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Nancyann
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PostSat Jan 07, 2017 10:35 pm 
Just curious, I wonder what the Anna's survive on in the cold weather besides the syrup we put out for them. Glad your move is working well for you DIYSteve!

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Kascadia
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PostMon Jan 09, 2017 12:01 pm 
Annas are able to go into a short term hibernation like state known as torpor to enable them to deal with winter conditions. There temp/metabolism drops down to just above a survivable level. They engage in insect/spider hunting in winter. After they get done at the feeder. . .

It is as though I had read a divine text, written into the world itself, not with letters but rather with essential objects, saying: Man, stretch thy reason hither, so thou mayest comprehend these things. Johannes Kepler
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Sculpin
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PostMon Jan 09, 2017 12:08 pm 
Nancyann wrote:
I wonder what the Anna's survive on in the cold weather
The story, as you are probably aware, is that Anna's Hummingbirds never wintered in Puget Sound until the forests were cut and replaced by gardens. You can see them on the Camellias in the winter garden at the arboretum. They also visit my yard daily to partake of Japanese barberries, which are currently in full bloom and don't seem to mind temperatures in the teens. Heather blossoms also survived the cold and while the hummingbirds don't seem to favor them, they will go to them this time of year. Given how many blooms froze off last week on other plants, though, I think they will be relying on feeders for awhile.

Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostMon Jan 09, 2017 2:46 pm 
A place I used to work in Wallingford we found a Annas nesting in a little tree. The babies were adorable! Started seeing them maybe late February or some time in March.

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DIYSteve
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PostMon Jan 09, 2017 3:10 pm 
Sculpin wrote:
The story, as you are probably aware, is that Anna's Hummingbirds never wintered in Puget Sound until the forests were cut and replaced by gardens.
Yep. Anna's Hummers were a SoCal/Baja chaparral breeding species until post-WWII. First Anna's nesting in WA was reported in 1976. I first saw an Anna's in Seattle in the mid-1980s. Since 2000 seems like I saw one nearly everyday.

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Mike Collins
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PostTue Jan 10, 2017 9:50 pm 
Kascadia wrote:
They engage in insect/spider hunting in winter
Not just winter. Anna's hummingbird's consume more insects than any other North American hummingbird. Up to 2,000/day catching them while flying or poaching them from spider webs. https://www.beautyofbirds.com/annashummingbirds.html

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Kascadia
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PostWed Jan 11, 2017 8:12 am 
Yes, that was in context. I suspect that is large part of their adaptability, more choices=more possibilities of survival.

It is as though I had read a divine text, written into the world itself, not with letters but rather with essential objects, saying: Man, stretch thy reason hither, so thou mayest comprehend these things. Johannes Kepler
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ChinookPass
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PostThu Jan 12, 2017 12:44 pm 
I've never noticed them before but I am seeing a ton of these little birds in our neighborhood this winter. They seem oblivious when you are walking on a path near them, you can almost reach down and scoop them up with your hands. They barely scatter for dogs either. Golden crowned kinglets.

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DIYSteve
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PostThu Jan 12, 2017 2:09 pm 
Golden-crowned Kinglets are very fun to watch. Brave and curious too. We see and hear more Ruby-crowned Kinglets over on this side o' the crest.

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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostThu Jan 12, 2017 2:35 pm 
ChinookPass wrote:
I've never noticed them before but I am seeing a ton of these little birds in our neighborhood this winter. They seem oblivious when you are walking on a path near them, you can almost reach down and scoop them up with your hands. They barely scatter for dogs either. Golden crowned kinglets.
I think I saw one of those recently. It did seem fairly oblivious to me as it was hopping around poking at something on the ground. It nearly flew right into me when it did take off.

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DIYSteve
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PostThu Jan 12, 2017 6:20 pm 
olderthanIusedtobe wrote:
I think I saw one of those recently. It did seem fairly oblivious to me as it was hopping around poking at something on the ground. It nearly flew right into me when it did take off.
Note that there are two Kinglet species common to the Seattle area and elsewhere in the Puget Trough. Distinguishing between them via sight is pretty easy if you get a good look at them. Distinguishing them by voice is even easier. Both are very active jittery birds that don't stay still for long. In winter, Ruby-crowned Kinglets in winter tend to forage lower down that Golden-crowned Kinglets. When you see an individual of either Kinglet species you'll likely see a flock of them. In winter they sometime mix and mix with other species, e.g., Black-capped Chickadee. They are tiny birds -- only our hummingbird species are smaller than our two Kinglet species (Bushtit about the same size though different shape). They are also common in the mountains. Ruby-crowned Kinglet voicings common sounds in the Eastern Cascades.

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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostThu Jan 12, 2017 7:01 pm 
It looked like a little red spot on it's head, so I would guess ruby crowned. There may have been other birds around but I only saw the one. It wasn't vocalizing while I was watching. Richmond Beach area. It was definitely a very small bird.

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DIYSteve
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PostThu Jan 12, 2017 8:13 pm 
The ruby "crown" is only on males and usually concealed. It sometimes become visible when the male is agitated. The usual quick field ID to distinguish them by sight is the head pattern. Ruby-crowned has obvious but incomplete eye ring. Golden-crowned has black stripe through eye and white stripe above eye. Check them out on birdweb.com

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DIYSteve
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PostFri Jan 13, 2017 10:35 pm 
Western WA distribution of the two species is localized. When we lived in West Seattle I routinely ID'd both species in winter, not sure which was more abundant, but I ID'd more Golden-crowns in spring and summer in Seattle and more Rubys in the mountains. Fun stuff those Kinglets.

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Jake Neiffer
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PostThu Jan 26, 2017 5:00 pm 
Saw a Loggerhead Shrike from very close this afternoon. Wish I would have had a camera.

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