Where are the Ruby-throated Hummers??? What's your count???

Some DGers have lamented their empty HB feeders this spring (while we've had some visitors, it's been nothing like last year's count, either)...

Here's an explanation from Bill Hilton from the Hilton Pond Center of 'Why' the count seems low, especially in the Southeast, that may be of interest... http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek050522.html

How many do you have coming to your feeders??

Is the number Up or Down from past years??

Do you have any 'banded' visitors?

Please let us know...thanks. t.

Hi

This year we saw our first ruby throat on March 23. All the way through April we had about 4 or 5 in the backyard. Starting about May and up until now, we have had very few (see 1 bird two or three times a week). I think they may be nesting, as the same thing happened last year, although we still had more last year. If I remember correctly, the last birds we saw last year were in October, well after the hurricanes.

Still haven't seen any banded or marked hummers.

Mark

Tabasco,
I actually have more hummers this year than last year. I usually only have 1 or 2. There are 4-5 that regularly hang around and at least 1 is a Ruby-throat; there may be 2. They have already gotten used to us and don't spook when I come near the feeder. I so enjoy them!

I got my first one this year! I am so excited! Now, I just have to sit still enough to get a picture of him.

I had about 10 coming up until about a week ago and now I only see a couple late in the afternoon, at least one is a ruby throated. Don't see any during the day. Hot weather maybe>>????

I live in the suburbs of Detroit and rarely see one. This spring I have had a female ruby throat on my red columbine so I immediately put up a feeder in hopes of luring her back. I was very excited to see her in my area.

We haven't seen that many this year either as opposed to last year. Am hoping that will change as I adore these little guys. This is our first full year in Georgia and where we lived before in So. Florida we didn't have a place for feeders, so I never had the chance to even try to attract a hummer, much less see one. Whenever I see these magnificent little guys, I feel like I am seeing a gift from the gods. Here is one of the many many many photos I have taken at my feeder! I think it was a female and she sat there for a good minute watching me at the window, as if to say, "Ok, here I am, take my picture!"

We're in the Princeton, NJ suburbs. 2004 was a banner year. This year we've had only a few females. I guess your surmise about the Florida hurricanes is right on the money. Let's hope that enough survived so that they will increase in numbers as the season proceeds..

Yes, while we have a few visiting our feeders, overall HBs are pretty sparse around here....no orioles either. Nothing compared to last year's counts...

Others seem to have more birds visiting, so maybe ours just haven't arrived yet..mmmm.....I'll ask about it on our local birding website and find out more...we don't have many red flowers blooming yet, either...

Very interesting observations...some up, some down...wonder what the variables are?....

Keep posting your counts...thanks. t.

I usually am seeing them here by now. I let my red salvias reseed and almost takeover because the hummers love them. I have an area right in front of the window in this room so I can see them up close. I've only seen one at a distance in my back yard and that was over a month ago.

Maybe we can get some Native Americans interested enough to perform the "Hummingbird Dance."

You're in charge of that mission now.

There are none here, except for the ones that are running the casinos.

I'm just starting to see them in the last few days and I think only a total of three. Last year we had many more, but maybe they are just arriving. I was wondering about them and other migrating birds because of the storms coming through here last year.

Still only one -- a female -- here. It's a slow year. Hope they return.

We've had just a female Rubythroat - the same one, or different? - at our feeders, for several weeks. In the last couple of days, I've seen a male. As far as I can tell, there's just the one pair. Hopefully, we'll see some offspring around soon . . .

I finally saw one yesterday! I had just been telling my husband how we hadn't had any. I guess it heard me.

Alright! :-)

konkrete~

Are you ready for a Florida humming bird extravaganza. Switch over to the Florida Gardening Forum; Florida Humming Bird thread; and skip down to MzMunchkens photo.

Wow! That picture is GREAT!! Last year I had 3 regular visitors and thought that was a lot!

konkrete~
I guess we need wait for another hurricane -- not really !

I have at least two males and a handful of females that are regulars throughout the day although I see the males mostly in the early morning and late afternoon.

I also have some funny looking, HUGE hummers ;-) coming to eat .... sorry about the graininess of the pic.. it was taken through the window and the screen..



This message was edited Jul 2, 2005 8:51 AM

LOL

Hey, I have had those on my feeder too. lol

MzM~

You've finally convinced me ! No more red color in my hummer feeders.

That pair of house finches have made a nest in a basket I have hanging on the front door.. three little eggs in it.

Flyboy.. I've never used color in my hummingbird feeders. The only EXCEPTION is when I feed the orioles in the winter.. then I use orange to attract them.. but once they are use to coming I just give them plain colored sugared water.

MzM~

We have a multitude of finches. House finches and Golden. They love the oil sunflower seeds, and I buy them in 50 pound bags.

I've already switched over to colorless. Wish me luck.

crossing fingers and toes for you~~

We typically only have the common house finch year round here... we get the purple and the yellow finches during the winters.. when they aren't as beautifully colored as what they are when they head north.

I just saw my hummer again! I let these red salvias reseed in my front bed because the window is right here by my computer so I can watch the hummers. :)))

With the hot temps just about all over the country it is very important to change out the food in your hummingbird feeders at least every two-three days. The food sours in this heat and it would be like us drinking soured milk. If you allow their food to sour they will go elsewhere looking for food... plus..you give them an upset tummy. I never fill my feeders up completely... I put in just enough for a couple of days and keep my stash in the refridgerator to refill the feeders. The mixture will last in the fridge at least 2 -3 weeks.. remember to shake it well before refilling the feeders.

I just put out new food last night. I haven't seen one at my feeder yet tho. I put these little twisty things that blow in the wind on the same shepherd's hook as my feeder. Do you think that might scare them? I might move it and see if it makes a difference. I just saw it in my backyard too. :)

Something like that might scare them. Backyard fruit growers use stuff like that to keep birds from eating the fruit so it makes sense that it might scare the hummers if too close to the feeder.

We always seem to have several pairs. Last year we had the fun of watching parents tend young. The nest was too high to see into it, but we could see the adults coming and going all thru the day. Ivan blew that nest away last fall, but that didn't seem to be too much of a worry for the hummers that returned this year - I have spotted TWO nest, one close to where last years was and one right over my potting table! All three feeders stay busy all day every day.

Now, thats good hear! Wonderful.

I'm still not seeing birds like what we had last year and my feeders are not being emptied--except by me when I put in fresh solution. I think there are still just two or three. I have everything out that they had last year plus more, so don't know what's going on.

Hey gals and guys:

Maybe Dennis will blow them all back.

Hey, Brad.

Yes, imway~

Wassup?

How ya doin? Are you in Jersey?

Doing well, but we decided to fly south, and are on the Key, hunkered down, with the bath tub full of drinking water, and the bar supplied -- so it'll be a nice weekend, whatever happens.

Be well