Reply
Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,568
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Fall Hummingbird migration...

Just wanted to share...

Oh, how DH and I LOVE this time of year! Since we are birding enthusiasts, of coarse we enjoy them all, but the Fall migration period is our favorite time of year, even though bittersweet...sad to see some birds leave while others return...like the Harris's Sparrow and Juncos.

In the area where we live (eastern Nebraska), the Ruby-throated don't breed here during Spring/Summer, so we will only see some in the late Spring (end of May-early June) migrate through, and LOTS during the Fall migration. Many folks on the west coast have hummers all year long...they are SOOO lucky!

Today was one of those days I was able to spend a couple of hours outside and enjoy all of what nature has to offer. I put on my layers of clothes (it's COLD here today...BRRRRR...not even 60!), made a hot cup of coffee and put in my thermal mug, and brought the camera. I sat on our patio with full view of our gardens and the hummer feeders.

Today we have 5 of them...all juvie males. The last mature male visitor we had left yesterday morning and we have yet to have a female stop by (we document all our visitors)....should start seeing them soon!

Anyway, I completely understand their 'territorial issues', but it's too bad they can't learn to share...lol. We have more feeders out than hummers today so they can each have their own...but NOOOOO! Of coarse, they can't look at reasoning {#emotions_dlg.rolleyes}

Their chases can be fun to watch, and other times sad...especially when there is a new arrival that is rail thin and needs some nourishment and can't get to a feeder or a flower in the garden. There just is no room at the inn at times for them...poor things.

Every once in awhile they are able to sneak in past the 'guards' (those who established their 'temporary' territory) til they migrate on. I can almost read some of their minds. For example, earlier this moring there was one juvie male hummer on a branch on our porch which has 2 feeders. About 5' away, on the farthest feeder from the hummer on the branch, sat another juvie male...that just perched on the feeder and glancing over at the one on the branch as if to say "nobody here but us feeders"! {#emotions_dlg.laugh}

A side note...already started to see Warblers migrating through early last week...Sept 2nd! Usually we don't start seeing them migrate through til about the 3rd week of September. Between that and the temps we are having this week (we might have FROST tomorrow night!!! {#emotions_dlg.scared}), I hope that isn't an early sign of a LONG BITTER COLD winter...

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,202
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Fall Hummingbird migration...

I enjoyed your post, Susan Louise. You do sound like quite a bird enthusiast. Have you ever done the bird counts? Those are fun, and since you know your birds, I'm sure you can contribute a lot.

I had a strange hum season, and soon they will up & leave. Finally I bought a different feeder (bee proof); I just keep one. But it was pretty quiet the whole hum season long.

We're in a Canadian geese fly zone of sorts, and I am so happy they planted corn around us, which will draw them in. I really do have a thing for geese, their flying formations & even their chatter, even though I wouldn't want them on my lawn. Smiley Happy The cooler air and moving fronts will bring them this way, so I'm looking forward to that.

I have no idea what our winter will bring. I heard or maybe read an old wives' tale that when the weeds are high, the snow will be a lot. Weeds in the fields around here seem kind of short to me.

Enjoy your birds! I haven't listened to my bird songs in a long time, because who has cassette tape players anymore!?

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,206
Registered: ‎08-08-2011

Re: Fall Hummingbird migration...

I love watching the hummingbirds too. I also bought a new bee proof feeder just a couple days ago. My old feeder was fine until recently it started attracting many bees. After watching the bees chase away the hummingbirds, I said to myself - that's it - I'm getting a new bee proof feeder! Unfortunately since then I haven't seen any hummers. It is very cool here too so I hope they haven't already left for the season.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,820
Registered: ‎12-24-2010

Re: Fall Hummingbird migration...

The hummers have left central New York and I thought they were headed for warmer areas; but you state how cold it is where you live and you're watching the migration. I'm surprised since we're told they head for Mexico and South America. Did some make a wrong turn LOL ?

I took down the feeder (w/ant guard) down Tuesday. The Ruby-Red DOES breed here during the summer and the last one I saw a week ago was a tiny little green "H" - I'd guess a baby female. Fighting over the feed has been going on during August, which happens when those flying through invade other "H" territory.

They won't be back in my area until late May. Here comes winter!!!!!{#emotions_dlg.ohmy}

Contributor
Posts: 44
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: Fall Hummingbird migration...

Loved your post, have had hummers for years but this is the first year that we have had 2 that have been so territorial over the 2 feeders we have out. We live in central Indiana and it's just now getting cool weather. Yesterday we had torrential rains and there they were, one perched on the top of the little stand that the feeder hangs from and the other one on the tomato cage that is next to the hanging feeder on the outside of the patio. They sit there all day and into dusk so that the other one doesn't come over and steal his food. Needless to say, they were drenched and since it was quite windy they really had to hang on. Love these little guys and wish them luck on their pending journey.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,519
Registered: ‎08-20-2014

Re: Fall Hummingbird migration...

I loved your post! I am preparing to bid farewell to my summer guests. I have the meanest alpha female this year. She is so mean I named her Leona! Early in the summer, after the babies began arriving at the feeder, she would let them feed together. Soon she was chasing them. And her poor hen-pecked mate! The morning ritual was, she would hide in the lilacs, and he would arrive all sleepy-eyed at the feeder, groom and stretch, then begin to feed. Swift as an arrow Leona would swoop in and beat him up!

The male seems to have left early - I don't blame him!

Contributor
Posts: 70
Registered: ‎03-28-2010

Re: Fall Hummingbird migration...

Had one at our hanging plant this morning!Love how they like to look right at we humans as if inspecting us for nectar too!Beautiful gray/bright green color.So cute!!!!
Super Contributor
Posts: 465
Registered: ‎04-19-2010

Re: Fall Hummingbird migration...

Here in NW Ohio, on the shores of Lake Erie, there have been more hummers in my garden than I have seen in 25 years. I have seen up to a dozen at a time buzzing our flowers and feeders. They are nature's jewels.

They are very busy today fattening up for their big trip. I hate to see them go.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,634
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Fall Hummingbird migration...

We live in the mid-south and have hummingbirds from mid-April to mid-October (I can almost set my calendar by how punctual they are). Right now they’re getting themselves beefed up for migration as soon as our first cold snap hits (it’s still very warm here). We have approximately 50-60 birds, and they are frenetic! We used to live the in southwest and had many different varieties but not as many, and they stayed all year.

There are a few that like to sit atop the feeders and try to guard their territory, but now there are just so many birds that they don’t have much luck hogging anything. Even though there are many disputes among them, when they get tired enough there will be an entire feeder full of hummingbirds (one on each hole) just quietly drinking and tolerating each other until one comes in from the woods and scatters the whole group. They keep me hopping filling up the feeders as they go through at least 10 cups of solution per day right now.

As they leave in small groups, the ones that are left calm down. Then one day, not a one appears and you know they’re gone for the season. But they’ll be back next spring ready to go at it all over again. In the meantime, I'll be feeding the songbirds during the winter.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,653
Registered: ‎07-07-2012

Re: Fall Hummingbird migration...

I had a nice long reply and questions and of course this stupid web page wiped it all out {#emotions_dlg.mad}

First, thanks to everyone for posting. Your writings are all so entertaining and I enjoyed them immensely.

Second, how can I coax hummers into my yard? I saw one in June and another in July. The second time he flew up and looked me right in the eye. I could have reached out and touched him but I didn't move a muscle!! He flew up into a tree and I haven't seen one since.

I have a nice feeder, make my own sugar solution (3 to 1) and hang it on a shepherd's hook in the middle of a RED honeysuckle vine! What more could the little suckers ask for? We have three large trees in our back yard, the feeder hangs next to a west-facing window in the backyard, and gets about 2-3 hours of direct sun each day. Shade the rest of the time.

We have lots, I mean LOTS of other birds in our yard. Not sure what you guys think is a lot but I have used one tube feeder all summer and I go through 25 lbs of sunflower chips every month. To me that's a lot of birds eating Smiley Wink My mother calls our house the Bird Diner, open 24 hours a day. She was actually scared the first time they showed up because they were making a lot of noise in their "waiting line" we call trees. It calmed down after a day or so. I guess they got their territories straight!!

The largest birds are the doves but there are only a few of them. The biggest eaters are the goldfinches, purple martins (I think,) and sparrows. We also have robins, chickadees, a few cardinals, and occasionally a duck or goose wanders by. I've seen one or two woodpeckers and Blue Jays too. But not lately. Even the starlings seem to be gone now but I don't miss them.

Do I have too many birds for the hummers to feel comfortable? Is there not enough sun? Too much sun? Do they need water nearby? There is plenty of cover for them with all the bushes and trees we have but we don't have many flowers in the backyard. I tried having a birdbath but the squirrels get in it and knock it over Smiley Wink

Any ideas for me to prepare for next year's hummers? I had the feeder out right on time this year!! TIA

{#emotions_dlg.w00t}

KJPA