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Home My WebLink AboutMay 20, 1962 - The HummingbirdThe Hummingbird Exclusive Sunday Review Sketch by Dennis PuIeston of Brookhaven Focus on Nature by Paul Stoutenburgh Seeing the paper is more or less concerned with gardening this week, I thought I would try to see if there was something I could write about along these lines. The thought came to mind t h a t attracting hummingbirds, and keeping there in the..garden through the summer might be ap- propriate. This is relatively easy with the many feeders now on the market. These do work and I heartily recommend them to you, They are usually nothing more than a colored glass container in one shape or another filled with su- gar water. One or two of these placed about your garden will soon attract the hummingbird if he is anywhere in the vicinity. Nature's Greatest Show I can well remember when I first tried this stunt using noth- ing more than a test tube wrap- ped with a piece of cloth. It worked perfectly and I found that by gradually moving it where I wanted it I soon had a grand- stand seat for one of Nature's greatest shows starring the dazz- ling ruby throated hummingbird. It seemed every time the bird moved from one place to another his metallic green coat would take on a different hue and his brilliant throat would reflect a full range of ruby red. Probably this bird is already with us although I have not actu- ally seen one yet. Last year, I recall, I saw my first while out on an early warbler day and see- ing we have had many unusual ones this year, I am sure he is about. Just today, within a few hundred feet of our house, I list- ed eleven different species of warblers plus such fine gems as the oven -bird, gnatcatcher, rose - breasted grosbeak and many others. The reason for our spring birdscomingtous in waves as they do is because of the favorable weather conditions. A w a r m southerly flow of air has helped them along and they have settled to feed. Of course, these birds do not make this long northerly trip in one day, but like the ruby - throat, their trip is made up of many stops. Hop Across Gulf During the winter the ruby - throat spends most of his time in Florida, Louisiana, Texas or. like the great majority he takes the big hop across the Gulf of ature Mexico to Central America. This is no small fete for a bird that w e i g h s only one -tenth of an ounce. For a gull or tern 500 miles is nothing. but for this small bird it appears an almost insurmountable task. Of ala Ow species of humming- birds that are found only in the western hemisphere, we, east of the Mississippi, are privileged to see onh one - the ruby throat - but what a gem we have in this one. To many be is the most cher- ished of all. I know this from showing my pictures for a sigh is always heard when the hum- mingbird is flashed on the screen. Hon' delicate he is. How perfect his ever} action. No bird can outmaneuver him; up and down, backward and forward he can fly or. if you please, .he will stand in mid air for you to ad- mire only then to dart away at 51 miles an hour. aaa Tunes A Second His tiny wings, we are told, beat 55 or more times per sec- ond and are so fast that until recently no camera was quick e- nough to stop the action. Now, of Course, with electronic strobes and modern equipment we have been able to conquer this fete. I am sure many of you have been thrilled, as I was, by the beau- tiful flash photographs of hum- mingbirds recently shown in the National Geographic and Life magazines. No other bird can be mistaken for the hummingbird. However, in the evening when the Sphinx moths visit our garden you will notice there is a close similarity between the two but when seen sittine on a limb or working over a feeder at close range there is no mistaking him. His color speaks his name. The nest of the bird is a thing of beauty. All nests, except per- haps those of the night herons and such, must be considered to a large extent a work of art. One must see the hummingbird's nest to really appreciate it. To many this is the most unique of all. Made up of plant down and decorated with bits of lichens, bark and moss attached with spi- der webs, the nest blends in with the tree like nothing else in the world of camouflage. Most Unique Nest and I would never have noticed it had I not been standing right under it and my attention drawn to it by the busy buzzing of the hummingbird's wings and his un- musical squeaky chirping. Truly your garden will be en- hanced many fold by inviting this colorful visitor. Salvia, bee balm, and trumpet creeper seem to make exceptionally fine hosts. These, combined with a hum- mingbird feeder, will give you endless hours of enjoyment in your garden. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Dennis Puleston reports: Ups" - May 7 Prairie Warbler Braod- winged Hawk Bank Swallow Brookhaven - May 8 Veery Sayville - tila 9 Cattle Egre: k5) Black- throated Blue Warbler Yellow- throated Vireo Yellow - breasted Chat Sayville May 11 Scarlet Tanager ( 3) Magnolia Warbler ( 4) Black- throated Green Warbler Black -poll Warbler ( 6) Blue- headed Vireo Cape May Warbler Brookhaven - May 14 White - crowned Sparrow Fish Crow ( 2) Mrs Nora Greene reports: East Hampton - May 14 Whip - pair -•.ri I I Judd Bennett reports: East Marion - May 14 Bobolink Warbling Vireo Night Hawk Hermit Thrush White- crowned Sparrow Laurence Ernest reports: Southampton - May 5 Rough- legged Hawk Southampton - May 6 Yellow Warblers - Oven - birds Black and White Warblers Blue -gray Gnatcatcher ( 2) Wood Thrush Broad - winged Hawk Quogue - May 7 Parula Warbler House Wrens Shinnecock - May 7 Dowitchers Southampton - May 8 Purple Finch ( 3) White - throated Sparrow ( 2) The picture I have of a nest Mrs Carlton Smith reports: 2) Bluebirds (2 pair) in yard Mrs E Halsey Howell reports: Southampton - May ! Scarlet Tanager - in yard Bennett and Stoutenburgh report: East Marion - May 11 Rose - breasted Grosbeak Mockingbird Searlet Tanager Black- throated Green Warbler Brewster's Warbler Nashville Warbler Veery Henry Halama reports: Yaphank — May 11 Red - bellied Woodpecker L Puleston, J Bennett, W Terry, H Ha l a m a, P Stoutenburgh, Bruce Tooker and Carolyn Mar- j shall report; I Yaphank - May 12 Kingbird Canada Warbler Swamp Sparrows Parula Warbler Northern. Water Thrush Redstart Blue- winged Warbler Broad- winged Hawk Yellow Warbler Black -poll Warbler Chestnut -sided Warbler Yellow- throat Green Heron Yellow- billed Cuckoo Black and White Warbler Goldfinch Red -eyed Vireo Cape May Warbler Tennessee Warbler Rose - breasted Grosbeak Black- throated Blue Warbler Lesser Yellow - legs Greater Yellow - legs Least Terns Clapper Rail Least Sandpiper Osprey Common Terns Black- crowned Night Heron Great Blue Heron Laughing Gull Black - bellied Plover Yellow- crested Night Heron Please send all comments and field observations to Paul Stout- enburgh, Bay Avenue, Box 105, RD No 1, Cutchogue, N