topic Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!! in Garden

The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Susan Louise — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 01:54:39 GMT

For those that don't know, we don't have Hummingbirds during the Summer breeding season where we are in eastern NE. We only see them during the Spring and Fall migrations.

As of today we have 2 juvie male Ruby-throated hummingbirds that have showed up...WooHoo!

The earliest we have had a Fall migrator was a mature male Ruby-throated on 7/24/2010...and 2 Rufous Hummers...one on 7/29/2009 and one that stayed a few days from 7/28-7/30 in 2010.

The 1st couple of weeks of August we will see a few, but by the 2nd week, the numbers start to increase. We usually peak here about the 2nd week of September and have them through early-mid October

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Jeddy — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 02:28:35 GMT

How exciting. I love the hummers.

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Kachina624 — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 02:44:59 GMT

Seems very early. Maybe they know something we don't know.

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

labloverrr — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 03:04:10 GMT

I'm in CA and just came in from my allotted day to water my plants, a hummingbird was busy going from my feeder to my flowers. Then it rested on a branch and was preening itself. I love them because they are like in their own little world, paying no mind to anyone around them. Last year I was in Costco and they had brought a pallet of some plants. A little hummingbird was going from plant to plant, wasn't even bothered by the crowd that gathered to watch it. Wished I had my camera with me.

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Susan Louise — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 15:14:28 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
Seems very early. Maybe they know something we don't know.

@Kachina624 Actually, they are right on schedule. Some bird species have already begun their Fall migration...like those further north like up in Alaska and Canada. We will start seeing Orioles migrating through here in our area about now through next week too.

All the birds have already been molting...putting on their duller winter plumage for winter. That process takes a month or two before they have all their new feathers.

The end of July may seem early, but if they started migrating later, they may not have enough food available on their way to their wintering grounds...whether it be just down to Texas or the sothern most areas of South America. Each species move on their own schedule.

How do I know this...lots of observing and reading, reading, reading...over several years...HTH

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

mousiegirl — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 20:38:03 GMT

@Susan Louise wrote:
@Kachina624 wrote:
Seems very early. Maybe they know something we don't know.
@Kachina624 Actually, they are right on schedule. Some bird species have already begun their Fall migration...like those further north like up in Alaska and Canada. We will start seeing Orioles migrating through here in our area about now through next week too.
All the birds have already been molting...putting on their duller winter plumage for winter. That process takes a month or two before they have all their new feathers.
The end of July may seem early, but if they started migrating later, they may not have enough food available on their way to their wintering grounds...whether it be just down to Texas or the sothern most areas of South America. Each species move on their own schedule.

How do I know this...lots of observing and reading, reading, reading...over several years...HTH

Yesterday, I was standing in the garden, and a hummer with a red/purplish head came so close to my face, I froze, lol.

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Lilysmom — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 10:25:01 GMT

Where are you located Susan Louise? Our bummers are still here in Nova Scotia. They usually leave mid September. I record their arrival and departure each year. Arrival is usually mid May. LM

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

mousiegirl — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 21:57:43 GMT

Can you find my hummer?

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

flickerbulb — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 22:04:46 GMT

How exciting! They sell humminbird feeders in the stores here, but I have never, ever seen one! It is warm here, so I wonder if they ever wind up here for the winter?

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Mary Bailey — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 23:11:41 GMT

I have 6 feeders. We have had a lot of hummers this year. My siblings are jealous, they hardly have any which is highly unusual for them.

The one by our tv room picture window has a hummer about every 5 minutes. We have had a few hover and seem to be looking in the window at us.

I can lay in my bed and see a feeder. I can hear them chip as they land or depart.

The other three are by the patio. One by kitchen window, one by garage and one in garden. I can hear them when they land at the kitchen window. Sometimes I will see two on the garden feeder. Usually they will buzz each other off of a feeder.

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Susan Louise — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 21:25:04 GMT

@Lilysmom wrote:
Where are you located Susan Louise? Our bummers are still here in Nova Scotia. They usually leave mid September. I record their arrival and departure each year. Arrival is usually mid May. LM

@Lilysmom We are in eastern Nebraska...but not close enough to the Iowa/Nebraska border where the hummingbirds do breed along the river to areas east and north of us...so close, but yet so far

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Susan Louise — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 00:00:17 GMT

@Mary Bailey wrote:
I have 6 feeders. We have had a lot of hummers this year. My siblings are jealous, they hardly have any which is highly unusual for them.

The one by our tv room picture window has a hummer about every 5 minutes. We have had a few hover and seem to be looking in the window at us.

I can lay in my bed and see a feeder. I can hear them chip as they land or depart.

The other three are by the patio. One by kitchen window, one by garage and one in garden. I can hear them when they land at the kitchen window. Sometimes I will see two on the garden feeder. Usually they will buzz each other off of a feeder.

@Mary Bailey They are so much fun and it certainly sounds ike a lot of fun at your place!!! They can also get VERY territorial. I posted a video on you-tube called 'barebackriding hummingbird' if you have time to watch it...I think it's about a minute or less long

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Mary Bailey — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 02:44:04 GMT

@Susan Louise wrote:
@Mary Bailey wrote:
I have 6 feeders. We have had a lot of hummers this year. My siblings are jealous, they hardly have any which is highly unusual for them.

The one by our tv room picture window has a hummer about every 5 minutes. We have had a few hover and seem to be looking in the window at us.

I can lay in my bed and see a feeder. I can hear them chip as they land or depart.

The other three are by the patio. One by kitchen window, one by garage and one in garden. I can hear them when they land at the kitchen window. Sometimes I will see two on the garden feeder. Usually they will buzz each other off of a feeder.
@Mary Bailey They are so much fun and it certainly sounds ike a lot of fun at your place!!! They can also get VERY territorial. I posted a video on you-tube called 'barebackriding hummingbird' if you have time to watch it...I think it's about a minute or less long

@susan Louise I watched your video, Love it! lol! looks like a little nookie to me I used to have Zebra Finches, they were very "romantic"

We were sitting on the patio tonight and we had one hover about two feet away from us just looking at us! I guess he is a Motown fan!

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

mousiegirl — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 02:15:23 GMT

@Susan Louise wrote:
@Mary Bailey wrote:
I have 6 feeders. We have had a lot of hummers this year. My siblings are jealous, they hardly have any which is highly unusual for them.

The one by our tv room picture window has a hummer about every 5 minutes. We have had a few hover and seem to be looking in the window at us.

I can lay in my bed and see a feeder. I can hear them chip as they land or depart.

The other three are by the patio. One by kitchen window, one by garage and one in garden. I can hear them when they land at the kitchen window. Sometimes I will see two on the garden feeder. Usually they will buzz each other off of a feeder.
@Mary Bailey They are so much fun and it certainly sounds ike a lot of fun at your place!!! They can also get VERY territorial. I posted a video on you-tube called 'barebackriding hummingbird' if you have time to watch it...I think it's about a minute or less long

Susan Louise, I just watched your video, LOL. That was one determined hummer, LOL!

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Susan Louise — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 13:55:54 GMT

@Mary Bailey wrote:
@Susan Louise wrote:
@Mary Bailey wrote:
I have 6 feeders. We have had a lot of hummers this year. My siblings are jealous, they hardly have any which is highly unusual for them.

The one by our tv room picture window has a hummer about every 5 minutes. We have had a few hover and seem to be looking in the window at us.

I can lay in my bed and see a feeder. I can hear them chip as they land or depart.

The other three are by the patio. One by kitchen window, one by garage and one in garden. I can hear them when they land at the kitchen window. Sometimes I will see two on the garden feeder. Usually they will buzz each other off of a feeder.
@Mary Bailey They are so much fun and it certainly sounds ike a lot of fun at your place!!! They can also get VERY territorial. I posted a video on you-tube called 'barebackriding hummingbird' if you have time to watch it...I think it's about a minute or less long
@susan Louise I watched your video, Love it! lol! looks like a little nookie to me I used to have Zebra Finches, they were very "romantic"
.
.
We were sitting on the patio tonight and we had one hover about two feet away from us just looking at us! I guess he is a Motown fan!

@Mary Bailey Glad you enjoyed the video! Well,..no,...not nookie. I had to turn off the comments on the video because everyone thought that too no matter what I said to prove otherwise.

They were both Fall migrating juvie males and one took being territorial to an extreme. This was the comment I left under the video:

The juvie male hummingbird on the back of the juvie male was determined to pry off the intruder from 'his' own personal feeder!

"Yes, as Hummingbird enthusiasts know, they are territorial 365 days a year. However, I think this one was going for world domination...starting with one enemy at a time...yikes! Giddy up...LOL"

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Lilysmom — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 21:17:19 GMT

@Susan Louise wrote:
@Lilysmom wrote:
Where are you located Susan Louise? Our bummers are still here in Nova Scotia. They usually leave mid September. I record their arrival and departure each year. Arrival is usually mid May. LM
@Lilysmom We are in eastern Nebraska...but not close enough to the Iowa/Nebraska boarder where the hummingbirds do breed along the river to areas east and north of us...so close, but yet so far

@Susan Louise,I should proofread more! Our 'hummers', not 'bummers'. I know you get it!😄! LM

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

Susan Louise — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 21:23:47 GMT

@Lilysmom wrote:
@Susan Louise wrote:
@Lilysmom wrote:
Where are you located Susan Louise? Our bummers are still here in Nova Scotia. They usually leave mid September. I record their arrival and departure each year. Arrival is usually mid May. LM
@Lilysmom We are in eastern Nebraska...but not close enough to the Iowa/Nebraska boarder where the hummingbirds do breed along the river to areas east and north of us...so close, but yet so far
@Susan Louise,I should proofread more! Our 'hummers', not 'bummers'. I know you get it!😄! LM

@Lilysmom Me too...notice I used 'boarder'...not 'border'....time to edit again...LOL

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

thisbe — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 12:27:49 GMT

I have an orange/red ceramic fish chime (I bought at the Q) that hangs from the pergola over my deck. When I was eating lunch yesterday, a hummingbird was repeatedly circling it--wondering where the pollen was, I guess.

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

kitty60 — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 19:50:48 GMT

I find them very social. If a feeder gets low they will hover in front of my kitchen or sunroom window until they get my attention. After cleaning and refilling they come right back. My cat loves to lay under their feeder as they buzz about. (She is not a hunter, caught a bird once that flew into our door and was unconcious. She walked around with it in her mouth and looked at me like where should I put it?)

Re: The Fall Hummingbird Migration has begun!!!

blackhole99 — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 02:34:16 GMT

Where we live in the NE the hummers show up in April and usually don't leave until September sometime. I keep the feeder going until October just in case there's a stragler.