September Hummingbird Migration Right on Schedule

Washburn's Outdoor Journal / September 17, 2016

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.

Most of the doves left early. The annual flight of blue-winged teal is running late. But the fall migration of ruby-throated hummingbirds is right on schedule. Urged south by shortening photo periods, tens of thousands of hummingbirds are currently passing through Iowa and there’s no better time to enjoy some close up viewing than right now.

Attracting hummers to backyard nectar feeders is one of the best ways to get a look. Those who opt to avoid costly commercial mixes can concoct their own by mixing one part table [white] sugar to four parts water. Simply stir, bring to a boil [kills bacteria and retards mold], cool to room temp, and add to feeder. If brushy habitats, flower gardens, or mature woodlands are nearby, the first hungry visitors should appear within hours; sometimes within minutes.

Arriving from as far away as Ontario and northern Minnesota, most ruby-throats will keep traveling, eventually spending the winter months in Central America. But getting there is no small feat. Guided by starry constellations and with wings churning in excess of 50 beats per second, they will leave the mainland and cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single nighttime flight — an incredible achievement for a bird weighing less than a quarter of an ounce and with a wingspan of a mere four inches.

About The Author

Lowell Washburn

Born in North Central Iowa, Lowell Washburn has enjoyed a lifelong interest in the out of doors. He began photographing wild birds at age 10, and outdoor photography soon became his passion and eventually a career. Washburn is best known for images that portray migratory waterfowl and other wetland wildlife in their natural habitats. His best photographs are often obtained after spending hours floating amid natural marshlands, half submerged within the dark confines of a floating muskrat house blind. Upon completing military service as a sergeant with the Fourth Infantry Division in the central highlands of South Vietnam, Washburn returned to Iowa in 1970. His wildlife photos began appearing in Iowa newspapers in 1971 and he began authoring outdoor news columns in 1978. Today, his photos and writing have appeared in over 50 national and international magazines including Outdoor Life, International Wildlife, Field&Stream, Ducks Unlimited, Pointing Dog Journal, the NAFA Journal, and others. After working as a naturalist for Iowa’s county conservation board system, Washburn was recruited by the Department of Natural Resources in 1984. His primary duties included statewide communication with Iowa newspaper, television, and radio news agencies with a primary goal of increasing the level of public awareness and appreciation for Iowa's natural resources. During his tenure he also served as staff member for the Iowa Conservationist Magazine and for the DNR’s Iowa Outdoors Magazine. Washburn retired from the DNR in 2010. In addition to wildlife photography, his ongoing outdoor passions include falconry, traditional bow hunting, waterfowling, spending time with hunting dogs of all types, and herpetology.

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