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

[ultrarunner]

I use 2 cups water to 1/2 cup sugar. 4:1
bring to Boil and cool, fill feeder.
Hummingbirds hit the feeder all day, no dyes or chemicals.

Any downside to municipal chemicals added to the drinking water?… it will kill aquarium fish.

 

[ponytug]

Any downside to municipal chemicals added to the drinking water?… it will kill aquarium fish.

Not in my experience. FWIW: Most of the disinfection byproducts are removed by boiling.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ultrarunner]

Good to know…

 

[ponytug]

@ultrarunner, I should clarify that the thing that is most toxic to fish is the chloramine, which is not a problem for air breathing animals. It is harmless to hummingbirds.

All the best,

Peter

 

[CalG]

First Ruby Throat at the feeder yesterday! He was in the peach tree flowers earlier today, but returned to the feeder for a sip of sugar at dusk.

(might be more than one, but I've only noted a single individual.)

 

[goeduck]

I religiously use the 4:1 ratio of tap (from well) water to pure cane sugar, even to the point of reading the bottom of the meniscus. The only twist that I have always done is that I boil the water in the microwave without sugar. I pull it out while still boiling and dump the sugar in immediately. Then stir with a clean spoon until dissolved. I once got distracted and ended up with a pot of caramelized and burned sugar smoking up the kitchen. Never again since.

 

[sixdogs]

First Ruby Throat at the feeder yesterday! He was in the peach tree flowers earlier today, but returned to the feeder for a sip of sugar at dusk.

(might be more than one, but I've only noted a single individual.)

I wonder how many there actually are compared with how many birds you see? I have seen them in the yard or at the feeder before dawn and after dark, when most of us aren't looking. And I've seen them flying in the yard and around Norway Spruce trees when I don't see them at the feeders.

 

[ultrarunner]

Appears a lot make their own…

 

[jyoutz]

The nights are still too cold here for those fair weather birds. We usually start seeing them in June, and it seems like they’re gone when the nights cool down in the fall.

 

[ArlyA]

Ruby's are pretty tough birds, temperature wise.
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Ruby-throated hummingbirds have a normal body temperature of 105°F (40.5°C) during the day. They can lower their body temperature and metabolism to enter torpor on cool nights, dropping it as low as 50°F (10°C). This allows them to conserve energy when food is scarce or temperatures are low.