25 Jun 2010
East of Huntsville, Utah

(E-mails clip from Beth McKinnon, 25 Jun 2010) 

When I moved to the Evergreen area east of Huntsville from Western Oregon last August, I thought I said goodbye to my yearly love affair with the Rufous hummingbirds. The bird books I own say I will see exclusively Broad-tailed and Black-Chinned (and perhaps a Calliope which I am really looking forward to) in this area.

Imagine my joy this evening when I saw a red backed hummingbird taking over the Oriole feeder (which only hummingbirds use)! He isn't exactly the same as the Oregon Rufous, but he is magnificent!

I have some good pictures of him that I will try to post.

Best,
Beth

(E-mails clip from Bryant Olsen, 26 Jun 2010) 

For the past 5 years on the summer solstice(not including this past one) I have gone to my cabin in the Strawberry Valley, and put up feeders,and most years I see at least one male Rufous Hummingbird. I assume they are early migrants, but June does seem to be early for that. They are listed as a breeding species in Idaho and Wyoming,and even northern Colorado,according to the USGS, and I have always wondered if there might be some breeding going on in Northern Utah.
Good Birding
Bryant Olsen

(E-mails clip from Mike Fish, 27 Jun 2010) 

Odd - About an hour ago I had a male Rufous Hummingbird stop at the nectar feeder just outside my window. I've spent the last hour sitting out there with my camera waiting to see if it will come back - no luck yet. It's hard to  believe this little guy is in "just passing through" mode. Seems too late to be  heading north and too early to be going south. I see Rufous up around the Tony  Grove area in Logan Canyon all during the summer but I don't recall seeing  any around my house this early (or is it late). I usually get loads of them  in August. I'll be sure to post a picture if I get one.

Mike Fish

                               Photos by Beth