Still Humming

[Howieh]

I still have three (and occasionally four) hummingbirds competing for the feeder, both amongst themselves and with a few wasps that look like flying buses!! I hung a homemade trap near the feeder but a couple of the holes are too big and the wasps come and go like they are at a buffet (update, I checked it this evening and there are several drowned wasps inside so all is not lost - I'll replace it tomorrow). I think most are first year birds and they have really been fun to watch, especially during the past month. They chase each other all over the yard and quite often, when I am 'posing' with my camera, one of the hummers comes over to check me out, hovering about a foot from my face while chirping away. It's hard to believe but all this could be over in less than two weeks!

[Howieh]

So far, so good. As I write this one of the little fuzzballs is perched above the feeder and coming down for a drink every few minutes. The trap is full of dead wasps and the 8C air means the live ones haven't showed up yet, but the soon to be direct sunlight will probably change that - it's just a 500ml water bottle so I'll just add some nectar later today.

Ok, so the other hummer just showed up but I was too slow to get a shot of both birds because a wasp chased her from the feeder! My trusty old SX50 recently came to a screeching halt (it's in for an estimate but I'm sure it won't be worth fixing?) and I really miss the long zoom because the hummers are still posing all over the yard. Any ideas for a replacement are welcomed.

[Howieh]

My last hummer sighting was early Labour Day morning but the wasps are still here in full force! I changed the trap and it's much better; it's filling up with wasps and escapees are few and far between. I still have a jar of nectar in the fridge and since I expect (hope?) to see migrants for a couple of weeks I'll refill the hummer feeder tomorrow.

As for my SX50, I got a very good repair estimate so I am actually having it fixed! I miss the camera almost as much as I miss my hummingbirds.

[JW Mills]

What kind of feeder do you have?
If it is the one with the large red flowers with yellow bee guards inside then remove the flower and just go with the bee guard.
Also it has been my experience that wasp traps just attract more wasps.

[Howieh]

What kind of feeder do you have?
If it is the one with the large red flowers with yellow bee guards inside then remove the flower and just go with the bee guard.
Also it has been my experience that wasp traps just attract more wasps.

Never occurred to me to remove the flowers, may try it tomorrow, thanks!

I probably do have more wasps because of the trap but nearly all of them are on or in the trap. When the hummers were here they had a much easier time feeding after the trap was put up.