hummingbirds

Mousefield · Sep 11, 2015

Still have them here. We had a couple stay over the winter. Just have to remember on the cold nights to bring in the feeders as they will freeze up.

Billrog · Sep 11, 2015

Like Jim's ours left a mon. ago a little earlier than usual.

oldballs · Sep 12, 2015

Some time ago I grew Trumpet Vine up our power pole. I trained it with a ladder and some staples even though it tended to attach its feelers to the cracks in the wood. Well, it was quite a success for the Hummingbirds as well as for itself. We loved it. Ultimately I had to cut it down because the growth went clear to the top and started around the wires.

The Monarch butterflies have been on the move for about 3 weeks now. Life is good.
Cheers,
Mike

monster318 · Sep 13, 2015

Its always been said around this area to Bring in the feeders after September 15th, to cut off the food supply so that the last remaining hummers know its time to head south.

Mendonsy · Sep 13, 2015

Ours are still hanging around. I expected they would be gone by now.
There was a large flock of robins and bluebirds here yesterday but they are gone today so I expect they are headed south.

GPintheMitten · Sep 13, 2015

I didn't know you were supposed to take the feeders in while they were still feeding.

We have at least one female still feeding. Normally they are gone by about labor day ... and it was late this year.

Should we take it in?

Member · Sep 13, 2015

GPintheMitten said:
I didn't know you were supposed to take the feeders in while they were still feeding.

We have at least one female still feeding. Normally they are gone by about labor day ... and it was late this year.

Should we take it in?

I leave ours out until they don't come around anymore. I see them get fat at this time of the year and I believe they're building up energy reserves to make the long flight. What if I take the food away and they don't have enough energy to make it? To me it's amazing they can make the flight at all so if there's a problem I don't want it to be because of me.

GPintheMitten · Sep 13, 2015

I just read several articles that said to leave them up several days after you stop seeing them in case there are stragglers migrating.

The birds will migrate regardless of having feeders out. The migration urge is controlled by their rhythm associated with length of day.

They will leave when they're supposed to so we should leave the feeders up.

Billrog · Sep 14, 2015

We generally leave ours up until not seeing any for a few wks.

w1ebb · Sep 14, 2015

Yes, that's right. Please leave the feeders out because there may be stragglers or birds with a bad sense of direction. They will all migrate when Mother Nature tells them to.
Didn't all y'all move when Mama hollered at you?
LOL. Hahahahaha.
So far I've only seen Ruby Throats, but a couple of years ago I saw a migrant bird that was about the size of a sparrow and with his wings he made the tin on the roof of the carport vibrate! What could he have been?

Scott