News has reached me from friends in Groton, Massachusetts, that their hummingbirds have arrived. I keep track of their arrival date here. In 2011, I had mine in the yard on April 30. In 2012, it was May 1. Other years, later, May 18 in 2013. Most years, somewhere in between, with its being closer to the start of May.

It’s time to put out the feeders. We have no black flies for them yet, nor their favorite flowers. Ours fly more than 3,000 miles from their winter habitat in Mexico, at 30 miles per hour! Let’s be ready for them.