Finally!

A very thin female Ruby-throated Hummingbird showed up at our tube feeder this morning.  She flew right in front of me on our deck, only a foot or two away, zipping to the other side of the deck and zipping straight back to the feeder only about five feet away.  She fed calmly and quietly for several minutes, eyeing me every now and then, but seriously intent on the feeding.

About an hour later, my wife saw a male at another feeder and we both followed him for a while as he perched on a bare branch of our backyard maple.  He seemed more squat and a bit plumper than the female (but then maybe he's been around and feeding for awhile). His plumage was very fresh and bright.  He looked around constantly while perched, up & down, side to side.

This is neither the earliest (Apr 19) nor the latest (May 19 -- we were new to the neighborhood, so it probably took them a while to notice our feeders and the plants weren't in yet) we've seen them here.

What a delight to have them back!

Good birding,

Frank Powers
Glen Echo, MD
Montgomery County


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