Hummingbirds and the feeders

[DoctorShavegood]

Lots and lots of activity around both my front and back yard feeders.

I would love to see if members could take pictures of hummingbirds eggs in their nest or better yet their young.

 

[Ad Astra]

*Very few* of my birds left! Maybe 2-3, where there were more than 6.

As I recall, some transients of other species may come in the next few weeks.

AA

 

[DoctorShavegood]

All hummers are gone. We had a few cool night time fronts in the 60's this past week. I suppose it drove them further South. Goodbye my little wonderful friends. See you sgain in late April.

 

[Ad Astra]

Saw *one* yesterday; they've moved on south ...

The Wheel of Seasons turns; these birds are but a moment.


AA

 

[Ad Astra]

Saw two this morning - 70 degrees, cold for them, I think.

Likely passing through ...


AA

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Sadly, our 'hummers' have pretty much 'flown the coop'...for warmer quarters...starting to get a little chilly around here.

[Hummingbirds:] "A flash of harmless lightning...a mist of rainbow dyes. The burnished sunbeams brightening...from flower to [feeder] they fly". John Banister Tabb

PS Be safe 'my little ones' and the Mrs. and I will see again next April - May 2020.

 

[DC_MPA]

Mean little suckers is right....they dive bomb each other screaming obscenities.

That’s spot on! I get such a chuckle sitting on the porch watching how territorial they are on the feeder. Some sit there looking all over the place scared to even drink for knowing they’ll get dive bombed when they do.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

I totally got behind on setting out my 2 feeders this year. Normally its mid March. So yesterday i cleaned and hung them up. Within a matter of minutes they came in to eat.

 

[mikelz777]

It's hard to think of hummingbirds when we went from zero snow to 3" (+/-) of fresh snow on the ground today. I see by the migration map that there has been a sighting reported in central Iowa already so they will probably be in MN early this year. I don't think I saw them until mid-May last year.

I saw a yellow gold finch at my feeder earlier today. It's weird to see a "summer version" of the goldfinch at a feeder covered in snow.

 

[ackvil]

They have been feeding all winter. However, with flowers in bloom they seem to prefer the flowers.

 

[Leo501]

2 years ago I put in 6 plants to attract bees, butterflies and Hummers. Last summer I had my first Hummingbird, Ruby Throat, at 2 Bee Balm plants.

 

[simon1]

I totally got behind on setting out my 2 feeders this year. Normally its mid March. So yesterday i cleaned and hung them up. Within a matter of minutes they came in to eat.

Your reviving this thread got me to putting mine out...the nectar is cooling right now. It's been a mild winter and the flowers are already blooming now, and have been for a bit. I haven't seen any hummers but SWMBO said she has heard the buzz of the wings a couple of times. I'll see what happens.

 

[simon1]

SWMBO said there were three out there yesterday morning, and this little fellow was at it yesterday afternoon. They must have been waiting on it.

 

[tsellati]

It's hard to think of hummingbirds when we went from zero snow to 3" (+/-) of fresh snow on the ground today. I see by the migration map that there has been a sighting reported in central Iowa already so they will probably be in MN early this year. I don't think I saw them until mid-May last year.

I saw a yellow gold finch at my feeder earlier today. It's weird to see a "summer version" of the goldfinch at a feeder covered in snow.

I have seen plenty of goldfinches at my Nyjer seed feeder here in Danbury, CT. They started changing from their winter colors to bright yellow about two weeks ago. Watching them nearly each day you can really appreciate how quickly the yellow coloring comes back.

I still need to set up my hummingbird feeder.

Tim

 

[tsellati]

SWMBO said there were three out there yesterday morning, and this little fellow was at it yesterday afternoon. They must have been waiting on it.

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Out of curiosity, where do you live and what kind of hummingbird is that at the feeder? I am new to hummingbird watching so I am still on the shallow end of the learning curve here in Danbury, CT.

Tim

 

[simon1]

Out of curiosity, where do you live and what kind of hummingbird is that at the feeder? I am new to hummingbird watching so I am still on the shallow end of the learning curve here in Danbury, CT.

Tim

N.E. Texas. The ones around here are just the common Ruby-Throated ones.

 

[tsellati]

N.E. Texas. The ones around here are just the common Ruby-Throated ones.

Ah, I was in Dallas for a few years while I was a postdoctoral fellow. Loved the area. Yeah, we have ruby-throated hummingbirds up here too. It's amazing what I wide range these guys have!

Tim

 

[simon1]

Ah, I was in Dallas for a few years while I was a postdoctoral fellow. Loved the area. Yeah, we have ruby-throated hummingbirds up here too. It's amazing what I wide range these guys have!

Tim

They are very widespread.

Where did you do your thesis at?

 

[tsellati]

They are very widespread.

Where did you do your thesis at?

Ph.D. in infectious diseases from SUNY at Stony Brook, NY. Started my post-doc training at UT Southwestern Medical Center, which I finished up at UCONN Health Science Center in Farmington, CT back in 2000.

Tim

 

[Black Adder]

Out of curiosity, where do you live and what kind of hummingbird is that at the feeder? I am new to hummingbird watching so I am still on the shallow end of the learning curve here in Danbury, CT.

Tim

The only hummers you'll see in Danbury are ruby throats, Tim. Hummer diversity really takes off in the desert Southwest in the United States.

Don