A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity The Bird Lovers Forum hummingbirds

I had a very active hummingbird presence last year, and couldn't wait for the same to occur this year. I have a vast garden with many plants known to attract these birds... Columbine, Phlox, Penstemon, Trumpet Vine, Cardinal Vine, Cypress Vine, Monarda, Pentas, Lobelia, etc. I started hanging my hummingbird feeder in April .( I live in zone 6 and wanted to be sure not to miss them.) I keep it meticulously clean, and change the food every 2-3 days... EVERY day when it is extremely hot! My recipe is 4:1 , water to sugar. I have seen them several times since I hung the feeder; actually, I saw the first one in late April. But now, I do not see them for periods of time... and only infrequently. It is now July 11th, and I haven't spotted one for days!! I am able to observe my feeders/garden a lot during the day, since I have a great view of it. What is happening to them? Where are they this year? Anybody have any knowledge or explanation of this? I really am a "bird person" and am sooo disappointed in their absence! It really makes my day when I see them. Looking forward to some feedback.

Hang on! Do not dispair. Momma Hummer has been busy creatings lots of new BABY Hummers. Her work is pretty much done now so you should start seeing them any day! From the middle of May to the first or middle of July, Hummers are on the nest , but as soon as the young learn to fly, Everybody leaves the nest and spends 90% of their time looking for food and they REMEMBER where EVERY feeder is or was in their territory and check those spots frequently. They should be checking into your yard for the Summer, any day now.

yeppers. What Thorny said!
I saw one daily for a while then **zip** no one. I see one infrequently now on my bee balm. They'll start coming more frequently soon.

so very glad you guys posted this--I THOUGHT that as the case--but i did not know for sure---so now I will just wait--thanks so much

same thing here,they were heavy till the middle of may and poof.....
they were gone except for the occasional male.
id imagine they will be back soon with a lot of females in the mix.

HA!!!!!!!!!
just after i typed that,i went to the door to look at my feeders and there was a small female hummer flitting around and feeding at one of them.
do not despair

Although we don't usually have the problem here of no hummingbirds, there is the slow down when nesting. I sure welcome that!! What it means to me is I can go 7 days between buying 25# bags of sugar instead of 3-4 days. Those little buggers keep me busy!! But...I love them so!! I really miss them once they migrate down South for the Winter, but always look so forward to them in the spring and have a feeder up waiting for them. We've had them show up as early the 3rd week of March here in SW Missouri where we live.

Here are a few that aren't camera shy. Seems like every time I try to take a pic over half fly away!

So YOU'RE the one with the INCREDIBLE number of hummers in your yard. I thought I had it bad last year when I had FOUR Hummers!

Yup, that's her!

I LOVE that picture - didn't know the owner was a member here though!

Question - how often to change the food? Once a week? Even if there are no hummingbirds around right now? Should be coming soon though. I read in my birds and blooms magazine 1:4 sugar/water. Correct?

I still can't get over that picture--it's incredible.......where I live we're lucky to have 5-6 of them each year. I sure wish I had that many.

In the heat of the summer I change my food once a week....

yup, 1:4 ratio is what I use.

Man, I thought i was doing well with 7 of them buzzing around my deck!

What an awesome picture!

Must be expensive buying all that sugar.

I would so love to see, and even more so, to show my daughter one of those facinating hummers in our own yard! Is the Tampa area of FL a poor hummer port? It's been a while since I've looked up any information. There sure are quite a few feeders sold in the stores here, there must be a reason for that. How can I attract them to our area/yard?

No, the sugar isn't too expensive, all things considered. You can buy bulk 25# bags at Wal-Mart or Sam's Club, or places like that. It's usually around $8 something a bag. It's what I always did around the holidays for my holiday baking, then at jelly making time, so now I don't even mess with the tiny little 5 or 10 pound bags. Not so cost effective for me that way.

Julianne, there is a list of plants above on the first post that the poster of this thread has that are hummingbird attractors. Trumpet vine is a good one, but I must warn you, it's aggressive. Bee Balm (mondarda) is one they love. All my lillies they love, sweet peas, glads, gosh I can't think of anything I have that they don't hit like crazy. Petunias!! Gosh they love them! There's a lot of things they love.

I'm just a critter lover! Love all the birds, wild turkeys, deer, bob cats, foxes, etc. Had a pretty grey fox out here today. But now the raccoons, they are becoming a nuisance, and the coyotes...well, they are bad for the baby deer. But I love to feed and watch the animals!

They love honeysuckle bushes, wow. I planted one last year and they were more interested in it then the feeders.

Tampa Florida should be a virtual paradise for them!

You should clean your feeders at least once a week every 3 or 4 days in very hot weather. If the nectar sours, and they drink it and dont like it they wont come back to the feeder, they remember. If the nectar looks cloudy change it regardless of how many days. A fungus can form which can make the birds sick. Think if you left a can of coke {or pepsi!} out on the deck for a week, opened, want a sip??

That's the ONLYway I drink my Coke and Pepsi. It ferments that way.

ewwwwwwwwwwww

I've lived down here for two years and I finally got hummingbirds in my garden. I was so excited. I've only seen pictures of them up until now. It's been over 100 degrees here with the heat index and the "hummers" are constantly at the feeder. One even came up to the sliding glass door and looked in. I wish I had my camera at the time.

Hi Julianne,
I live in Salt Springs, FL which is in the middle of the forrest. I've had several hummers at the feeder this year. Last year I didn't even have one. I found out that I need to hang their feeder apart from the other bird feeders. You may want to try that. I know you don't need to put red food coloring in their feeder but I do. I figure it can't hurt. Good luck with the hummers.

I finally talked my friend into getting a hummingbird feeder and guess what? She got attacked while sitting in the yard. I guess they didn't like their food. Go figure.

or she didn't have enough food?

Maybe she was holding a 2-day old can of coke. :~D

(can we quote ourselves ???)

All the while I was not able to get on the GH site---all I could think of was I have to tell Thorny----I have so many hummers that I cannot keep the feeder filled. I have had to start buying sugar in larger bags now.

about the time my problesm started 8/6 the hummers starte4d coming by the bunches--6 to 8 at a time. Funny thing is i have 2 feedersw up for them and the one i have to put food in maybe 2 or more times a day--where as the other takes 2 or 3 days---the one they like is closer to the house so that is all good for me---.

DH says "pete" must have been really prolific and he brought back all of his offspring. And yes Pete is still here---he likes to "guard" the feeder & lots of times chases others away, even small ones.

I started out with one, or so it seemed, and then there were 4. I have four feeders hanging about the place and they visit each feeder.

I'm up early, enjoying my morning coffee and watching them zip about the place. I try to sit and watch them during the evening too. It is so much fun watching them zip and zag. My hummingbirds are a little shy. I'm trying to be sneaky and get a picture, but they're quick.

Keep beong around them--mine evgen follow my DH into the shed 7 sit while he is in there---esp. if we are wearing red----

My niece & nephew are really amazed----I am loving it.

ya know there is something in that---I have 2 Hummingbird feeders--one is by the other thistle feeder & they will only go there if desparate. or if I am filling the one on the deck----maybe next year I will put the other Hum feeder on the other side of the deck.

love that picture. We have maybe 4 hummers and they chase each other away from the feeder. Would love to have that many!

i found a dead hummer the other day that must have hit the window, it looked like a young one, but, i have not seen my 3 in a couple of days!

ahhhhhhhhhh.....I hate to hear that. poor little thing.

My hummers are getting a little braver. I sit on the porch, and one will come hoover over my head, then fly into a tree and sit and watch me.

It's still pretty hot here in Texas, but not as bad as it was.

I was wondering, when will my hummers leave, or do they usually stay in Texas? Usually winters are not bad here, but for a little hummer, I don't know. I have read, but figured everyone here has good solid experience. :wink: thank you!

It's a nice day here, been re-doing my flower beds. Was thinking about taking a little ride on my horse, but it's also the first day of hunting. Dove hunters are everywhere, and all you hear is boom, boom, boom. I decided since my horse is feeling really frisky with the cooler weather, that it may not be good idea to ride with the guns going off.

Your Hummers should be gone in about another month, Armandek. I am in Nashville, TN. Usually I have Hummers here this time of year, but this summer has been the hottest, driest Summer EVER recorded in Nashville's history! 50% of the plants and trees in Nashville have PERMANENTLY died, never to recuperate. We have lost 8 Burning Bushes in my yard alone. We had a magnificent Burning Bush hedge 8 feet high and ten feet wide in front of my house, where I took many of my bird pictures. Half of those bushes died down to the roots. I am sick!

I have had NO Hummers this year except for two in April. They stayed for about a week and then disappeared and haven't returned.

Thornius,

thank you. I wasn't sure when to except them to leave, I really hate to see them go, I sure enjoy having them about the place.

I'm so sorry.....I know the weather has been quite different for many areas....I hate to hear all the lovely things that people have grown and/or have taken care of and it be gone because of the drastic changes. I'm a big container gardner, once August get here....I start moving/dragging my plants to the (all) shade. I do this only because I have tried to grow so many beautiful things and I have watched them quickly give in to the heat and dry black dirt.

Thorny: For about the last week give or take a day--I have not seen ANY male hummers--even "pete" is no-where to be seen. is this common? I do however see plenty of females. And for some reason plenty of motled females (birds with white 'spots" on them.

I tried to take some pictures to show you BUT my camera will not do a good enough clse-up. Sorry

We've had hummers, in fact I refilled this morning after seeing a couple out there. I'm sure this wierd weather is affecting their flight pattern.

JunieGirl, male Hummers are usually the first to leave. Some even start migrating shortly after they breed. I have NEVER had a male Hummer come to my feeders, only females. My hummers usually come in early to mid-July, and many males have moved on by then.