Congratulations.

Yeah!!! Congrats on your sighting. I just checked the map just now, and you're right it hasn't been posted yet. But in the past I know when I've posted it seems like it takes about 24 hours to appear. I'm so excited for you!!!! Spring can't be far behind!!!!!

Lanny usually waits to post very early sitings to make sure that it isn't an overwintering hummer as opposed to an early migrator.

Penny

Oh, man, I don't know if I'm more jealous or excited. I live about 30 miles from you serfingbirder. I've been looking that last few days and haven't seen any.

I'll be out tomorrow morning.

Congratulations, by the way. You seem to be veteran hummingbird enthusiasts, no?

I am green with envy! I'm glad to read your post and know that the little jewels are back in the United States. I look at the Migration Map each day and wasn't seeing any dots.

I had a lot of hummingbird activity last year and I am hoping for the same thing this summer.

I can't wait to see them again! Enjoy until they get all the way up to Pennsylvania.

Charlotte from Middletown, PA

Charlotte,
They haven't made the migration map yet. We are all still waiting for the first dot to show up. Last year there was alread a couple of dots on the map by this time.

Penny

Penny, there are three dots on the Journey north migration map. Two in Florida and one in Alabama. I'm more familiar with Lanny Chambers map on hummingbirds.net but when ya need a fix, it's nice to go there and see the dots.

We had our second bird show up yesterday on the 27th...the first one did not hang around but I think this one will cause I saw him again this morning. He also went to my first bloom on the honeysuckle. I still havn't seen anything on the map, I emailed again just to see whats up.
But they are here map or no map. :-)

went home for lunch and got a photo and posted it in the gallery.

I think we are all very jealous. :)

Enjoy him!

Surfingbirder,
I am not an expert but your hummer the best I could tell looked more like a Rufous to me especially the first pic. I don't think it is an adult male rubythroat. I am still excited for you though as I would be if I had any species of hummer.

Penny

Surfingbirder
There are only 2 reports at Journey North now. Yours and another from Wesley Chapel. Is that in the same vicinity as you? That one was reported on the 27th. of Feb. Stil no reports on Lanny's map.

Penny

I am in Altoona Florida at the southern border of the Ocala national forest. Well my picture was pretty bad...my daughter was playing with the camera and had switched it to landscape mode.
Which is really too bad cause I have rarely had a chance to get a picture so closeup with pretty good lighting. I usually us my video camera and capture stills. Anyway, I see now my data is not considered credible. But, I am really sure this is a migrating RT and not a over winter bird or a Roufus and I also believe it is my second bird and the first one (Feb 22) was on his way someplace else.
I saw him again this morning and he looks exactly like a male RT..nothing like a Roufus.

Surfingbirder from what I understand from Lanny Chambers over at hummingbirds.net there hasn't been any inland movement yet so this is why he is hesitant to put any of the reports on the map. It could be due to the fact that so many people that have reported in previous years are no longer along the coast b/c of Katrina. As soon as some reports start coming in northward and he can plot and conferm then we will start seeing the reports show up on the map. It is very frustrating i am sure. We are all waiting very impatiently to start seeing that northward movement.

Penny

Lanny Chambers has posted the first dot on the map. Sorry it wasn't yours, surfingbirder. It is an adult male rubythroat in Louisiana up around Baton Rouge or maybe Lafayette.

At least we have the ball rolling now.

Penny

The first report was from a bander in Lafayette. There is a second dot now in Orange Texas.

Penny

LOL...the map dude is prejudice against Florida!
Whatever, My bird had been here 5 days now and my first one was here Feburary 22. A real scientist doesn't just throw out data cause it doesn't fit their expectations...thats just silly psuedo-science. ;-) I am glad my little guy dosn't know he has been dissed!

surfingbirder,
Your report is still on Journey North so you are still covered. You might want to try and email Lanny and let him know that your hummer is still there and include your pictues.

Penny

I did email him and was still snubbed.

Here he is this morning...he was saying"Florida Rules! Louisiana drools!"
{{gwi:976192}}

Oh yes he is definitely a little male ruby! No mistaking that beautiful ruby red gorget! Now I have to take offense to the La. comment (I am originally from La.) LOL! Just kidding...no offense taken.

Penny

Surfingbirder,
We now have a dot on the map for the west coast of Fl. Lookks like around Tampa.

Penny

I see the Florida dot too

Here is a link that might be useful: 2006 Ruby-throated Migration map