Anyone else have an unusually large number of hummingbirds this year?

[Gem99ultra]

It's looking like the population here in mid-Georgia is starting to pickup. We're up to 4 now over last week's 1. Last year we had around 50 during peak time, i.e. June/July.
There are, of course, most welcome. Right now, instead of humming birds we're seeing Canada geese. Those are up from the year-round 2 pair to about 30 or so. I suppose they're on their way to some cooler northern states.

 

[thepumpguysc]

The geese have made it to S. Carolina.. mid State by the lakes..
I woke up to honking this morning.. they were all over my back and side yard..

 

[LouNY]

The geese have made it to S. Carolina.. mid State by the lakes..
I woke up to honking this morning.. they were all over my back and side yard..

Damned noisy crapping things, plus they play hell in a newly sprouted corn field.

 

[goeduck]

With your feeder success my guess is red color isn’t a factor…

I am sure red helps, but you could always add red to the feeder itself, or to the imitation flowers where they drink. There are many colors of flowers out there, I think they figure it out. I routine see them come up to my security cameras thinking they are a feeder, hummingbirds are curious, they search everything out. The red is mostly faded off of my feeders, yet I have lots of birds. The birds have good memories as to where the feeders are, so I'd suggest stating with a plan. Even a few feet difference from year to year can make them give up and move on.

Rhododendrons are our state flower and they are in full, full boom now. So it has been slightly slower this week.

 

[Gem99ultra]

They're Back! We're seeing thier numbers double daily now. Most are smaller than usual. Do you suppose they're simply young ones, or did they have an unusually tough winter.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I had noticed the nectar level slowly dropping in our feeder then caught some fleeting glimpses of a female. Today, four or five were buzzing around.

 

[sixdogs]

I had noticed the nectar level slowly dropping in our feeder then caught some fleeting glimpses of a female. Today, four or five were buzzing around.

Same here the past few days. Noticeable was the long drinks they were taking. Must be thirsty.

 

[Oaktree]

Rhododendrons are our state flower and they are in full, full boom now. So it has been slightly slower this week.

Funny you should mention rhododendrons, this year I relocated one of our feeders and put it next to our rhododendron bush and have seen a dramatic increase in the number of birds. Never used to see more than one at the feeder at the time, now we're seeing 3 or 4. Always thought they were very territorial of feeders, I've seen them chase each other away in the past.

Have had to refill it every couple days, before it'd go a couple weeks. Rhody not in bloom yet, but the do like to dart in and out of the foliage.

 

[psvfd]

I was going to try rhododendrons, on Fast growing tree site shows I am to far south for them.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Very light traffic here this year. Probably should change the sugar water since the one showing up is probably getting a buzz off the alcohol content by now.

 

[ArlyA]

The normal, average ruby traffic is happening at our feeders now.

 

[QRTRHRS]

The birds must have been partying in Acupulco? Have five feeders up and filling them daily.

 

[sixdogs]

The birds must have been partying in Acupulco? Have five feeders up and filling them daily.

Where are you feeders located in relation to house, bushes, open spaces and things like that?

 

[ultrarunner]

Nothing so far…

 

[QRTRHRS]

Where are you feeders located in relation to house, bushes, open spaces and things like that?

Our ranch house sits roughly perpendicular to due south. We have a partially covered deck on the west side. The roughly 12x12 roof is just an aluminum affair kind of like a car port that a previous owner put up. Nothing special so I don't mind fastening unistrut to it to hang feeders on. There is an overgrown bush that breaks the wind or rain. It's some kind of Asian plant with tiny buds that the bees and butterflys swarm when it blooms. The hummers' love flying in and out of it. I have blue berry and black raspberry bushes not to far away that they will frequent. Other than that, there are mature trees about 100 feet away. Usually, when the birds are really busy and the young are flying, I have around 12 feeders up. We have estimated that there have been 60-70 birds during those peak times.

On the east side of the house, there is a deck that the roof extends over. There is a hickory tree about 12-15 feet away from the deck that they will roost on briefly while buzzing the feeders. We will have five or six up once the numbers increase. That side of the house is never as busy.

We clean and fill most of those feeders every night during peak times.

I was watching briefly this evening and there are now at least a dozen.

 

[sixdogs]

All of a sudden we have birds. Lots of birds. Yesterday was not much and today was maybe 15-20 or more visits.

Tomorrow, we're going to put up more feeders and locate a few as QRTRHRS has done in an attempt to pull more birds in.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I was busy today so no time to observe but I have six feeders up and all are empty. Have to add some more tonight.

 

[John0829]

Things are getting back to near normal around here, still not the 2 dozen plus from past years but we are now seeing some dog fights, having close fly by's that will make you duck and it seems the female that would always come to the kitchen window when the feeders were out is now making her presence known.

 

[sixdogs]

Where do others get a lot of birds? Are some locations better than others? What works best? Our best is a feeder stuck to a bay window in the kitchen.

We have a 35 ft tall blue spruce near the driveway that I pruned all the limbs off up to about 8 ft off the ground. What if we hung a feeder off a limb under the tree so it hangs down to maybe 5 ft off the ground? Would birds like that?

 

[ponytug]

Where are some locations of feeders where others get a lot of birds? Birds obviously like some locations better than others. What works best for you? Our best is a feeder stuck to a bay window in the kitchen.

We have a 35 ft tall blue spruce near the driveway that I pruned all the limbs off up to about 8 ft off the ground. What if we hung a feeder off a limb under the tree so it hangs down to maybe 5 ft off the ground? Would birds like that?

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If it were me, I'd try it and see. The hummers will be hummers.

All the best,

Peter