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

[ArlyA]

Just a reminder for everyone; All bird poplutions will see large fluctuations. Even if the numbers are the same, maybe food scoures have changed so birds moved 5 miles left or right.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I'm also expecting bird flu to wipe out entire flocks. Some will pull through, but it's going to be a rough summer for birds.

 

[goeduck]

Something happened because we usually see repeat customers that survived the winter. We'll know better in a couple months but so far it's all new faces.

I am impressed with anyone that can ID a hummingbird

I can tell species apart and male vs female, but it stops about there. Maybe young vs old as well.

 

[ArlyA]

I am impressed with anyone that can ID a hummingbird
I can tell species apart and male vs female, but it stops about there. Maybe young vs old as well.

I'm a bit skeptical when people who say the same bird is back. Is that really the same bird?

 

[kenmbz]

I always check the name tags
The way I know it's a bird from previous years is they hand around where the feeder should be staring in the window trying to get me to put it back up.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

I always check the name tags
The way I know it's a bird from previous years is they hand around where the feeder should be staring in the window trying to get me to put it back up.

Yep. They come up on the porch where the feeders hang and just hover there. Sadly very, very few birds this year. Something went terribly wrong on the return flight I suspect.

 

[PILOON]

I'm a bit skeptical when people who say the same bird is back. Is that really the same bird?

I believe, YES!

We have 2 feeders, front lakeside and back at kitchen window.
They go to the kitchen fly up/down then go to the front and repeat kind of saying 'we are back where is the food?'
How else would any bird know which window to go to unless he'd been there last year?

 

[lman]

We are seeing the oriole more than hummingbirds so far. Only a couple of hummers so far. Usually by the end of summer there are about 12-15.

 

[sixdogs]

I believe, YES!

We have 2 feeders, front lakeside and back at kitchen window.
They go to the kitchen fly up/down then go to the front and repeat kind of saying 'we are back where is the food?'
How else would any bird know which window to go to unless he'd been there last year?

Agreed. We have feeders in five places and one is stuck on the kitchen 4' from me. You get to know them that way. Plus, as noted above and as I described earlier in this thread, we have feeders tucked here and there. One is in a protective alcove that's hard to see.

One bird used to like that feeder and the next year we noticed a bird looking exactly like that bird with the same odd markings going into the alcove when no feeder was there. We put the feeder up and that bird was back. Beam me up, Mr Pavlov.

Let me suggest that others put up a suction cup window feeder. No moving when birds are near and turn off lights during the day or they can get scared away.

 

[sixdogs]

We are seeing the oriole more than hummingbirds so far. Only a couple of hummers so far. Usually by the end of summer there are about 12-15.

We've only had maybe four so far but the year always starts out slow. I believe HB's primarily eat bugs and there are plenty around this time of year. Things will pick up in maybe June and go crazy in August. Another burst in September as the travers pass through.

We've also had a few orioles this year.