Hummer feeder up, the watch is on!

[Howieh]

My old feeder is due for replacement (two bee guards missing so only two feeder ports in service) and I know it's a bit early, but after seeing reports of sightings north of the lower lakes, I put it out today. My regulars don't usually arrive before the second week of May but the feeder is right outside the computer room window so chances of seeing early arrivals (migrants heading further north?) are good. Once again my thanks go to Lanny Chambers for a job well Done!

http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html

[mr.sharp-photo]

i put mine out even though i have never had early migrants.
my wild columbine's at least a week away from flowering. other than a large red xmas ornament (soccer ball sized) that i have in my back yard, i don't know if any hummers would stop unless hungry

[Howieh]

A series of fronts moving in from the southwest will bring a big push of very warm air into the Toronto area later today so there should be more sighting reports north of Lake Erie this weekend. Another cool down will probably slow the migration during the upcoming week. Btw Richard, I tried the link to your website but can't connect. Is it still valid?

[cairnstone]

I make sure my hummer feeder is hung out by the last day of April. I have had them here on May the first before. Even in cold miserable weather.

Don't forget to put out your halved oranges the first week of May too for the orioles and catbirds.

[mr.sharp-photo]

A series of fronts moving in from the southwest will bring a big push of very warm air into the Toronto area later today so there should be more sighting reports north of Lake Erie this weekend. Another cool down will probably slow the migration during the upcoming week. Btw Richard, I tried the link to your website but can't connect. Is it still valid?

nah. took my website down. got too lazy to update it. will link to flickr instead.

[Walter Fisher]

Don't forget to put out your halved oranges the first week of May too for the orioles and catbirds.

From what I've read online - you may also attract Mockingbirds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Tanagers, Brown Thrashers, or even Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, if you're lucky.

Good birding,
Walter

[cairnstone]

I hung the feeder out last night and have a male hummingbird visiting the feeder today. I usually hang it on May 1, but I was a day late this year. They are pretty reliable in my backyard on May 1 (Brampton).

[cairnstone]

Couldn't get great photos of him shooting directly in the glare of the sun, but...

[Howieh]

Finally, one visit from a mature female, who, believe it or not, will have to share the feeder with a pair of chickadees (parent and fledgling) who drink water out of the ant moat and appear to love the nectar and the ants that make it past the moat! So how do they get at the nectar? (I knew you'd ask!). The past few days have been very windy and when the feeder swings back and forth the nectar leaks out.

[Howieh]

The chickadees arrived well before sunrise and my first male ruby throat has been back several times since his first visit at 5:47am. No sign of the female (hope she's busy building a nest!)!

[mr.sharp-photo]

serious question for you guys:
you out there watching ALL the time?
like, how do you know?

[Howieh]

serious question for you guys:
you out there watching ALL the time?
like, how do you know?

Depends who you ask - my wife would probably say I only take bathroom breaks! The truth is I'm usually awake before sunrise which is when the hummers start arriving and the feeder is right outside the computer room window which makes it easy to monitor. It's nearly sunset and I was expecting to see the male but the female is returning every few minutes so what do I know?? It's nearly dark (8:55pm) and still no male so lets see what happens early tomorrow morning.

[Howieh]

I have a few regulars, including 1 mature male, but, until now only the females have arrived simultaneously (whatever that means!). A few minutes ago the male finally arrived while a female was feeding so I saw my first courtship dance of the season - here's hoping for lots of fledglings in a few weeks! So, Richard, any action at your place?

[mr.sharp-photo]

I have a few regulars, including 1 mature male, but, until now only the females have arrived simultaneously (whatever that means!). A few minutes ago the male finally arrived while a female was feeding so I saw my first courtship dance of the season - here's hoping for lots of fledglings in a few weeks! So, Richard, any action at your place?

quickly went back and tried to find posts from when i spotted one last year. i remember that my lone hummer comes later than the rest of yours and happened when i was planting tomatoes.
so far? nothing that i know of. my columbine's in full bloom. my fuscia's starting to bloom a bit, but is still probably a week away. and my red bee balm is obviously nowhere close to blooming.
i bought a basketball-sized xmas ornament and it's on the ground beside my feeder. hoping that will lure one to my yard. but so far, nothing. although i heard a blackburnian warbler calling from somewhere near our yard yesterday.

[mr.sharp-photo]

walked towards my back yard today and, at 445, saw a hummer at my feeder. huzzah!