Slow Start, Fast Ending for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

We've been out of the country for the past 16 days (more about that NEXT week), so we've fallen behind in our postings of "This Week at Hilton Pond." However, we'd be remiss in not summarizing the 2005 hummingbird banding season, so that's the topic for our 15-21 October 2005 installment.

To read a summary of our 22nd year of banding Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History, please click on the title above. We've woven in some speculation that might explain some of our unexpected results.

As always, we include a summary of all birds banded during the period--plus a note about a new and rather odoriferous addition to the Hilton Pond mammal list.

Happy Nature Watching!

BILL