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

[psvfd]

I have alway seen pictures of nests that look like your but around here I'm not sure of nest construction. After a big storm in the fall I often see very small and fluffy birds nest the size you would expect a HB to use. They aren't made of clay and such but rather pieces of a certain hard type of grass stems. No wide grass but rather the short and hard stems only. Do you think these are HB nests?

Saw our first two baby HB's at the feeder today. About half normal size but drank up and left in a hurry.

Hard to say what I have read they make nest of what is available where there is a good food source. Just my thoughts. There has been no activity at the nest since the thunder storms any rain. There are several birds feeding at the feeders, hard to say how many the way they fly in and out.

 

[japody]

We've had only a few hummers this year. We usually have 20 -30 by this time. Wonder why?

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Mortality among migrating birds is huge. Populations rise and fall.

 

[sixdogs]

We've had only a few hummers this year. We usually have 20 -30 by this time. Wonder why?

We have had that happen and figure they are eating bugs or spending time in the nest. Earlier in this thread it was mentioned that HB's eat some phenomenal amount of bugs per day and that the feeders we put out are an extra for when they need it.

We've had only a few early hummers some years only to be swamped later. Beats me.

 

[goeduck]

Based on this link I have about 126 hummingbirds as dependents

ESTIMATING HUMMINGBIRD NUMBERS BY NECTAR INTAKE

A little shy of a quart a day right now and holding steady. Very few flying bugs as of late.

 

[ArlyA]

Our feeders have been very busy this summer with males and females. Suppose I should get a photo of them.... I read someplace that they consume lots of small bugs in the air, many of which are hard for us to see.

 

[MoKelly]

We just had our first sighting today! Finally.

There are 2 at the feeder now.

MoKelly

 

[goeduck]

We just had our first sighting today! Finally.

There are 2 at the feeder now.

MoKelly

Yahoo! Off to the races

 

[oosik]

I think I've gained another pair or two. It's obvious the wildflowers aren't providing much - they all are relying on the feeder more each day.

 

[japody]

Still only have a few. Highly unusual.