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For those of you in the United States and Canada, I found this site to track the hummingbird migration for 2009.
I do not have an official map from the AARP, but I think the retirees heading north from Florida should be following roughly the same migratory patterns. We have found that if you feed them, they will stay for approximately 48 hours; then they start checking the Weather Channel for good driving conditions.
The butterflies cannot be far behind. Happy Spring, everyone!
jane, candid 
Considering I just spent the past couple of hours finally tearing out the remnants of all of last summer’s annuals from our flower beds, it’s god to see a picture that reminds me of why I’m doing all this work. I just can’t wait for things to be in bloom again!
Thanks for sharing the picture!
Jane,
It took me six years to get the hummingbirds to come to my garden. Dilligently putting out a feeder every April 1, keeping it clean even though no one was using it. Then my trumpet vine started blooming. One day my daughter and my “extra” daughter (two doors down, grew up with us) were in the yard with me and a hummingbird came to the feeder. Well….we started whooping and hollering and throwing our hats in the air….scared the poor thing to death. It was hysterically funny. After that and this is a visual, so bear with me…..a hummingbird would come, we would take a deep breath to scream, and clamp our hands hard over our mouths. I still get breathless every time I see one. They’re just so gorgeous.
Karen
Jane,
I had a family of hummingbirds that returned year after year, generation after generation and were VERY territorial about my yard. It was breathtaking to see the males swooping and vocalizing during battles for mates and territory. Surprisingly, my “habitat” was right in a city. There was really nothing natural nearby, but I had moving water, food and shelter year round in my fenced retreat from the world. And after growing the garden for 17 years there was always something in bloom at whatever time once the snow melted until it snowed again.
I miss the garden, but now when I want to see hummingbirds doing their thing I just take a walk at the Holden Arboretum and enjoy everything and I don’t have to rake a single leaf or dead head a single plant. (but sometimes I do anyway just out of habit.) 🙂
Thanks for the post. It was a lovely pre taste of spring. I also got a kick out of visualizing you hosting those retirees for 48 hours at a time…..
Karen
Although I have gardens, I have never had much luck with the hummingbirds — maybe the dog and cat don’t seem like good hosts?
I do have one particular pair of snowbirds that usually stop here every spring and fall, and I can never make them stay long enough. One year, we blocked out the Weather Channel so he couldn’t watch it so closely. Those two are delightful company, no matter how many days they stay…
i’m jealous of those daffodils. We had an amazing warm day today in Madison. This morning, one (foolish) person was still ice fishing. By three o’clock today there was no more ice left — all open water– soon followed by a warm streaked golden sunset. ahhhhh summer may come afterall.
Denise, summer is coming (and so are all your beautiful gardens!)