[DIYSteve]

Yeah, it's a bit early to see Rufous Hummers in WA, although I have seen them in February some years. On average, Anna's are bigger than Rufous, which are commonly described as "small and compact."

[Kascadia]

I'm not sure what you mean by "robust", unless you mean feisty, because that they are! I'm not sure I've ever seen a yellowish Rufus, but they will be showing up very soon here (we typically see them in early March), perhaps an early bird?

[DIYSteve]

Both species are curious and can be bold. IME male Anna's are the bolder. Yup, Rufous usually start showing up in Western WA in March.

[tigermn]

Ok It wasn't in my backyard..

[IanB]

First Rufous seen briefly yesterday, confirmed just now at the feeder. Used to be pretty consistent on March 15th, but this may be the new normal.

[reststep]

Where did all the Steller's jays go? We used to see them all the time in our back yard but not any more.

[Malachai Constant]

[Kascadia]

The Rufous hummingbirds finally showed up on 3/30/17. A little late this year, the Annas probably didn't mind. . . . . I put out an additional feeder last night, let the air show begin!

[IanB]

Violet-greens showed up a couple weeks ago. They've been going into the box on sunny days. Osprey pair were back on the cell tower a few days ago. Brown creepers and Hutton's vireos singing pretty regularly. White-crowns and Savannah sparrows also heard in the last few days.

[IanB]

Orange-crowned warblers singing last couple of days.

[MtnGoat]

It's almost the time of year for my insane window banging robin. I have a sun room with hot tub adjacent to the master bedroom, with double glass door between. Every year about April thru June, I get this deal with a robin hopping up and flying into the sunroom window in the morning when the sun is low and on the window. I don't know if it's bugs, a sun reflection, or the birds own reflection, that danged bird will do it the entire time the sun is hitting the window. The first time I was kinda freaked out. I'm laying in bed and I hear thump, pause, thump, pause, thump pause from the sun room. I wake up the rest of the way and peek thru the dividing door, and there's the robin flinging itself from the rockery near the house into the window. Sometimes he slides down it, mostly it bounces off, goes back to the rockery, shakes itself, pause, then another go. This began about 5 years after I moved here and it's done it every year since. I have no ideas how long robins live or maybe I have a zombie bird returning to haunt me, I don't know. It's the weirdest thing. It's not spring until that robin wakes me up flinging itself into the window.

[IanB]

From what you describe, the bird is seeing its reflection and interpreted it as a rival male. Birds are very loyal to sites that they have successfully bred in, so it is certainly the same bird every year. The activity will typically continue through the breeding season. Only options to prevent it are blocking the light causing the reflection, or maybe tacking up something like mylar ribbons in front of window to break up the image he sees? Last two years I've had a Junco that spends his mornings in battle with my passenger side-view mirror until I leave for work. I suppose he thinks he's "won" every day after I leave?

[Jimbo]

Steve, we call them Cali Coppers at our place. They came about 3 weeks ago and raised hell with the others again. Now we have like 2 pair is all. Nature

[DIYSteve]

Having fun, my first spring migration since moving to Eburg. Say's Phoebe on the property yesterday. Lots of butterbutts (Yellow-rumped Warblers) in the neighborhood. Saw an Empidonax flycatcher yesterday while jogging in the nearby nature preserve, probably a Willow Flycatcher based on habitat, although I cannot be certain because I did not hear the voice.

[tmatlack]

Saw my 1st Great Frigate birds and Red Footed Boobies over Spring Break on Kauai. Both species great flyers! We stayed in off the beaten path Waimea, and there was a small wave break up the road from our motel where I could boogie board with no one in sight. The Frigate soared above me for a long time. I spoke to him of open oceans, lunch(poke for me; less marinated for him), and partners because he did not have one and I did. He never flapped a wing. The Boobies would tuck their wings like a MIG and dive....very cool. Tom