A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 hummingbirds

Well, I'm thrilled. My daughter (who was supposed to be eating lunch) kept pointing out the window and talking about a "little birdy flying fast". At first my husband and I thought she was just babbling (she's only 2) but when we looked we saw 2 hummingbirds flitting around the feeder! I was so excited! I grabbed the camera, started trying to take pics but the window was covered in so many little-girl fingerprints that I couldn't get the camera to focus on the birds--just the grime on the window. Now that I have hummers, when is the best time to see them? I saw them at noon today, but it had been raining all morning and the rain had just stopped. So I don't know if noon is their normal time or if they just didn't want to get wet! Btw, it was either a broad-billed or a black-chinned hummingbird duo that stopped by. Looked like, probably, a male and female. Woohoo!

Sarah

Congratulations Sarah!!! How sweet that your daughter spotted them first too! Little-girl fingerprints are so sweet.

Maybe you can catch them on camera soon!

Little girl fingerprints are so sweet, especially when they are not on your TV, windows, walls, every white or light surface in your home, aquarium, car, eyeglasses, etc. And no matter how often you get out the windex, a little "someone" goes around pointing at the clean surfaces, and leaving little smudges!!

My Ruby-Throated usually show up at about 3:00-4:00 PM each day, or if they temperatures are much cooler than they have been, you will probably see them all day. Look for them perched in the open in trees or bushes close to your feeder (within about 50 feet).

mine would come around at any hour of the day.
didnt seem to matter. however im kinda thinking they are on thier way out as i havent seen any today. maybe mine are migrating. seems like they keft around this time last year.

Like we told you, "If you hang it, they will come."

i stand corrected.
just saw one out back

Mine come off and all the whole day. I have a bully bird and followed the suggestion to put a feeder at another point on the house. So I have one out front and one on the side porch so I can see them. My little bully boy has found a tree in the neighbors yard where he can watch both feeders and run visitors off. But the visiting boys can get a slurp or two before he catches them. The ladies are mostly left alone.

Well, I didn't see "my" hummers today. And I was really hoping to see them again. I even had a chair, table, and camera all ready to go. When they stopped by yesterday, the sugar-water was 4 days old, so I am wondering if it tasted bad and they don't want to come back. I put some fresh water in yesterday. I think my kids may have scared them off yesterday--when they saw the hummingbirds and how excited I was, they start yelling and doing generally loud activities. I'm just hoping that they come back and that I'll looking when they do!!

Sarah's Hummer says, with an Austrian accent,"I'll be back!"

Porter, my Hummers are still coming around too! It's just always such a special treat to see them!

There are more hummers here right now than there have been all season. They are fattening up for the long flight south, I guess. I haven't gotten a decent picture yet but I hope to. If I go out without the camera, they fly right up in my face as if to say, "WHAT???"

Don't worry Sarah they will return. I see mine on and off all day long, but they are most active in the morning and right before the sun sets. One is sitting on my feeder right now in fact. My mom says her hummers are very active in the evening as well. I guess they are trying to store up for the night. Next time you see them try to follow where they go after they leave your feeder, then you will generally see them perched in that area through out the day!!

I watched them the first/last/only time and they went flying into a tree nearby, then went tearing across the yard, street, the neighbors yard and then I lost them. The people across the street have a very massive "pile" of trumpet vines and lilacs and they also have lots of evergreen trees. So I'm sure that they are probably nesting over there somewhere. I keep checking the feeder for the little guys!!

i hust saw the downy woodpecker and a female hummer actually sharing the feeder in front.
wondered what was up when got home and noticed the level had dropped an inch

Downy Woodpecker often visit Hummer feeders. They have even been seen punching holes at the base of Trumpet Vine Blossoms to apparently drink the nectar from the blooms. I have seen piles of Trumpet blooms lying on the ground with holes punched in them myself.

Well, I noticed this morning that the feeder was about a quarter inch lower than the day before. PLUS! My 2-year old again noticed the hummingbirds and got my hubby. My hubby said that as soon as he got the camera set and focused the bird flew off. Naturally, the hummer came around after I had left. Noooooo, just couldn't let me see him. My hubby said that it was definately the male coming back. Woohoo!!