Ruby-throated Hummingbird sighted in New Jersey

The annual springtime migration of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds is well underway. Most of the birds are still in Virginia, but one plucky hummingbird has reached the coastal area around Atlantic County, New Jersey, despite the March 14 nor'easter that dumped plenty of snow from Virginia northward.

The snowstorm generally slowed the Ruby-throats' progress toward the Lehigh Valley. Only a handful of sightings have been reported in southern Virginia and the Delmarva Peninsula. 

Usually the birds arrive in Lehigh and Northampton counties around April 15.

It's hard to predict from one year to the next when Ruby-throats will reach our area. Last year the weather was unusually chilly, but even so hummingbirds were reported in southern Pennsylvania. The two previous years, 2014 and 2015, were more in keeping with their usual progress.

Are your hummingbird feeders ready to receive Ruby-throats? If you have an existing feeder, it should be cleaned thoroughly. A dirty feeder could be toxic to hummingbirds. If it has been left outdoors over the winter, or brought indoors without a complete cleaning, germs might reactivate once nectar is added.

A dirty feeder can be cleaned by hand with a solution of diluted vinegar. Use a small brush to remove particles from every crevice. (Special brushes are available at The Bird House.) Rinse thoroughly, and I mean thoroughly. Any trace of vinegar could taint the nectar.

Make plans to have your feeders in place in the next few days and have plenty of nectar available. Weather forecasters say spring-like conditions finally may return to the region this week, so you never can tell how quickly hummingbirds will appear. It would be a shame if they bypass your backyard because you haven't provided nectar for them!

Some hummingbirds will use a feeder as a way-station for their migration to their breeding sites north of here. But many will remain here for the entire summer, which will provide many days of delight as the birds flit around your backyard.

If your feeder is past its prime, or you don't want to bother cleaning it, head to The Bird House for a replacement. It's also worth having more than one feeder in your backyard. Hummingbirds are territorial. If you hope to see a number of them, you may need several feeders to prevent squabbles! Any hummingbirds that lose the battle for a single feeder might move on to another location.

Keep a sharp eye out for the hummingbirds. Let us know if you are the lucky one to be the first in our area to report a sighting!

From hummingbirds.net