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

[sixdogs]

We've notice that some of the small birds from this year's hatches have stayed back while the others are now gone. Yet the birds passing through from the north have yet to arrive--maybe another week or two. We think the hold back birds join these late birds on the way south and that allows them to mature a little more and be better able to make the trip. That's just what we think.

 

[ArlyA]

We've notice that some of the small birds from this year's hatches have stayed back while the others are now gone. Yet the birds passing through from the north have yet to arrive--maybe another week or two. We think the hold back birds join these late birds on the way south and that allows them to mature a little more and be better able to make the trip. That's just what we think.

Speaking of the Rubies, the young are always the last to head south. I'd surmise they need to grow and gain weight where they know the food sources, before they head out.

 

[Oaktree]

Our hummers have gone south. Only saw 1 today. Maybe we will get some stragglers coming thru on their way south from northern New England and Canada.

Yeah, haven't seen any here for a couple weeks now. Plenty of other birds though.

That's what I saw when all the rufous hummers left our place. We had a huge number, at least half a dozen at a time around the feeder all day long, then they all vanished in a single day. I had no idea hummers flocked like that.

Our hummingbirds are quite territorial (especially the males), and will chase others away from the feeder. Kind of fun to watch.

 

[dragoneggs]

Seeing a few hummers around lately but wondering how all the birds are doing in this PNW smoke!

 

[goeduck]

Seeing a few hummers around lately but wondering how all the birds are doing in this PNW smoke!

Mine are still regularly sitting on my tomato cages looking around as if nothing is going on.

 

[CADplans]

My wife said that we need to remember,,
95% of our hummingbirds left on Sept 11,, so that is something we can remember from year, to year,

We still have 3 to 5 hanging around, those are the ones that have been the "bullies" all summer,,
the bullies are an almost black color,, the ones that left 9/11 are a "military green" color,,

The green ones are the ones we had about 100 of, and they were here for about 8 weeks,
My wife was buying at least two bags of sugar each weekly shopping trip (4 pound bags)

We use zero sugar other than the birds (no baking while we are watching our diets!! )

Many types of birds are born a "camouflage color" then change at maturity,,

I wonder if the military green is a camo color for young hummers??

 

[sixdogs]

My wife said that we need to remember,,
95% of our hummingbirds left on Sept 11,, so that is something we can remember from year, to year,

We still have 3 to 5 hanging around, those are the ones that have been the "bullies" all summer,,
the bullies are an almost black color,, the ones that left 9/11 are a "military green" color,,

The green ones are the ones we had about 100 of, and they were here for about 8 weeks,
My wife was buying at least two bags of sugar each weekly shopping trip (4 pound bags)

We use zero sugar other than the birds (no baking while we are watching our diets!! )

Many types of birds are born a "camouflage color" then change at maturity,,

I wonder if the military green is a camo color for young hummers??

We had a shiny military green baby HB last year and he stayed late in the season and left with the later crowd from the north. It was hard to miss him because of his color. Anyway, this year, we had a bright green adult show up with the migration in and I told my wife it looked just like the one that left in the fall. That one kept going to an alcove on the porch where we had hung a feeder and it was one he frequented. Another bird did that as well. But there was no feeder there this year. After a summer of watching birds and mannerisms, I believe the green adult of last year is the same one that returned this year and remembered where the feeder was. No change in color.

We've seen a few green adults so my guess is it's just a color of that particular strain of HB. I haven't seen one change color and we've had unbelievable numbers of birds this year to watch. No changes in color that we saw.

 

[kenmbz]

Usually have to refill the feeders here every week. Still 2/3 full right now and only saw one HB last night. Was 48 here this morning, so probably started heading out.

 

[sixdogs]

Are there still any hummingbirds north or East of Ohio that remain?

Our last hummingbird took off this past Thursday and we haven't had any travelers from the north yet for a visit like we did last year. I hope we didn't miss them. Our last HB was a bird born this summer and was constantly at the feeders the last week or two. Seems he was bulking up for the trip.

 

[goeduck]

I am amazed by those of you that can recognize individual birds. No way I can.