Rufous Hummingbird

My bird book tells me the Roufous Hummingbird returns to this area in Oregon on or around March 1.  Since the lunar New Year (Spring Festival in China) occurred early this year, I wonder if it may be a little earlier.

Last year this Roufous male showed up at my feeder in March.  It is the cutest thing there is.  All light brown except around the neck and the head gets shiny orange when light shines.  The little round eyes are very cute.

A female arrived a little later.  Notice that while the head and the back are greenish, the tummy is brownish.

Although the male did not stay around here long (travels to further north even to Alaska), the female stayed all summer long through September.  Look, the hummer is trying to eat a itsy-bitsy spider here.

In summer, I have many flowers they like to drink nectar from.  They especially like a red tubal flower such as this.

But once in a while it can still appreciate my sugar water.

After enjoying the Oregon summer with lots of flowers, bugs, and spiders, they flew to the south where they would spend the winter.  The winter is almost over now, so just keep watching for a Roufous arrival very soon.