Hummer update

[Howieh]

Well, since my earlier post I have seen one hummer drop in a few times.  It goes to the Fucia but does not take any sips.  When I had the HB feeder up I saw nothing at it.  Now in the past few days I have seen one darting around but still not drinking anywhere.  In fact tonight it was just sitting in the top few branches of a dead tree.  Seemed quite content to visit with no interest in drinking.  Anyway, glad to have one around for a while.

What model feeder do you have? Mine is the basic four flower Yule-Hyde from Cdn Tire and the hummers all seem to love it, and lately I've been filling it about two thirds instead of half full and they're drinking me dry in about three days (used to be 5 - 7 days!). The males are gradually disappearing but I've got lots of females and young birds coming and going in a steady stream. As I said before there are no flowers in my yard but I am across from a woodland park where they seem to be coming from.

[Howieh]

A male showed up early this morning while a female was sitting on the far perch. He buzzed her a few times and headed for the feeder and, as has become the case lately, she took off after him and chased him away! Last evening was wild; for almost an hour there were at least 3 females and/or young birds chasing each other all over the place. As soon as a bird landed, either on a perch or at the feeder, another bird would come and bump it off. I have lots of SX50 video showing the action but I'm still trying to figure out how to lock the exposure while shooting videos. I was at Rosetta last week and I didn't see too much that will keep the hummers there while they fatten up for the trip south, but you never know....so where's the jewelweed?

[mr.sharp-photo]

so yeah, i am happy. randomly looked into my back yard this morning at 8 AM. a hummer was feeding and feeding and feeding from the feeder. it may only come once a day and at random times, but yeah, i am pretty damn happy

[Howieh]

so yeah, i am happy. randomly looked into my back yard this morning at 8 AM. a hummer was feeding and feeding and feeding from the feeder. it may only come once a day and at random times, but yeah, i am pretty damn happy

Chances are pretty good that your hummer was around from before sunrise (these days sunrise is just before 6:30AM) and will be a steady visitor until late in the day. My last mature male was seen on Aug 15 but this morning (Sunday) I photographed a young male who has been a regular for a few weeks. The young birds show up very early in the day but they don't stay around as late as the mature birds. Good luck, I'm sure you'll see a few more before they head south for the winter!

[Howieh]

It may not be a good year for monarchs but it sure has been a great year for hummingbirds! The steady stream, lasting all day, has pretty well dried up but just when I think it's all over (i.e. after not seeing any hummers for several hours) another one shows up and hangs around long enough for me to get some decent shots with my SX50, as happened late Monday afternoon. They are still being reported on the Simcoe and Muskoka bird boards so I'm pretty sure they're migrants and my feeder is now visible to overflying birds (good riddance to the missing Manitoba Maple!) so that could explain the late visitors. I'll fill it again if necessary and hopefully they will keep dropping in!

So Meghan, Richard and anyone else with HB feeders, are you still seeing any hummers?

[dizzy]

Last hummer i've seen was on 27 aug. I still have the feeder up.

[Howieh]

I had one at the feeder early this morning and another(?) one perched in a tree behind the feeder, in full sun, about an hour ago, but by the time I got outside with the camera it was gone. I waited and she (I'm quite sure it's a young female) returned but stayed in the tree tops. Since the photo-ops were pretty well gone I came inside so she would come to the feeder (I'm still waiting!). As long as she doesn't head south today she'll probably hang around overnight so I expect (hope?) to see her at the feeder tomorrow morning.

[Howieh]

As I predicted, the hummer that was around Tuesday made her last visit early Wednesday morning and I think that's it for the season. I'll leave the hummingbird feeder up until the nectar dries up, which should occur sometime this weekend, but I need the feeder pole for the regular feeder (they're waiting impatiently!) - so goodbye hummers, hello sparrows and squirrels!

[Rob'in'To]

I had one on Tuesday, as I reported.  She was hitting the feeders about every 15 minutes over the 3 hours I was watching her and whatever else in the yard.  Wednesday she returned and the visits were about every 30 minutes.  I'm keeping an eye out for her this afternoon; I changed the water just a bit ago.

Yes, goodbye Hummers.  Although, for us, this is the most Hummingbird action we've seen around the yard ever.  

[MEGHAN]

I still have 2 regular females and the odd transient pops in every once in a while.
Just a note..keep your feeders full and clean, just like in the summer. Hummers are migrating through and if you have a dirty or empty feeder they will not stick around.
But if they are clean and full of fresh nectar, then they will stay for a few days

[Howieh]

I still have 2 regular females and the odd transient pops in every once in a while.
Just a note..keep your feeders full and clean, just like in the summer. Hummers are migrating through and if you have a dirty or empty feeder they will not stick around.
But if they are clean and full of fresh nectar, then they will stay for a few days

Not to say it could NOT happen but I would be in total shock if a hummer came to my feeder now. I'm nearly twenty miles from the lake and at this point most of the hummingbirds are moving along the lakeshore, but I still have a few days worth of nectar so I'll leave the feeder out. And I don't want to miss the migratory sparrows (white crowned and white throated) that are attracted by birds at the regular feeder. Are there any places along the lake where hummers are still hanging around?

Btw, we will be spending a day in Cristobal, Panama in mid December so I am hopeful of seeing some of my summer visitors in their winter habitat, along with a few other species that winter there!

[BetCrooks]

I saw a juvenile or female RTH at the Rattray Marsh in Mississauga this week. It was feeding from the Jewelweed.

[MEGHAN]

Not to say it could NOT happen but I would be in total shock if a hummer came to my feeder now. I'm nearly twenty miles from the lake and at this point most of the hummingbirds are moving along the lakeshore, but I still have a few days worth of nectar so I'll leave the feeder out. Are there any places along the lake where hummers are still hanging around?

Hey Howie, Hummingbirds are still being reported from the Muscoka area. Good numbers from backyard feeders still coming in. Even my aunt in Gravenhurst still has a few, so like I said...I think you will still have them. Whether you see them or not is a different story  :wink:

As for spots down at the lake, I haven't gone looking for any this year. I'll be out and about over the next few days so if I find any I will let you know.

[Howieh]

Hey Howie, Hummingbirds are still being reported from the Muskoka area. Good numbers from backyard feeders still coming in. Even my aunt in Gravenhurst still has a few, so like I said...I think you will still have them. Whether you see them or not is a different story  :wink:

As for spots down at the lake, I haven't gone looking for any this year. I'll be out and about over the next few days so if I find any I will let you know.

I know it's possible but unless there are still hundreds of hummers heading south from north of the city the odds of one flying directly over my yard and seeing the feeder are VERY small, but admittedly better than before when the now defunct(?) tree covered half the yard. Btw, I've never seen so many hornets this late in the season; I'm using a homemade trap and every ten minutes or so I can get rid of at least fifty to one hundred of the little beasts!

[CharlieR]

This hummingbird was visiting the hanging baskets on my patio in Waterdown this morning.  There are also a couple still visiting my neighbour's feeders.  I don't expect to see them around much longer, though.