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Asking Good Questions About the observer: When an unusual sighting is reported, a scientist might first ask about the observer: What was his or her experience? Did he or she know how to identify rufous hummingbirds? In this case, there were many observers reporting rufous sightings. And we know that several of them were official hummingbird banders! About the weather/climate: A scientist might also ask about the weather or climate in the area where the hummers were spotted. The colors on this map show how much above or below normal temperatures were in October - December 2008. (This was just before the sightings). What do you notice? October - December 2008: How Temperatures Differed from Normal Image: NOAA, National Climate Data Center       Copyright 1997-2011 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Contact us.