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Hummingbird Garden

Greenviolet eared hummer in New Jersey

18 years ago

First state record somewhere near sandy hook here are the details

Here is a link that might be useful: rare bird alert in new jersey

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Comments (18)

flowerpowereverett
18 years ago
Sarah - Wouldn't that be something to see! Ruth
jenny_in_se_pa
18 years ago
Wow. Guess we have to really keep an eye out for all kinds!
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Glad it worked. Yes, knock wood, every one in my care survived, quantity of 20-something. Know a lady, a retired science teacher, who raises them every summer. She ties a string to the green chrysalis's silk and loops it around a little wooden tree on her kitchen table. That way, because this goes on for several months, when she has coffee in the morning, she can see who turned clear over night. Some hatch in her kitchen and she guides them gently to the outside. Her success rate is very, very high and she does a hundred or more every year. If a chrysalis is damaged, things may not go well. If the proboscis doesn't unfurl, life is short. Mine always turned clear with a sunrise. If it was too windy or raining, it stayed on my porch till the weather was just right. If I recall correctly, they don't eat for many hours after hatching and live for about 4 weeks - mating about one week after birth. Wilbur would have mated here and his offspring is the group that would have migrated. Not having an abundant supply of milkweed is changing everything. Picture is Moses on his first flower (artifcial because that is what his chrysalis was attached to) Ok. TMI, probably, but it is fascinating to me. Yes, they were all named and recorded. 100% success rate is lucky! 0% success with raising milkweed isn't. Jane
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Once again let me express my sincere gratitude for all particiipation, especially significant to me now that I've had my question treated with quite a bit less respect from other sources. Here's the update. I didn't trouble the Massachusetts Historical Society because they have already overindulged me on other issues and I am portioning out my demands from them. I did however email an entomologist at Harvard and the results were embarrassing and unproductive. In the subject line, I had written "An entymology question." It's not like I don't know how to spell "entomology" but I used to write an etymology blog (I'm that kinda word-nerd; Hey, did you know we have two words for food sheep/mutton, pig/pork, cow/beef etc because of the Norman invasion in 1066?) My mnemonic device for remembering was that "entomology" has the n like "ant" does, whereas "etymology" doesn't. I guess I shall have to append the mnemonic so that "o" is for "Oh!" while the "y" is for people who ask WHY. Anyhoo, she responded with the cutting one-word answer "ENTYMOLOGY??" as if it were such a grievous error that you'd imagine Thomas had asked Lady Grantham out to noodle catfish. The rest of the request was error-free, as was my query about whether my typing-fingers inertia born of the word "etymology" would disqualify my question from consideration at all. Apparently it did. SO. Another bug expert I asked says that Carolina Mantids go no further north than New Jersey. I'm gonna trust y'all that he's off on that since you gots your noses right in where it counts, and while I'm tempted to give you his contact information, I shan't, out of polite taste partly, and partly to pay ammends for all the evil thoughts I had about settin' them nonymous kids (b/chan) on the Harvard lady. None of this would be kind or professional. So as it stands, I'm looking for two things: awesome late-Autumn ant action or some validation on the mantis-on-hummingbird assault, but only if it was a Carolina Mantid and only if it could happen in late fall. And you know what this is about? An aside thing a guy sees while eavesdropping on a legal hearing. Why do I bother? Anyway, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH ALREADY!!!!!!
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Claire is correct - it's the timing. Excerpt from hummingbirds.net "Where did my hummers go? You watched the migration maps and hung your feeder in time to attract the first migrants. You kept the feeder clean and the syrup fresh, and were rewarded by lots of visits from migrants, then the activity settled down to regular appearances by the resident birds. Pretty cool hobby, eh? Then, perhaps in early May (depending on your latitude)... NO MORE HUMMERS! Where'd they all go? This didn't happen last year! Or did it? Welcome to the nesting season, folks. I'll discuss Ruby-throats in particular, but similar principles probably apply to most other species. Shortly after arriving, the females establish a nesting territory. Ruby-throats prefer secluded wetlands for nesting, if available, and proximity to your feeder is not an issue; in fact, females don't like to build nests in a male's feeding territory, and your feeder is probably part of one. Visits to distant feeders take too much time away from the eggs. When the chicks hatch, they need protein to grow, not sugar, so their mother spends most of her time catching small insects and spiders for them. During this period, I personally still see a male or two at my feeders, but typically only early or late in the day. I suspect that once their breeding duties are over, males tend to abandon territories and forage more widely to fatten up for migration. After the chicks fledge (leave the nest), expect the number of hummers at your feeder to be double what it was before the "disappearance." As summer progresses, there will be fewer natural hummingbird food sources available in many parts of the continent; feeders can have a real positive impact on the number of birds that survive, especially in the dry Midwestern U.S., so please keep them clean and fresh. And keep notes on your tiny visitors, if you like, so you can verify for yourself that this is a normal, annual process." I checked my photo library and all of my backyard hummers were photographed in July, August, and Sept. Been a long spring. Thank you, Claire. Kindly, Jane Here is a link that might be useful: hummingbirds.net
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Another santa thrilled to be able to ride with the Rudolph Rangers again. Rudolph has promised to stick to Iceland Moss and not browse the following next summer - any flowers for summer color; I love blues in a partially shaded garden with shrub roses; Hope to make a white/moon garden in partial shade behind the house; love white/blue/orange and related hues on side and front gardens with more sun. Amsonia hubrichtii Cleome hassleriana white Dictamnus albus Impatiens glandulifera alba, or any species excluding walleriana or balsamina or capensis Hemerocallis (Daylily) - seeds from any Late, Fragrant ones, but prefer white, cream, pale yellow, sherbet- or burnt-orange/apricot or very dark dusky reds or purples Papaver (Poppy) - any low, ground-hugging species, like Papaver triniifolium (already have P. alpinum. Lower cultivars of Papaver nudicaule would be wonderful. Papaver rhoeas 'Dawn Chorus' or 'Angels' Choir' - includes taupes, dusky colors, tiny sharp apricots, doubles Petunia - fragrant; including velvet dark purple or white or veined or Aladdin's Lamp Salvia arizonica (z5, dry shade, long-blooming) Salvia azurea grandiflora white/alba Salvia chamaedryoides (silver leaves; blue or white flowers) Salvia cyanescens - blue or white flowers Salvia greggii or its hybrids - white or near-white flowers Salvia guarnitica Salvia hypargeia Salvia jurisicii Salvia rubescens Torenia - bicolor black-purple with violet-blue or similar Tropaeolum (Nasturtiums) - cream, yellow-tinged white, apricot, orange, black-red; prefer trailers; any unusual species, as well as more common ones - - - - - - - - - - - Woody Plants - Daphne mezereum alba Prunus mume - - - - - - - - - Vines Trachelospermum jasminoides
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wardw
18 years ago
Oh, the temptation to chase the bird. I've always wanted to see one, but none have been within striking distance. It'll be interesting to see whether the bird hangs around awhile, if so this weekend will be a zoo.
pbelardo_nj
18 years ago
It was a bit of a zoo at 6:30 AM this morning when I got to see the bird, along with the "who's who" of NJ birders. It hasn't been seen since 6:50 AM to my knowledge.
sarahbn
Original Author
18 years ago
Did you get a picture? Sarah
DPallas
18 years ago
What happens when a swarm of birders gathers to see a bird like that? Are they all whispering and trying to be invisible so as not to scare off the bird? Or did the hummingbird just ignore a clamoring crowd of noisy people? Sounds like it left for a quieter area?
sarahbn
Original Author
18 years ago
DPallas it evidently did it went down to the street to a another feeder that doesn't allow visitors. Sarah
LauraHinNJ
18 years ago
Any updates for today 8/24?

This bird is only about 10 minutes away from me ;/
sarahbn
Original Author
18 years ago
Here is the latest news My son has a hockey tournament this weekend somewhere in monmouth county. Sarah

Here is a link that might be useful: latest update
pbelardo_nj
18 years ago
Scott Elowitz, a local NJ photographer, got some pictures. See the link below. The birders who were there when I was were all very quiet and not very close to the feeder at all, so I don't think that had an impact on the bird. Historically, most of these rare stray hummers don't stay too long at one location, but you never know.

Here is a link that might be useful: Scott Elowitz's photos
sarahbn
Original Author
18 years ago
He's a beautiful bird thanks for posting!!! Sarah
jenny_in_se_pa
18 years ago
OH MY GOODNESS!! What gorgeous plumage and wonderful pictures! That is truly a tropical-looking bird! And sitting over in Jersey too. LOL You couldn't miss that for sure!!!
flowerpowereverett
18 years ago
WOW WOW WOW That is some kind of tropical illusion! Those pictures are absolutely stunning. Thanks for posting. I wish I could have been there. Ruth
glok
18 years ago
Wow, I really want to go to Sandy Hook this weekend! It would be such an exciting thing to see such a rare and gorgeous bird in this area! I left this thread up on my puter and the dh saw it and he's drooling too!!!

glo
paisley_tx
18 years ago
Thanks so much Patrick for giving us that link. He's a beauty!!! I'm so glad to see pics of this much talked about hummer.
DPallas
18 years ago
Thank you, pbelardo_NJ, for posting that link. The Green Violet-ear is very special and rare, but all of Scott Elowitz's photos are well worth seeing, every one of them. Thanks again for the heads up.
pbelardo_nj
18 years ago
I'm glad everyone liked the pics. Scott posted a message to a local list saying he was disappointed in the quality of the pics due to the bad lighting at 6:30 AM. He said he stayed there until 7:00 PM (!!) waiting for a better pic with no success. It's way better than anything I could have taken.
stephenNJ
18 years ago
Oh this would be an incredible sighting !
If it goes to the original feeder I will try to see it over the weekend, it's about a half hour away + traffic for me.

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