Ruby-throated Hummingbirds Vol.15

Another nice one nanny, Pretty much just the girls here too and doing the same. I've read that the females and juvies are the last to leave and they are usually on there way and gone by the middle of October.

Yeah...October 10 was the last day for hummers here last year.

I have a new one this morning.

also, look at that belly!

oops.

Wow, Looks like a balloon! She's ready for her travels!! Nice ones Mrs._Ed!

THat was on the front of the house. A bit later I spotted one on the back of the house. Oddly, it flew to the empty peanut silo! Then to a branch, then finally made it over to the flowers and one of the feeders in the back!

How do you suppose these migrants find the feeders?

You know Mrs._Ed, I was wondering myself how the migrants find the feeders???

It's just odd to me. Especially when these are tucked away in the garden. Not like Geese can see a big pond!

Yes really, I hope someone comes along and can kind of explain it, It is a little baffling when you think about it.

Me too. I can fully understand and accept the whole "I'm a bird and I have a built in GPS to tell me what yard is MINE In the summer." But the migrants… hmmm, curious.

LOL!

Red is a big target to them - they fly over 100 gardens and suddenly see a spot of red, and dive down to inspect; if it's a flower or a feeder, they stop to feed, if it's berries or autumn foliage, they carry on and hope for better in the next garden. I'd guess they get quite good at distinguishing flowers and feeders from other stuff from quite a way off.

Resin

do these migrate at night like songbirds?

AFAIK, they're daytime migrants, but not 100% certain.

Resin

thanks!

Mrs. Ed, Very nice pics there!

Been forgetting . . .

ah, very good. just a chunky guy.

Just wanted to add that I saw my first fall Hummingbird today. No time for a pic, though.

I stopped by this forum because I love hummers. We are down to the migrants now. I'm not having to fill my feeders three times a day.

I have to share a remarkable thing about the tiniest of birds. Huuricane Ike went right over our area. From sun up the 13 th to sundown, no matter how high the winds or hard the rain, these little guys fed nonstop. Sometimes they approached the feeders sideways so as to buffet the wind and sometimes just as they got to one, a gust would come and blow the little one away. My feeders are all under the eaves and on the front porch, so they were somewhat sheltered. I just found it remarkable that the cardinals, nuthatches, chickadees, dove, buntings, woodpeckers, and jays only ate if there was a lull in the wind and rain, which only happened when the eye went over.

Hummers, gotta love 'em.

Thanks resin!

gardenpom, You might not have had time for a pic, But, At least you got to see him. :)

Texasgrower, I enjoyed the story, Thanks for posting it! Those hummers are tough little guys!!

Today, I had my camera set to shoot the hummers and up in back of where the hummers feed, Bluebirds came in, They were Sooo Blue.. Sooo Pretty, I didn't want to reset my camera so I didn't get any pic's of them unfortunately, And also, Before I got my camera out to get pictures, I saw a hummingbird sitting at the feeder drinking- Another flew in right above the one that was drinking.. And the one that was drinking, Leaned almost all the way bent over backwards and they continued fighting like that for about a brief minute, I have never seen anything like that! I wish I could have gotten a picture of it!!!

Heres my shot from today... More to follow later...

Texas, That is a good story. They are incredible little birds.

Nice pic Iris!

They really are incredible. I have just the few and am already missing them twitter when I'm outside. Well, will clean up the feeders and store until March. Must get ready for the goldfinches.

don't do it yet! I still have one a day up here!

Texas, leave it up for a while you might get late ones passing thru!!

Mine appear to have left today. No sign of our girls this morning. But, I am fixing a new batch of nectar for any migrators that may come thru.

This was so wierd yesterday. The little one was perched on the branch, sitting there so happy when the bigger one come diving down at her. This pic shows the result. I was standing inside the window. I was like OMG...she just killed the little one!!!

A few seconds later she swung upright and was off chasing the other one!

What maybe my last hummer pic for this year.

Thats wild nanny! Thanks for posting it.

Yes I completely agree leave the feeders up for a while yet.

nanny, That looks just like the photo that I missed out on when one hb was attacking another at the feeder! It was hanging from the feeder like that but still fighting with the other hummer! ...You caught the action, glad you posted it!

Freaky ain't it!!

Yes it is!

My hummers are down to one or two a day here in town. I went to my sister's house in the country yesterday and she has five or six. She had dozens at one time just a week ago. Here is a pic at her house yesterday.

So nice to have more then one at once! Would like to have that here! Nice photo!

I can report another one this morning. No pictures though. This is the latest they have been here.

I still have two feeders up. I don't take them down until I have seen no hummers for a couple of weeks. I usually have at least one feeder up until the first of Nov. or so. When I said time to take down the feeders I mean the numerous I have up. I read an article in Birds and Blooms last year where a woman who lived in the north somewhere had a hummer winter over. I wouldn't want that. I'd be a nervous wreck worrying about it.

Anyway I have at least one female and one juvenile male. Love all the pics.

Oh...okay... didn't mean to scare ya!

Within 2 minutes of putting fresh nectar out we had a female visit. I didn't get a pic of her, but a little later I spied this fellow getting a drink!

Ours are all puffed up on these cool mornings and look like little pigs. Of course once they warm up they are nice and lean again. I wish it was that easy for me I'd stay hot all the time. :)

Wow Nanny! Nice older male!

Thats really amazing you have a mature male! Maybe it was one of those in Canada.

LOL Texasgrower! Me too!!!

Nice pic of the male nanny! I had a male here today too, But, Didn't get a pic of it, Also had a couple females and a juvie male ...Few of this evenings photos..