Folks who feed hummers seem to be a fretful lot, lamenting the premature
departure of hummingbirds at their feeders, but they can always look it up.
        Peterjohn reports common knowledge when he says "numbers of fall
migrants noticeably diminish during the second week of September,
although a few Ruby-throats are regularly observed through the end of
the month. The last migrants usually depart by October 5-12, with a few
acceptable records through the end of the month."
        Once in a blue moon, ruby-throats can show up well after October.
Twenty years ago, when a spate of rufous hummingbirds started showing up
here in fall, more observers kept feeders filled to attract them, with
some success. The fall of 2002 brought *nine* rufous records, the
state's only Calliope, and Westerville and Massillon tied with
record-late ruby-throats that hung on till 30 November.  Temperatures
for October, November, and December that season averaged lower than
normal, by the way. More recently, one stayed in Toledo until the
newsworthy date of 5 December in 2007.
Bill Whan
Columbus

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