Hummingbird Migration Zone 9A

When I should bring in my hummer feeders?

Hi MS, I don't bring mine in till November. Don't you get some winter ones?

I really don't know. This is the first year I've had them.

Then I would leave it up all winter unless it gets very cold.

Actually unless you live down south, soon would be the time to bring in the feeders. I know soon I will be bringing in mine. I've already heard flocks of geese going south for the winter. That's how the hummers get there. Last week started the hummers trip down south. When I see that the feeder isn't going down anymore, then I will bring it in. Last year I left it up and it got so cold out that the feeder broke. Not this year.

I leave mine out longer for those that get a late start due to injury etc. Most hummingbird experts will even ask that you leave your feeders out longer for these late guys.

It's a complete myth that hummers fly south on the backs of geese. Here's an paragraph from Hummingbirds net site that talks about it.
http://hummingbirds.net/about.html#piggyback

The migration actually started last month when the early mature males leave.

Have a nice day. ^_^

Hmm - I'm just below the FL/GA border. I'll leave it up for now. I'm sure we'll have some "tourists" fly through!

Since I live up north, I don't want to leave it out too long. We have a frost coming about this week. Which means soon no more hummers.

I leave one feeder up into November just in case. I have to bring mine in at night anyway due to raccoons.

Raccoons?

I have raccoons where I live and they love the sweet nectar. So I have bring my feeders in at night.

Same problem with the coons. So far they've destroyed or taken off two hummer feeders in order to get at the sweet liquid. So for now I've given up. You never know when those cursed things will be out...sometimes during the day, even. I'm plotting a relocation...no, not myself! They have to go! Same thing goes for the "brew". Yeah, it wouldn't last long here! This year I think I live in the coon capitol of Texas...not to mention wild hogs! I don't mind the deer...they're nice by comparison with the real offenders.

Now I just couldn't deal with wild hogs, no way!!!

Im in 9a and Im swamped with hummers right now! This pic doesn't even do the numbers justice!
Have they already passed you?

This message was edited Sep 21, 2008 9:35 PM

Luckily I don't have any problems with wild hogs or raccoons! I had one hummer about 3 mornings ago before sunrise, but that is all I've seen. I sure do miss them :(

We have had more hummers since Ike came through, I bet heavenscent got a lot from Ike too. Those are massive amounts in the pic, I can't imagine there is more!!!

I had 1 here yesterday.

I stil have 4-5 here!

I really don't like it this time of the year. The hummingbirds start to leave, plants start to die, weather goes crazy. I love spring when it all begins. I love to sit out on the patio and watch a slow rain or feel a cool breeze blow. I like to take my coffee out there and just enjoy nature. But there is nothing we can do about it. I guess we will have to wait for next spring. LOL

My feeders look like Heavinscent's. I have lots of hummers all summer but along about August, I get LOT'S of the little buggers! I have to fill the feeders 4 times a day. They are beginning to thin out just a little as some of them leave for points south but I still have enough to keep me filling the feeders 3 times daily. I won't take my feeders in till December. I always miss them but they are replaced by the deer and their fawns coming out into our food plot we put down by the creek--they're fun to watch too.

I had a hummer yesterday! He took a seat at the feeder and filled up. They are so cute!

I said this in the BW forum but there are recent reports of hummingbirds still up in Canada so many of you might still be seeing migrators coming through for a while.

I still have at least 2. Usually around Oct. 1 is my last one, but it has been so warm here that I'm not sure they'll feel the need to move on as quickly. I leave the feeder up for about 2 more weeks after that.

It would be so incredible to see those huge numbers of hummers.

Here is a picture I took yesterday. The back of a hummer :)

Another taken about a second later

Nice shots!!

We leave our feeders up all year round. There are numerous winter visitors that enjoy the nectar such as the goldfinches. I have a picture of a common old sparrow at the feeder. Right now just the female hummers are left and really enjoying jockeying for position at the feeders. I had some kind of black and white bird at the feeder very briefly the other day. Ike must have blown him in. He was almost as small as a hummer and smaller than a Carolina Wren. He landed and then took off almost immediately probably saying to himself "Hmmmmm - I'm definitely not in Kansas anymore".

Ann

Bringing in feeders so they'll migrate is an old myth that maybe we can help put to sleep. I've read that they leave only when they've put on enough weight to make the trip to winter grounds. This year with Hurricane Ike (as with Rita/Katrina 3 yrs ago) I've seen hoards of hummers who must have waited for favorable migration conditions. Birds are so smart! We have a place out north of Houston and hummer #'s were in the 18-20 range for the two weeks following Ike. Then, they hovered and waited their turn at the feeder ports - no fighting at all.

A Louisiana HB expert on another bird forum recently posted the formula for #'s of HB's present. She said count what you can see at one time and multiply that # by 3 or 4. Many of them are resting in trees or insect hunting, and not at feeders, so that is the number to multiply.

This week, north of Houston - they've dwindled to 2-5 birds and are fighting again! I clean my feeders weekly and leave them up (north of Houston) for a long time into winter. In Houston, I'll leave the feeders up all winter - cleaning them regularly (don't want them to have upset stomachs!) and re-hanging them if I see any takers.

Glad to know you've got a few still heading south. I'll keep up the feeders for them!

Mine have slowed a bit but I'm still filling the feeders daily. We have a nasty one now that has claimed all three of my feeders and seems to have a pattern around the house. He has a different look than the usual green bodys with red heads. He is more brown or maybe rust colored and the beak is longer. We also have some that have yellowish bodys and red throats. We have never seen those here before so we are really excited about them.
This has really been a good year for hummers here. I hope next year is just as good!
Caren

I haven't had any hummers since my last post. Or, if I have they've been by really early in the morning. I'm leaving the feeders out since we're still in "Summer" mode.

Here are my pics from this morning.

Always go after their favorite, the Firebush.

Love that Firebush!

Was also looking for blooms on the Golden Dewdrop, but they are scarce right now.

Awwwwww - you are so lucky to still have them! They are so sweet. I took my feeders down because we haven't had any more migration.

Great pictures!

Nice to see pics of them GP!

More pics taken yesterday.

Wish I could get better shots....these things move so FAST!

Resting shot, but out of the light.

Soooo cute! What are your temps down there?