Get your Hummingbird feeders up! ;->

Doc, I don't have all the "Thing-a-ma-gigs" you have, but if I open the garage door and sit just inside the door the orioles don't see me and just go about their business. As far as I know I have 2 males and one female. I really like hearing their song. They do get twittering and complaining if the jelly is gone.
One year the feeder was empty and he hung on the screen door and chatted at me when I was in the kitchen. Didn't stop till I filled the feeder.

Our Blue Jays perch and wait for a peanut. They are a bit wilder so they hide in the close by apple tree. As soon as the door snaps shut down they come. They know the chippies and squirrels will beat them to the peanuts if they do not pounce when given the chance.

Wrightie - I'm not sure - first year I have one up....:-) I'm hoping some yummy jelly will attract them.

I usually hear them before I see them (hope this link works) http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=2

They also stay up high in the trees.

No hummer/oriole sightings yet - but, I did see a new bird at the feeder, a catbird ^_^

Ok here is a strange one for you! I was sitting in our hot tub this evening after dinner, around 6:30, this hummer flew by and started flying back and forth in a pendulum motion about 5 to 6 swoops right over my head! It was very weird, and the sound was awesome. I did not look to see if another hummer was in the area or at the feeder, didn't want to scare him away.

I did some research this morning about the hummer's behavor last night it was either Aggression or Courtship by the male depending on what sex hummer was nearby. I have been seeing a female at the feeder the last few days.

Haven't seen a hummer now during this week of colder wet weather. Think they headed back south for all of you to enjoy. They were here two weeks ago in that nice hot weather.

But the bird migration has brought us some very interesting travelers some of which may nest here. Red Headed Woodpecker, Pine Siskins, White Striped Sparrow, White Throated Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Rose Breasted Gossbeak, Carolina Wren, Genny Wren, nesting Blue Birds, nesting Downey Woodpeckers, Wrens and Tree Swallows. All the regulars for our backyard are here too. I've been tossing out nests of the English Sparrow every week. A neighbor has the first Purple Martins seen here in over ten years. They are nesting. They stuck their snoot up at my offering of various Martin Houses and gourds. Maybe their offspring will favor me next year. Been waiting five years for this event in the neighborhood. We have two Marten housing offerings that were presented properly in this area. Next closest known colony is about twenty miles away. In 1971 the flood killed all or most of their food leaving hundreds if not thousands to starve or move South. They take a long time to repopulate a disaster area.

I've finally begun to see hummers on a regular basis at the feeder now, so hopefully they're settling in. ladygardener, isn't that behavior amazing to watch?

docgipe, you've had some nice visitors! I've only seen a Red Headed Woodpecker once, in Indiana, and it was spectacular.

We also have catbirds every summer. They arrived here about a week after we saw the first hummers this year. I've begun leaving suet out in the summer too, since in addition to the woodpeckers, the catbirds (and wrens) just love it, and are very persistent in trying to get to the goods. Fun to watch. They usually will perch on the pole and make attempts to land and cling on the feeder, but I have actually seen one who sat watching for a while, then took off and grabbed the last morsel of suet as it flew by, without ever stopping. Pretty impressive!

If the summer is normal the bear will soon show up ending all bird feeding for us. Know the bear is not far away. Sometimes we for some reason do not get found. We let them up untill we know he found us. Hopefully the feeders just get knocked down without to much damage.

Re: bears and bird feeders: as we have said before - we only THOUGHT we had problems with squirrels!

Hope you don't get found this year. ;-)

Still haven't seen them at the feeders - however, I have seen one in the backyard and we can hear the Orioles - might have to change feeder location ^_^

New birds for us at our feeders this year were rose crested gross beak, indigo bunting, pine siskin. Our hummingbirds are few (mostly male) compared to last year, so I guess it's been the cool and rainy spring delaying higher numbers.

Hubby swears he saw hummer on Sat when I wasn't home! Sooooo, I'm moving the feeders to the back today -

Bec,

Just remember to keep the feeders FAR away from each other, maybe not even in sight of each other - our hummers are really territorial, and I never see more than one at a time at the feeder. Many times, if one lands, before you can count to 3, another has zoomed in to chase it off!

Feisty little critters.... LOL!

Oh, I only have one hummer & one oriole feeder, was planning on leaving one up front and move one to the back

OK, What's with the Hummers? Haven't seen one yet!

Sorry Bec, when you said "move the feeders to the back", I thought you meant you were moving more than one.

I would really love to see an oriole one of these years. They should be around, but we've never seen them, nor have our other bird-fan neighbors.

stormyla, sorry you haven't seen any hummers yet! I've JUST started to see some on a regular basis now, maybe a week or so ago, so maybe yours will show up soon?

FINALLY! After thinking DH was seeing things - I've finally seen a hummer! I was getting bummed and feeling like they were 'dissing' my new & pretty feeders! ^_^

They have been very scarce here thus far this year. I frankly think it has been due to cold wet weather. We see one on a nice day.....maybe the same one twice. The next day weather does a flip to wet and cold then we see them no more. We have lots of natrual flowers open and still do not see them often.

Still none here!

Hey stormyla! I havent seen any here yet either ;(

I was outside on the deck today and was watching "Arnold" our resident cardinal male flitter in the trees, and suddenly a hummer came and chased him away! Arnold 0 - Hummer 10

Bec, I have a bluejay, or some blue bird, that chases everyone away. Do you think the hummer would stay away to avoid him?

Possible, I really don't know enough about them to say for sure, I just know "our" hummers have no fear and chases anyone, including me, around :-) Last year she was mad as heck when I tried to pinch back the basil flowers - it was HERS!

In my backyard, it's been a very different year for the hummers. Usually they are totally full of attitude from the start, chasing anything away, very aggressive and entertaining.

This year, however, we don't know what's going on. We saw some early on, and all seemed normal. Then after a while, I realized we weren't seeing many at all - in fact none on some days.

Asked our next door neighbors (who are avid birders) if they'd noticed anything, and they said the same thing - no hummers for quite a few days.

In any case, in the last couple of days, we've noticed a male and female visiting the feeder at separate times, but both are "jittery" as in not perching on the feeders while feeding, but sipping, then backing up to check things out, then sipping again, etc.

They're coming very regularly now, but this is still a different pattern from years past. I don't know what it means.

Don't think I'll be seeing them chasing any blue jays yet but I'm glad they're here. LOL!

I have only seen one. It has been out in the morning and evening but I don't see him everyday. I didn't see any going to the feeder which I had to take down because of nectar thiefs drinking it all at night. It is feeding on the pestomen and red salvia but not to interested in anything else.

I think they have finally moved in - drinks from feeder every day now - wuhuuuuuuuuu

Now, if someone would use the Oriole feeders I'd really be happy - sigh

Hooray, Bec! I'm glad you finally got some regular visitors! Now let's hope you get to see some orioles.

wisdomskr, what do you think was drinking your nectar at night? Like we need more things to worry about! I know it probably sounds like a ton of trouble, but maybe you could move your feeder inside at night? Mine has a flat bottom, so it could sit somewhere, but if you've got some of the other varieties, I guess that wouldn't work at all.

Messaging with Claypa and some people from the wildlife forum, we have decided it is probably racoons. I moved it to a different location and they ignored it the first night but emptied it again the second. some people recommended building a baffle for the feeder but right now I have taken it down. The ONE I have seen seems to be more interested in the pestemon and salvias.

We do not have nectar feeding bats in the northeast so they were ruled out. I checked with the Department of Natural Resources.

The problem with putting it out every morning (from what I have been told) is the hummers eat 25% of their food for the day by dawn. I can't guarantee I will remember let alone have time to be up that early to get it out.

Finally! Managed to get pics - not the easiest thing in the world

Had to stand completely still - I swear she has eyes in the back of her head

She came back...

These were taken from the kitchen window so they are grainy & I can't use the flash

Shooting through glass and getting these good pix is better than most I have taken or seen by others. Nice job.

Great pix, Bec!

Thanx Doc & Stormy - it's hard taking pics through a window - standing still and not tripping in the dogs foodbowl made for interesting experience :-)

Great pics Bec....
They can be real hard to catch sometimes!
I finally got the girl today...

And the boy just now...

Another week passes cold and wet. Still no boids here. My neighbor did see one.