Humming Hummingbirds, None This Year

I guess I wasn’t the only one looking for them. Couple of weeks ago THE AURORAN, Week of July 26, 2011 published in the section Letters to the Editor, a letter from David Tomlinson ‘Had hummingbirds drop in on you lately?‘. This week David is asking for help again in his another letter to the editor, ‘Reader still looking for hummingbirds‘.


The Aurora Wildlife and Naturalization Working Group over the last six years have been undertaking a survey of Aurora’s breeding bird population, as stated in THE AURORAN. The survey also includes hummingbirds, but seems like this year the Group is having issue finding them.


Well I have the same issue. For the past five years hummingbirds have been visiting my garden. Our backyard and the neighbors backyards are filled with the trees and bushes that attract hummingbirds. I don’t have hummingbird feeder and I don’t know who does in the neighborhood. I have Red Horse Chestnut, Aseculus x carnea ‘Briotti’ as you can see on the photos. This is where she came. Yes, only she. Never seen two or more.


This year I got a new camera and I was very eager to get more photos of them. The photos here are from last year’s unexpected photo shoot. They were coming everyday for the time of the blooming flowers, and May 27th was the best ‘light’ day for capturing these photos. Often, I spotted them sitting on the tree next to the Red Horse Chestnut tree. I hate to state, but this year the hummingbird photo shoot did not take place. Everyday at different times of the day I was looking for them. None.


But wait this does not mean I have not seen them this year. In the early spring I spotted them in the Hamilton Park, a trail behind the soccer field along the hydro lines leading towards the St. Andrew’s golf course. That day I did not have my camera with me, but I have memories. I truly enjoyed the view of them hovering around the bush.


I have been birding in Aurora since 2006, mainly taking photographs. In the past 5 years I have seen bird species shift from location to location. Every year I would come back to the same place and find something else instead. This may be due to the residential development or even the climate change.

I also noticed that in the Arboretum, a path which can be accessed from the Industrial Parkway/St. John’s sideroad, is always filled with Eastern Kingbirds, but this year definitely more of them. I had an opportunity to see few sitting on the wire fence, and not just one as per previous years. Not to mention flying over my head many times back and forth. The reason I mention the kingbirds here in the post, is that they have almost the same hovering ability as the hummingbirds. They often hover above the tall grass in the Arboretum.

And now, I shall do my part and call David Tomlinson about my observations.