topic Re: Still Got Hummingbirds in Garden

Still Got Hummingbirds

Icegoddess — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 15:57:20 GMT

It's September 15 and I'm still seeing hummingbirds here in N AL. Fall is the busy hummingbird season for me. That's when I see multiples fighting over the feeder. Yesterday I was sitting on the stairs in the garage putting on my gardening shoes and saw one out the window enjoying my red Pentas. This morning I was getting ready to change out the feeder with a fresh one and there was a female feeding, so I'll do it later. That particular feeder I can't tell how much is in the bottom, so when I can't see liquid at the bottom of the glass part, I'll change it out.

I usually leave mine out way into October, but I just wanted to mention in case people were taking their feeders down.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

PA Mom-mom — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:10:36 GMT

@Icegoddess Our hummers went through a feeding frenzy earlier in the week, and now they are gone. Have not seen them in 3 days. I'll keep putting out the nectar for a while in case we get any migrating hummingbirds from the North. Enjoy!

ETA: I'm in southeastern PA.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

GrailSeeker — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:13:41 GMT

@Icegoddess wrote:
It's September 15 and I'm still seeing hummingbirds here in N AL. Fall is the busy hummingbird season for me. That's when I see multiples fighting over the feeder. Yesterday I was sitting on the stairs in the garage putting on my gardening shoes and saw one out the window enjoying my red Pentas. This morning I was getting ready to change out the feeder with a fresh one and there was a female feeding, so I'll do it later. That particular feeder I can't tell how much is in the bottom, so when I can't see liquid at the bottom of the glass part, I'll change it out.

I usually leave mine out way into October, but I just wanted to mention in case people were taking their feeders down.

Southern Iowa/Northern Missouri here. Still lots of hummers here, just like you describe, and quite a bit farther north of you.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

HLP — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:26:35 GMT

@PA Mom-mom wrote:
@Icegoddess Our hummers went through a feeding frenzy earlier in the week, and now they are gone. Have not seen them in 3 days. I'll keep putting out the nectar for a while in case we get any migrating hummingbirds from the North. Enjoy!

ETA: I'm in southeastern PA.

I'm in south western WV near Pittsburg, still here drinking a lot, filling up for their journey. I feed till October the 5 th and usually they are gone for a week before that.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

HLP — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:30:11 GMT

@HLP wrote:

@PA Mom-mom wrote:
@Icegoddess Our hummers went through a feeding frenzy earlier in the week, and now they are gone. Have not seen them in 3 days. I'll keep putting out the nectar for a while in case we get any migrating hummingbirds from the North. Enjoy!

ETA: I'm in southeastern PA.
I'm in south western WV near Pittsburg, still here drinking a lot, filling up for their journey. I feed till October the 5 th and usually they are gone for a week before that.

Don't know where my mind is this morning., I'm in North eastern WV 20 min from Pittsburgh and across the river from Steubenville, Ohio.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

Boomernichols — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:52:38 GMT

@Icegoddess The hummers are visitors that are always welcome at my home also. I live in north Mississippi and we have numerous hummers that are still on a feeding frenzy. ENJOY!

Have you ever been sitting close to your feeder and listened to the flutter of their wings, what a joy!

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

Sweetbay magnolia — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:58:28 GMT

I'm in NoVA and have lots of hummers right now. The most I've had all season.

My feeder has a perch so they don't have to hover. Recently a (very) large praying mantis saw an opportunity to snatch a feeding bird. Yikes! I swatted the entwined duo down with a broom and I don't know what happened after.

Time to go refill the feeder and water the red lobelia.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

amyb — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:21:46 GMT

I'm in CT and

just, sadly, took down my feeder 2 days ago. The two (or 3, I was never sure) regulars I had several times a day everyday had stopped coming. They were so fun to see around each day, slurping down and enjoying that sweet nectar.

After I took it down I saw one, what looked like a "fly-by" on it's way down south, as they will stop along the way. It went to my flowers instead. I can usually tell the fly bys as my regulars were around all day. That one only came once.

I have one more batch of nectar ready to go in the fridge, but I'm not going to bother to put it out because the hornets have started around here now, and they were flying all around the feeder all day. When I took it down to clean it there were two dead ones inside.

So...done for the season. I'd like to fly south right now with those hummers, myself.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

PJinIA — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:21:17 GMT

Still here in NE Iowa...feeding frenzy is a good way to describe their activity now!

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

ValuSkr — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:28:36 GMT

Here in the Northeast, hummers are tanking-up in preparation for their long journey.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

Jk9 — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:29:41 GMT

I am in the north western part of SC and our birds have really slowed down. We had 4 active feeders and it seems only three have some birds still feeding and that number is down. We leave our feeders up until mid October.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

PA Mom-mom — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:39:17 GMT

@amyb We only had a few "regulars" as well. Like you said, 2 or 3. My DD in western MD gets absolute swarms. It looks like WWII dogfights going on around her feeder. When the nectar runs out, they stare at her picture window! Hahaha! She still has plenty of activity.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

kitty60 — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:50:40 GMT

@Sweetbay magnolia the other day I had a praying mantis on my feeder. I have never seen this. I did not know they would go after the little birds.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

Sweetbay magnolia — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:54:16 GMT

Yes, @kitty60 , if I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't believe it.

I've know them to prey on frogs. They are indiscriminate. This was the mom of all mantids. Really, the biggest I have ever seen. Stem to stern she was 6".

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

magicmoodz — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:56:09 GMT

Last week my husband and I were standing at the railing of our balcony and a hummingbird flew right up to me. He couldn't have been more than 2" from my nose when I was so startled I let out a scream.

For reference, I'm in Minneapolis.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

Jk9 — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 18:36:59 GMT

Just watched dueling going on over our western feeder. Most activity I've seen in days. I fresehened that feeder a couple of days ago so I will continue to keep fresh food available.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

Icegoddess — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 19:29:05 GMT

@Boomernichols I usually hear them before I see them, either by the humming of their wings or their twitter.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

GingerHead — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 19:36:16 GMT

We keep our hummingbird feeders up all year here in OR. They migrate in and out at different times and one type, "Anna's hummingbirds" are here year round.

Last winter I had to wrap our feeders in non-LED christmas tree lights to keep them from freezing when we

had a bad snow storm.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

Icegoddess — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 22:18:22 GMT

Oh goodness, I was just out changing out feeders and two came in, one chasing the other. Scared the dickens out of me. Good thing I didn't drop it.

Re: Still Got Hummingbirds

DSD2 — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 23:20:13 GMT

@Icegoddess I'm so happy you and most of the other posters are still having hummingbirds visit.

We had two that came faithfully this year, few in number but beautiful to behold. We hadn't seen any in the past few years so we were so happy and excited to see them.

I'm in southeastern MA and I fear they are gone. I'm keeping the nectar up and two flowering begonias (my last plants) out for a few more days in hope.