Canaan, N.Y. — The sight of snow in April makes it hard to believe that a vast contingent of ruby-throated hummingbirds is, at this very moment, making a beeline for the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. But it’s true: By this time every April, thousands of the miraculously architected creatures have passed the midway point of their annual journey north from their winter vacation areas in places such as Key West, Havana and Cancun to their summer breeding grounds in your very own backyard. Many cross the Gulf of Mexico each year to spend the summer with us, and quite a few have already arrived in our area or have passed through on their way farther north. (Bird geeks have already spotted Ruby Throats this month in Hillsdale, Westfield, Amherst, and several locations in Connecticut.
So if you haven’t already deployed your hummingbird feeders, it’s time to hustle! The last thing you want this week is the heartbreaking sight of a ruby-throated hummingbird hovering outside your window, wondering where the food is.
