Newspaper Page Text
Page 2B
March 9, 2022
MONROE OUTDOORS by Terry W. Johnson
Reporter
Hungry hummingbirds coming this way
I f you are a ruby-
throated humming
bird fan, you have not
seen one since late last
summer. Now that March
has finally arrived,
you will not have
to wait much
longer to see your
next one. Rest as
sured as you read
this column there
are ruby-throated
hummingbirds
winging their
way back to our TERRY W.
backyards.
Last year Dan
Jeffers was the first Monroe
Countian to report the ar
rival of a rubythroat in the
county. Dan saw this bird
at 6 p.m. on March 12. In
2020, Judith Geib saw the
countys first hummer on
March 14.
When the first migrants
arrive they are tired and
hungry. Also, they are well
on the way to depleting the
stored fat that fueled their
flight northward. However,
in most years they arrive
to a late winter landscape
where nectar is difficult to
find.
Even this year when we
have experienced extraor
dinarily warm weather
that has caused many of
our flowering trees, shrubs
and other plants to bloom
early, 2022 will not prove
to be an exception. Even
though, with each passing
day, more and more plants
are bursting into bloom,
looks can be deceiving. The
problem is most of these
plants do not produce lots
of energy-rich nectar.
There are, however, a
few plants that do offer
the hummingbirds some
food. Even if you maintain
a hummingbird garden,
chances your garden will
supply the
birds arriving
in mid-March
little nectar.
However, there
are a handful
of native plants
that help fill
this void. One
of these early
JOHNSON bloomers is the
redbud tree.
On Feb. 28,
I was surprised to see the
largest redbud tree grow
ing in my yard beginning
to bloom. Hummingbirds
will glean some nectar
from redbud trees. How
ever, this beautiful native
tree is not known for its
ability to produce large
amounts of nectar. On
the other hand, since it is a
super source of pollen, bees
and other insect pollinators
are drawn to the redbuds
showy pink blooms.
The blossoms can also
benefit rubythroats in
another way. In recent
years, we have learned that
tiny insects, spiders and
other invertebrates are
far more important to the
hummingbirds diet than
we ever imagined. Con
sequently, I would not be
surprised if you spotted an
early ruby-throated hum
mingbird gleaning small
insects drawn to the trees
blossoms.
Another early-blooming
plant that helps feed the
first hummingbirds that ar
rive is yellow jasmine. This
native vine actually begins
blooming early in the year.
Hummingbird can find
nectar at the base of its long
trumpet-shaped blossoms.
Yet another source of
sugar is supplied by the
yellow-bellied sapsucker.
This odd woodpecker
winters in Monroe County.
One of the ways it feeds it
self during the winter is by
chiseling out shallow holes
in the bark of hardwood
trees. These cavities are
often arranged in a circle
around the trunk of a tree.
Sap wells up in these holes.
The woodpecker feeds on
both the sap and insects at
tracted to this sugary treat.
Ruby-throated humming
birds, other birds, squir
rels and even butterflies
will also dine at sapsucker
holes.
Even if redbud trees and
yellow jasmine vines are
blooming in your yard
and sapsucker holes are
brimming in tree sap, early
ruby-throated humming
birds will benefit from an
abundant source of food
that does not require a
lot of effort and energy to
obtain-the food we offer
them in feeders. In fact,
hummingbirds returning
to our backyards to nest, or
those just passing through
on their way north, benefit
from the feeders stocked
with a supply of fresh
nectar. (Homemade nectar
should contain 4 parts of
water to 1 part sugar.)
Some hummingbird
fanciers prefer to scatter a
number of feeders across
their backyard before the
birds arrive. This seems to
work for them. However,
I have always used a much
more prudent approach.
I hang up only two feed
ers. One feeder is placed
just outside our kitchen
window and the other out
side my home office. Each
feeder is only partially filled
with nectar. I take this ap
proach knowing that early
on in the hummingbird
season few hummingbirds
will feed at my feeders.
This reduces the amount of
nectar that I have to throw
away. As the spring migra
tion continues and feeder
use increases, I add more
food and sometimes even
more feeders.
It is hard to fathom that
we are just days away from
the first rubythroats of the
spring zipping down from
the sky and landing on one
of our feeders for the first
time. Are you ready?
Nothing is more disheart
ening than looking out of
your window and seeing
a hummingbird hovering
in the vacant spot where a
hummingbird feeder hung
last spring. Don’t disap
point your hummingbird
neighbors; put up a hum
mingbird feeder today!
Terry Johnson is retired
Program Manager of the
Georgia Nongame-Endan
gered Wildlife Program. He
has written the informative
column Monroe Outdoors’
for the Reporter for many
years. His book, “A Journey
to Discovery,” is available at
The Reporter. Email him at
tjwoodduck@bellsouth. net.
MP girls now
2-0 in region
By Will Davis
publisher™ my mcr.net
The Mary Persons girls soccer team is 7-1,2-0 in Region
2-AAA after beating Crisp County 3-0 on Friday, March
4.
Reagan Benson, Karlie Dell and Karsen Winget each
had goals in the win over the Lady Cougars (5-4,1-2
region).
The girls were set to host FPD (5-0-1) in a non-region
match on Tuesday, March 8. The Lady Dogs then return
to region play at Peach County (2-6-2,1-2 region) on
Friday, March 11 and then at defending region champ
Pike County (4-3,2-0 region) on Tuesday, March 15. The
MP girls may finally have a chance to de-throne the Lady
Pirates. They only beat Crisp County 1-0, and MP beat
the same team 3-0.
FPD suffers first loss of year
The FPD boys soccer team (5-1-2) took its first loss of
the year on Thursday falling 3-2 to Jackson (7-2-1).
The Bulldogs got on the board first when junior striker
Ty Pettigrew beat the defense and put it easily past the
keeper in the first half. But just before half-time the home
standing Red Devils tied it up.
The Vikings retook the lead in the second stanza when
Monroe Countys Gunner Heath arched a free kick off
the turf and past the keeper thanks in part to Pettigrew
distracting the keeper. FPD led 2-1 and seemed in control,
dominating possession for much of the second half.
Jackson was also without one of its best players, Chance
Goddin, sitting out due to a red card in the previous game.
But Jackson wouldn’t go away. They scored two goals late
in the second half that were fumbled by the keeper.
The Vikings were set to play at Mary Persons (6-3-1) on
Tuesday, March 8. Then FPD was slated to play at Strong
Rock (5-6,1-1 region) on Thursday, March 10 and host
Tattnall Square (1-4,1-0) on Saturday, March 12.
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Ruby-throated hummingbirds usually begin to arrive in
Monroe County about the time of the Forsythia Festival.
They II need food whether they stop to nest here or con
tinue their migration. (Photo/Terry Johnson)
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