Garden

[KJPA]

You all are so great for posting these comments with all your advice and pointers! Thanks so much!

Before I get into any other comments about my situation I want to let you know that National Geographic has a teaser clip of a documentary that will be shown again on Thursday, September 25th. I think it's called, "Hummingbird: Aerial Acrobats." Set your DVRs/Calendars so you don't miss it! Here's the link to the short video.

Another documentary titled, "Hummingbird: Flamboyant Feathered Fighters" will air immediately after that. Here's a link to that short video.

I saw a Hummingbird documentary and I'm not sure if either of these was the one I saw. Even these clips look familiar to me so I think at least some of the parts are the same. I just know it was beautiful on our high definition 55" screen TV

Susan Louise - I loved the David Attenborough you tube! My aunt and uncle's place in Illinois looked almost that busy when I was there this spring I kid you not! They probably have about 5 feeders and they are pretty busy little diners!

[tkins]

I just happened to come across your post and wanted to thank you and the other posters for sharing stories and information. I enjoyed reading them all so much. We used to live in the San Diego area and we had 4 hummingbird feeders with tons of hummingbirds (50 - 100) on a daily basis all year round (lots of different kinds and migrators). They were real characters, they would get in my face, chase and scold me when I took the feeders down to clean and refill them and when I returned to hang them back up, they got in my face again, but it always seemed like they were saying thank you and more often than not, I would have to stop in the middle of hanging the feeders back up, staying perfectly still, while I waited for the more impatient ones to finish feeding. I even got to see an albino hummingbird once. I wish I could have brought all of them with me when we moved, I now have 2 feeders and at most 2 dozen or so hummingbirds, but I am happy with what I have and enjoy them as long as I can.

I am not sure if you are familiar with these websites, but these are my go to sites for anything hummingbird related. I found the first one while researching if there was such a thing as a leak proof hummingbird feeder (I was frustrated with not only the feeders I was using, but combined with high winds, I was filling them twice a day http://www.hummingbird-guide.com/ by the way there is such a thing Dr JB's Hummingbird feeder, it is easy to clean and fill and has a no drip design even in high winds. The other hummingbird site I like is http://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/index.php and for general bird information http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search

A few tips that might be helpful, if you have trouble with bees on your feeders, get feeders with red flowers not yellow, yellow attracts the bees. We have had a real problem with Orioles, well they were not a problem until they started chasing off the hummingbirds, then they were no longer welcome. I tried everything and in the end I relented and trimmed almost all of the perch ring, the hummingbirds were fine most of them hovered anyway and there was still enough perch for them if they wanted, but not the orioles. They eventually got tired of slipping off the feeders and me chasing them off and left. An easy way to remember the formula for the nectar is to add 1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water (I make a lot of odd amounts of nectar and this made it easier). I don't recommend using generic/store brand sugar, I did that once and I don't know what they add to it, but the nectar turned cloudy, had mucous like blobs and the feeders molded with in a day or so. There is no need to add red food coloring or use the premade food that is red, they don't need it. The little hummingbird swings work great, but you may have to move it around until they notice it. As soon as I see or think I see my first hummingbird in the Spring the feeders go up, just be patient and observe from a distance, sometimes it takes awhile to find the feeder(s), but once they do, they will most likely come back each year. When it is really hot, clean and refill your feeder daily (I add less to the feeder when it's hot, less waste). I leave my feeders out 2 - 3 weeks after I see my last hummingbird, because there are usually stragglers and even though you may not see them, they are there. Having gone through drought conditions, even if you don't have many hummingbirds, keep your feeders going. It may be the drought causing a lack of hummingbirds, but I think the weather has a lot to do with it too, bad weather may alter the path.

tkins

[nomar]

I live in central Mo. and just in the last two days I have a "swarm" of hummers. I cannot even count them as they zoom in and out of the pear tree and down to the two feeders I have. We only had two regulars all summer that battled each other. I am like you....even though it poured rain today and was cool and damp, I went out and sat on the covered patio after the rain downpour stopped and watched them all. I will have to refill tomorrow. What fun to watch while they are here and I hope and pray they have a safe trip to their new winter homes when they leave here with full tummies.

[gonnab]

An update from Southern Connecticut and it's 9/18. I'm still having hummers at my feeder - I keep expecting them to leave but they were still around yesterday. The weather is cool at night (around 50) but the days are warming to 70 or so.

[nomar]

I am so sad to see my "swarm" of hummers was gone this morning after having them around 3 days. Guess they moved on and someone else will get to enjoy them. I still have 2...probably the same two from all summer. Bet they are glad the rest left. Maybe some more will come in. Like suggested, I leave the feeders up until I am afraid they will freeze.

[Jk9]

Hi all. Enjoyed the posts. We live in SC and have five feeders going. Our birds are territorial and duel all summer. We have noticed fewer birds the last two years....do not know why. We leave our feeders, at least one, up until Thanksgiving to be sure we provide food for the migrators, the latest bird we have seen is late Nov, so we put a feeder out early spring and leave one out for straglers. I use a 4 cups water to 1 cup water. Due to the heat here, I freshen feeders often in summer.

[jackthebear]

I had one or 2 this week I think that might be it for the season.

[itsmagic]

I haven't seen a hummingbird for a week or so and thought that was it for the year. But today I saw one. He was poking around my geraniums in my front yard and my feeder is in the back yard. I sure hope he found my feeder out back.

[Mary Bailey]

Thursday evening there must have been 6 or more humming birds in my backyard at one time. I never saw so many at once. I have 4 feeders in the back and 1 in the front yard.

Today I've only seen a few.

[gonnab]

Well, it is now Thurs 9/14, and I haven't seen a hummer since Sun. Will leave my feeder out for another few days for any stragglers but I think they have left southern Connecticut for warmer places. 41 degrees this morning. UGGGGGGG!