A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 Hummers are gone

Wow they left here early this year, I havent seen one in two days, I guess autumn is coming early this year

I've only had ONE hummer all year that I saw.

No!
I love my hummingbirds so much!

I can add to this as well. The volume of birds at the feeder has dramatically dropped off the last three-four days. How long should I leave the feeder up?

You should leave the feeder up a few weeks after you've seen the last one. That way, the ones getting a late start back will be able to refuel if they happen to pass your way.

Gotta take care of those precious hummingbirds!


Cindy

I've still got the lilttle beauties. Is fall really coming early?

Leave your feeders up all Winter, Because those of us in the East get a few Western Hummingbirds that decide to Winter over in the East and they can only survive IF they have a feeder left out by humans to feed from, since all their natural plant food is dead for the Winter.

Thornius...I know I've said that same thing on here myself...leave them up all winter. But, how do you keep it from freezing?

Last year I kept mine up until way into January...I got obsessed (as usual) with trying to keep it from freezing...because one day when it was REAL cold (December I think, not sure) I had gone to pick Brennan up from school, and Andy said there was a hummingbird at the feeder while we were gone.
I would bring it in at night and put it back out early the next morning, but it got so cold it would freeze during the day in no time...ended up cracking the feeder.

Cindy

Say it isn't sooooooo!!!

I still have my feuding hummers here so far.
Where are you in NY that they've left already?

Yesterday was the closest I've ever gotten to one. I thought she was going to gouge my eye out, like Cindy mentioned the other day. , and that would just push me over...

Last week I was outside changing the feeder and usually they will fly next to me and hover a bit then dash off. This time one ran right into me, I guess I wasn't going fast enough or maybe she was experiencing a sugar rush lol.

My hummer population was down drastically this year. I decided to use a already prepared type of hummer food. I don't think they liked it. I am going back to the old sugar-water home brew. Any body else have problems with commercailly prepared food?

My dad was using the store-bought kind last year, and never saw a hummingbird. I would come over and tell him about all my hummingbirds, and he couldn't figure out why he didn't have any.
Finally, one day when I was there I went out and dumped his feeders...he had the stuff in them that is colored red ...and I made some sugar water and filled the feeders. He had hummingbirds the next day.

This year he has the red colored store-bought stuff in his feeders again... :rolleyes: and has not seen ONE hummingbird.
He doesn't learn very well, does he? :rolleyes:

Cindy

I think my hummers may be gone too! Last sighting was Sat. am, very early, but I'm still hoping to see them, thought I heard them last night.

We only had 2 last year and this year there are 4. They are still hanging around here.

Yeah, mine are gone too. I haven't seen them since last Weds.

Oh, I just hate to see them leave.

I know they have to...

They have given me so much pleasure this summer.

P&P I'm in Mid Hudson Valley, Saugerties

I'm so surprised that with you all living so far south of me that yours are gone already. It's only been about a week since I saw my last one (a straggler perhaps), so keep your feeders open for her. It's a long trip south and she may be thirsty if she stops by.

RottieLover - I know just where Saugerties is!

One of my college roommates had a boyfriend from there, and we just passed by there 2 weeks ago driving our daughter up and back to Skidmore College for a flute camp.

Well it's now Sept. 13th, and I've still got em in Minnesota!! I am quite surprised, but pleasantly

This was our first year putting a feeder up, so I asked a friend who's mom lives over in Wisconsin, how long do they stay? And he replied that they usually are gone in late Aug, but here it is middle Sept and I've still got 2 or 3 chasing each other around.

The last month or so I increased the solution to 3 parts water to 1 part sugar, wanted to give them a little more energy than usual. Maybe they aren't ready to leave yet?

The last few days the temps have been in the 80's, but the few weeks before that we had 70's in the daytime and 50's at night. Our forecast for the week calls for more of the same, 70's and 50's. I'm guessing they'll leave in a week or two, but as long as they keep comin', I'll keep feedin'!!

Overnight my hummingbird population has dropped from a yard full to almost nothing.

Yesterday they were all here, as usual.
Today, I saw one this morning, and a few this afternoon.
One is at the feeder right now...and he can eat all he wants because there's not another one out there to run him off.

It's almost over.....

Cindy

KEEP THOSE FEEDERS UP, AFGREY!!!!

I saw a few yesterday...
...and there's one out there right now eating, with no worries that another one is gonna come along and start a fight!
He eats for awhile then preens for awhile.....

Cindy

Same here, Cindy.
The fighting has ceased, and the lingerers can drink for as long as they like without feeling threatened.

Won't be long before they all leave for warmer climates, but for now I'm still loving seeing the ones that are still here.

I guess my hummingbirds are finally gone, I haven't seen any for 5 or 6 days.