It appears our hummingbirds have departed for warmer climes. The hummingbird migration is a fascinating story. I did notice our hummingbirds were spending a lot of time at the feeders just before they disappeared. According to the information at Hummingbird.com they engage in a feeding frenzy to store energy for the trip. We have enjoyed our humming birds and look forward to their return in the spring. One thing I find interesting is that they seem to return to feeders after this migration. How do they find their way back?
For a general picture of bird migration visit the Migration Dashboard. Migration patterns of birds and even butterflies are amazing. I have found the Cornell Lab of Ornithology a good source of information about birds. I found them when I visited a bird feeder camera on explore.org.
Bird migration is an interesting subject to start your exploration of our environment. It is popular to talk about saving the environment. I submit it is important to understand the environment, before trying to ‘save it.’ Understanding starts with observation. Complex systems may behave in unexpected ways when prodded by ignorance; the earth’s environment an extremely complex system.