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

[sixdogs]

I'd say we can't. How could you?

We have one feeder on the kitchen window so get a good look at the birds that were there all summer. When the adults took off, we saw different looking birds show up daily for the next week or 10 days before moving on. Some of the young birds disappeared so maybe went with them.

Of the new birds that we believe are passing through, many that were noticably different in color. We saw colors and behaviors we didn't see during the summer. So I have to believe they are just passing through. I also think the young birds went with them. One thing to note is the new birds were heavy feeders just before dawn.

We had waves of new birds for the first few days. This gradually tapered off until probably none today. We're still going to leave one feeder out for a couple weeks just in case.

 

[sixdogs]

We're also down on numbers here in mid-Georgia. This past summer we'd average around 40 or so at a time, but now that we've had a couple of mild storms blow through, the count is dropping fast.

Most of our current visitors are very small. I'm thinking that they're newbies and may not be ready to make the Mexico trip this year. I'm unsure whether we should take in the feeders now to encourage them to move along or keep the feeders out in case there are some that are unable to make the trip. Suggestions?

I thought our little birds were too small for the trip and noticed they stayed a week or 10 days longer before leaving, perhaps with the birds I believe were from the north and passing through.

I would leave the feeder out two weeks after you see the last one and no sign of food gone from the feeder. I think they need the food now to bulk till the next stop.

 

[ultrarunner]

Is there a good no drip feeder?

I have seen a model that is set up like a tray.
I replaced my very old feeder and the new one leaked… especially in hot weather making the ants happy.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

We get these cheap ones for many reasons (besides being cheap ).
>They don't leak, just don't over-tighten
>We put several out scattered around, so they can't fight over food
>Sugar water goes bad so these don't hold much so get fresh fluid
>Easy to clean

 

[sixdogs]

Is there a good no drip feeder?

I have seen a model that is set up like a tray.
I replaced my very old feeder and the new one leaked… especially in hot weather making the ants happy.

My wife tells me she used to have lots of leaking feeders until she discovered she was over tightening them and cracking them. Small cracks but they dripped. She figured it out and now no leakers.

Also, I noticed in a store the other day that some feeders were advertised as no leaks. We plan to buy a couple new feeders before next year and will likely include one of those just to see what is different.

 

[psvfd]

Out of 14 feeders we have 11 of these, all fit each base. 3 the jar are shaped different, never a leak.
Only see 4 hummers this morning. I have 4 feeders out today, will be cutting back soon.

 

[QRTRHRS]

We have some of those as well including the " bell" shaped style. Only issue is that it is are a bit tedious to clean the slots.

We are down to maybe four birds this am.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Can you tell if it's the summer birds or the migrating birds?

I assume it's different birds. A couple of weeks ago they preferred the feeders in the back yard. They would only really go to the ones in the front yard if the back were empty. Now it's opposite, front yard only and even the feeder that was usually preferred in the front is not the first one emptied any more. I don't see any boys either.

Also, I'm not having problem with any of them getting in my shop now. A month ago if I even had the door open long enough to get the mower out, I would have 3 or 4 immediately go in and get trapped. Now I can have it open all day and have no problems.

 

[psvfd]

We have some of those as well including the " bell" shaped style. Only issue is that it is are a bit tedious to clean the slots.

We are down to maybe four birds this am.

Stiff brush and good scrub, works for me. Only see two birds this morning.

 

[John0829]

Again we went a couple of days with no activity then POP, 3 show up. All females and they seemed smaller than the average size we had been seeing. Probably young birds getting a late start.