Minnesota Birds <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> on behalf of Nancy > Steinhauser <nancyhu...@gmail.com> > *Sent:* Thursday, July 18, 2024 8:36:14 PM > *To:* MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> > *Subject:* [mou-net] Ruby Throated Population > > Wondering if anyone else has seen the numbers go down this summer. > From a great start (over 30 birds arrived at the feeders.....and who > knows the ones I didn't see) in mid-May, the numbers now have dwindled > to less than a dozen, and that's up from 3 or 4 because the little ones have > fledged. > Neighbors and co-workers (the north shore and inland above Two > Harbors) have reported the same "drop" in birds. Bewildered. They > started to disappear early to mid-June and have not returned. > Wondering about bird flu. > We have had a huge mosquito population this summer because of all the > rain. But that hasn't dropped hummingbird numbers coming to feeders > in previous wet summers. > Any ideas/experiences? The numbers here have been steadily going up > for over > 25 years. Many feeders out. Such a shock to have so few birds. > Thanks in advance. > Nancy in Superior Highlands > > ---- > General information and guidelines for posting: > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. ------------------------------ End of MOU-NET Digest - 10 Jul 2024 to 18 Jul 2024 (#2024-95) ************************************************************* ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
