Hummingbirds are on their way!

I watch this site every year, gives me a good idea when to put the feeders up. Anything to help spring along.

http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html

Thanks for posting this, I wouldn't have started looking for another couple of weeks! Too Fun.

What a great site! Thanks, ladygardener1. This will be a really fun way to watch their progress - they can't get here too soon!

Barb

One hummingbird site reported in MD yesterday! I love this site, Ladygardener!

I was just wondering if it was too early to put out a feeder yet. Thanks for the heads up.

Holly, I look at 2 things, I have a flowering quince in my yard that is where I see the hummers first, so if it is ready to bloom that is one sign the other is how close are they to you on the map.
I don't fill the feeder up full the first time I hang it. When I get more activity I put more food out. Refrigerate the rest.
The scout hummers will show up early, so I like to hang out the welcome feeder.

So it's ok to start putting them out now?

Yep, Chantell. I've heard that when the buckeye blooms, the hummers are usually close.

yippeee....they're going out tomorrow then

I'm putting up my feeder today and will call my Dad and tell him to get his out, too. Thanks for the heads up. Here is a picture from last summer. I just couldn't quite get the kind of shots I wanted with my old camera. Can't wait to see how I do with the new one.

Holly, I checked last years Hummer map and noticed a siteing in your area March 31st.
I have to wait till around the latter part of April, I think the mountains get in their way, probably a lack of food source.
Did you know Hummers eat tiny insects for protein? I wondered why I would see them flying around the branches of my tall spruce, no flowers, then I realized they are after tiny bugs!
I also came to the conclusion that when their young ones hatch they are busy feeding them insects instead of our sugar water, that is why they are abscent from my feeder for a while.

I would so love to find a Hummer nest. I have only seen pictures of them. I think they may have had one in one of my trees but I could never find it and wasn't sure if there was actually a nest in the tree or if it was just a good staging area being close to the Trumpet vine.

I'm with you Holly on finding the nest, but those little guys fly so fast I could never follow one to see where it goes. The neighbors would really think I was nuts, running around the yard, watching something they cannot see and peeking into bushes.
They are already scratching there heads when I am looking at all the milkweed leaves looking for monarch cats to raise.

I live in Central Al. This morning I've spotted my very first hummer through my window!

Bump

Thanks for the bump! Time to get those feeders up... :-)

Windows are washed. Feeder cleaned and filled.

HUMMER SIGHTING tonight in Falls Church!!!

Based on the hummer migration web site information, I decided to cook up some nectar and put my feeder out tonight.

I am not making this up... about 7 PM, I put the feeder out, and by the time my DH & I were sitting on the patio, with our glasses of wine and the binoculars, a very handsome male hummer visited the feeder. This was about FIVE MINUTES after the feeder went up!!!!

He visited 4 more times before it got dark. Yippee! The Catbirds can't be far behind.

Barb

PS: We also saw a few bats.

By the way, thanks very much to ladygardener1, who posted the link to the Hummingbird Migration Map!

It was really fun to watch their progress North as months passed.

Barb

Barb,

Send him my way. It's only a couple of miles.

I put my feeder up today! Now for the 1st visitor.
I am glad you all are enjoying the site, it has been a favorite of mine for a long time.
I did some cleaning out of my watergarden yesterday and my frog started talking to me, I think the water I put in was too cold for him and he started to complain. LOL

Pennefeather, I've seen him again today between breaks in the rain - I'll ask if he's got any "friends" he can send your way.

It's SO nice to see hummers again!

ladygardener1,

Hope you get to see some soon. I suspect if I'd put my feeder up a few days earlier, I'd have seen some sooner, too. He couldn't have just arrived the minute I put my feeder out last night!

The site is really fun - I've shared it with many fellow hummer fans.

I saw my first hummer of the season on Sat. DH spotted him visiting my yet unplanted hydrangea on the deck. I haven't gotten my feeder out yet, so I wasn't expecting to see him. What a pleasant surprise!!