Winter Hummingbirds
Will She Return?
Female Rufous Hummingbird, (Selasphorus rufus), dubbed “Frosty” did not return for her 4th winter.
Unfortunately Frosty did not return for her 4th year. But her hosts were honored she spent 3 winters with them and they continue to watch for a ‘new’ winter visitor!
SEAR Accomplishments
SEAR hosted banding training efforts during the winter, spring and fall migration seasons.
SEAR participated in 7 hummingbird festivals in 2019. Check ‘Events’ to find out where we’ll be in 2020.
Our Eastern Screech Owl study at Cross Creeks NWR continues. We banded our first group of 3 nestlings in May 2018 and hope to find them living and breeding on the refuge in the years to come.
In June 2018-2019, SEAR participated in Earth Camp sponsored by the Friends of Cross Creeks. We will continue to participate in this great outdoor activity for local children.
SEAR is once again a ‘gold’ sponsor for the Wings of Winter Birding Festival to be held in January of 2020. This status is from ‘in-kind’ volunteer hours.
SEAR presented 8 educational programs in 2019 in and around middle TN. If you’re interested in one of our presentation contact us.
SEAR assisted and participated in the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge “Festival of Cranes” for the 5th year. And have been invited back for the 2020 event.
SEAR coordinated and ran the banding efforts at Strawberry Plains 20th Anniversary Hummer and Nature Festival. It was our 5th year and we’ve been invited back for the 2020 celebration.
SEAR banded 2022 RTHU at hummer host homes in Montgomery and Stewart Counties during the 2019 season. Recap rates averaged about 28% for birds caught for the second, third and fourth years in a row at the same location.
SEAR leader Cyndi Routledge and TWRA biologist Polly Rooker continue to instruct the avian classes of the Tennessee Naturalist Program at Owl’s Hill each April.
SEAR has been invited back to the University School of Nashville in March of 2020.
SEAR continues to work under contract with TWRA to color band and monitor the Loggerhead Shrike population in TN. We banded our second group of nestlings this year, did a 6 County sweep in search of LOSH and participated in the annual Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Working Group conference. Sear developed and monitors a listserv for members of the group.
In November SEAR will begin year three of our Northern Saw-whet Owl Study in conjunction with the long running OwlNet Research Program. Last year we caught, banded and released one owl. We’re hoping for a few more this year.
For the 4rd year SEAR is participating in 3 separate studies with University of California at Davis Vet School under the direction of Dr. Lisa Tell. We are proud to be apart of these ongoing studies.
SEAR continues to work on the RTHU nesting study being conducted by Dr. David Pitts. We hope to continue to participate in year 10 of this study.