Have you been seeing more hummingbirds in Hope? Finding your feeders just a bit more crowded than usual? There could be a reason for that, according to a local birder.
It’s finally spring in Hope and some residents have taken to social media to comment on the “unusual amount” of hummingbirds flying around town. While it’s still uncertain why there seems to be a “hummingbird boom” this year, Scott Denkers, the now retired Administrative Director at Hope Mountain Centre and Outdoor Learning (HMCOL), said it could be due to the warmer weather.
“I haven’t personally seen a larger number of hummers (hummingbirds) this year, but more sightings by residents may be because of the sudden onset of warm weather,” Denkers said via email. “The onset of warm weather equals more people outside noticing bird activity, an increased abundance of insects (that hummingbirds also eat), and a flush of flowering plants attracting hummingbirds to the garden.”
According to Denkers, three species of hummingbirds can be seen in Hope — Anna’s hummingbird, Rufous hummingbird, and Calliope hummingbirds. He said that Anna’s hummingbirds occur year-round and overwinter in Hope (and are “largely supported” by hummingbird feeders in the area), Rufous hummingbirds (which are slightly more aggressive) arrive in mid-April, and Calliope hummingbirds typically arrive in June.
On May 1, on the Hope B.C. Bulletin Board Facebook group, Leila Craig made a post asking if residents of Hope had “noticed an extra amount of hummingbirds this year.” The post received 46 comments of people agreeing with Craig and sharing their own experiences with the tiny birds visiting them this year.
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@KemoneMoodley
kemone.moodley@hopestandard.com
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