SESSION SUMMARIES - Two summaries are displayed on this page. After each monitoring session, the latest summary will be posted here. Look at the dates to determine which of the two is the latest as the position will be either above or below - alternating session by session.

Summary of the SECOND August Monitoring Session (August 23-27, 2008)

California Summary: A good variety of moving birds were found in Morongo Valley, San Jacinto Mountains, and at Indian Peak. Morongo Valley had the most variety with a late Allen's plus Anna's, Black-chinned, Costa's, and Rufous Hummingbirds. There was one odd Anna's that appeared to have some purple head feathers. Perhaps this bird is a hybrid?
Arizona Summary: Migration has finally started and there are a lot of fat hummingbirds at many sites, particularly sites with the hightest abundance. At the high elevation sites, numbers are low. For Black-chinned, Broad-billed, and Magnificent Hummingbirds, most sites report higher numbers of adult females than males and more adults than juveniles. Also, plllen differs beteen areas. Most birds at the western southeastern Arizona sites have white pollen that likely comes from Ipomoea spp. Most birds with pollen in the Chiricahua Mountains carry yellow pollen. Between all the fat and pollen, it looks like a good resource year.
Colorado Summary: Mesa Verde National Park has good species diversity with four species at the site but low numbers. At the higher elevations site, juveniles are the most abundant but there are fewer species there.
British Columbia Summary: No Birds!
Texas Summary: After capturing migrants last session, it is surprising to find only Black-chinned at the site. Perhaps there will be another wave coming?

New Mexico (Feeder Watch): Black-chinned and Rufous are the most abundant visitors at the Rio Grande River site. Broad-tailed and Calliope are also commonly observed. It also appears as though most visitors are adult females.

This table identifies the number of unique individuals per species captured at each site. Abundance categories include Rare – just observed or less than 3 captured, Uncommon = 3 to 10 captured, Common 11 to 20, and Abundant >20. Sites with no data indicates that they were not sampled this monitoring session - because the birds have already departed the area or the weather or other factor prohibited monitoring.

Summary of the FIRST September Monitoring Sessions (September 6 - 10, 2008)

California Summary: Migration is seen in full swing as typified by the six species handled at Morongo Valley, incuding Allen's, Anna's, Black-chinned, Calliope, Costa's, Rufous, and one unidentified bird. Indian Peak saw more Rufous than expected and continuedd with large numbers of Anna's.
Arizona Summary: Most sites encounter large numbers of migrants and increased species diversity. Most birds are Black-chinned and most of these are juveniles. Over half of the birds have fat, a sign that this is a good resource year for migrants. The eastern Arizona sites have higher numbers of the Rocky Mountain species: Rufous, Calliope, and Broad-tailed. More Magnificent Hummingbirds are captured at many sites.

Colorado Summary: Most birds have left the Dunton Guard Station, the high elevation site, but there is a small wave of migrants moving thorugh Mesa Verde National Park.

British Columbia Summary: All birds have departed.

Texas Summary: No report.

New Mexico (Feeder Watch): The site along the Rio Grande continues to report large numbers of Black-chinned moving south as well as the Rocky Mountain species of Rufous, Calliope, and Broad-tailed. Most Black-chinneds are juvenile females with fewer adult males than in previous counts.

This table identifies the number of unique individuals per species captured at each site. Abundance categories include Rare – just observed or less than 3 captured, Uncommon = 3 to 10 captured, Common 11 to 20, and Abundant >20. Sites with no data indicates that they were not sampled this monitoring session - because the birds have already departed the area or the weather or other factor prohibited monitoring.