Nature's Notebook

t’s not the title of a new movie, and it’s not about hum-vees. Instead, the Tri-State region was hit by an amazing influx ofhummingbirdsduring the past few weeks.

 That’s right. Hummingbirds. In November. And not just any hummingbirds, not even our one common breeding species in the East,the ruby-throated hummingbird.

 No, most of these areSelasphorushummingbirds. Don’t worry, they’re not some kind of radioactive element. That’s the name of a genus of two closely related hummingbirds from western North America, the rufous hummingbirdand Allen’s hummingbird. Even expert birders have trouble telling these two species apart, so similar is their plumage at this time of year; for that reason, they often refer to them by their generic name.

Sensibly, our rubythroats have headed south for the winter, and so have the vast majority of other North American hummers. But for some reason, a handful of these tiny birds, particularly of the Selasphorus duo, wander the continent during late fall, popping up at hummingbird feeders and late-blooming flowers far from their home ranges.

What made this November exceptional was the sheer number of sightings. Many of us suspect that the continued string of unusually warm days is the cause, though why it should push those Westerners eastward is not clear. A second possible explanation is that more people have been leaving out their nectar feeders longer as they become aware of the general phenomenon of late-wandering hummers.

You might want to join in the game by hanging a hummingbird feeder and watching it for a tiny sprite (though as I write this, the season’s coldest weather is finally due to arrive). Feeders are on sale at the Sharon Audubon gift shop and elsewhere.

Notes from readers: Joy Pulver of Salisbury writes that an adultbald eagleis still evident in the vicinity of Lakeville Lake; Margaret Webber of Sharon had a flock of eastern bluebirdson her deck.

Fred Baumgarten is a naturalist and writer. He can be reached at fredb58@sbcglobal.net. His blog is at thatbirdblog.blogspot.com. 

Latest News

Allyn H. Hurlburt III

CORNWALL — It is with great sadness that I share that I lost my husband, Buddy, my best friend and soulmate in a matter of minutes with no warning, at home on March 31, 2025. Our wonderful children are a testament to who he was and what we are as a family.

Buddy was born Allyn H. Hurlburt III, but went by Buddy because his father and grandfather were both Allyns too.

Keep ReadingShow less
All are welcome at The Mahaiwe

Paquito D’Rivera performs at the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington on April 5.

Geandy Pavon

Natalia Bernal is the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center’s education and community engagement manager and is, in her own words, “the one who makes sure that Mahaiwe events are accessible to all.”

The Mahaiwe’s community engagement program is rooted in the belief that the performing arts should be for everyone. “We are committed to establishing and growing partnerships with neighboring community and arts organizations to develop pathways for overcoming social and practical barriers,” Bernal explained. “Immigrants, people of color, communities with low income, those who have traditionally been underserved in the performing arts, should feel welcomed at the Mahaiwe.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Living with the things you love:
a conversation with Mary Randolph Carter
Mary Randolph Carter teaches us to surround ourselves with what matters to live happily ever after.
Carter Berg

There is magic in a home filled with the things we love, and Mary Randolph Carter, affectionately known as “Carter,” has spent a lifetime embracing that magic. Her latest book, “Live with the Things You Love … and You’ll Live Happily Ever After,” is about storytelling, joy, and honoring life’s poetry through the objects we keep.

“This is my tenth book,” Carter said. “At the root of each is my love of collecting, the thrill of the hunt, and living surrounded by things that conjure up family, friends, and memories.”

Keep ReadingShow less