Well it looks like it is time to take in your feeders in North Idaho.  We were able to enjoy our humming birds longer this year.  We saw the last young one about 3 days ago.  The Rufous Hummingbird has the long solo flight of  more than 5,000 miles a year. It flies from central Mexico to Alaska and back again. We are lucky to live right in the flower corridor of these migrating wonders and often have 60 birds at each feeder.  The males leave first followed by females several weeks later. On the south-bound journey the young leave last, flying alone on their first migration with no adult to guide them.

In its migration to Mexico, the tiny Ruby-throated hummingbird, tackles the sea crossing with a a cruising speed of about 27 miles an hour.  If all goes well it will make it in about 18 hours.  It is a wives tale that hummingbirds hitch a ride on geese, but I am sure these little guys wish they could. 

Goodbye hummingbirds, hello eagles.  While we have Eagles all year round here, we will have thousands of these white headed buteos come in the next few months to enjoy the fishing on the lake.  If you are an Eagle lover, think about coming in for the Eagle watching cruises.  There is nothing like having eagles land on the boat.  smile