It's that time again!!!!

[seez52]

We always use clear sugar water 

[dralarms]

Ok, fella. I have a dumb question.

 

first let me say don’t buy hummingbird feeders that fade they won’t even touch them.

that said, I had 2 they were wearing out so I went and got 4 more of the same type. They’re hitting all of them now. 

Now the question, do you have territorial birds? I have one that will chase all the other birds off no matter which feeder they try and use. Entertaining to watch but dang give the little guys a chance too

[peejman]

3 minutes ago, dralarms said:

Ok, fella. I have a dumb question.

 

first let me say don’t buy hummingbird feeders that fade they won’t even touch them.

that said, I had 2 they were wearing out so I went and got 4 more of the same type. They’re hitting all of them now. 

Now the question, do you have territorial birds? I have one that will chase all the other birds off no matter which feeder they try and use. Entertaining to watch but dang give the little guys a chance too

They're all very territorial. They chase each other around and try to dominate the feeders. That's part of the fun of watching them. Once the babies fledge, the parents wil chase their own young off feeders.  

[dralarms]

30 minutes ago, peejman said:

They're all very territorial. They chase each other around and try to dominate the feeders. That's part of the fun of watching them. Once the babies fledge, the parents wil chase their own young off feeders.  

Wow I didn’t realize that. That’s rough

[bersaguy]

Well I went from 2 birds to about 20 birds and had to put up feeders I had taken down and only had 2 up. Now I have 6 back up and birds fighting like crazy. I thouht they might just be passing through but have had them about 8 or 9 days now so should have these till the migration.............

[A.J. Holst]

We've been enjoying a trio the last 3 weeks.

1 male (red throat) and two females - beautiful green stripe down their backs.

The females do compete and will chase each other.

(2 feeders, store bought hummingbird safe pre mixed nectar)

[bersaguy]

Yea, I still have about 20-25 birds and I filled all the feeders on 26th and put the back out and laready had to fill all of them once and will need to fill them again by Monday. Most of what I have appear to be younger birds but none the less with their fussing and fighting abilities. I have only see 2 Red Thoat Males but does

On ‎7‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 7:14 PM, dralarms said:

 

not mean there are not more. Oh yea, still got the crazy woodpecker and he shares with the Hummingbirds and they don't pick on him. Depending on weather we could have them later this year if it stays warm. I had them last year till the end of October and a few travelers through first couple weeks of November.

[bersaguy]

On ‎7‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 7:14 PM, dralarms said:

Ok, fella. I have a dumb question.

 

first let me say don’t buy hummingbird feeders that fade they won’t even touch them.

that said, I had 2 they were wearing out so I went and got 4 more of the same type. They’re hitting all of them now. 

Now the question, do you have territorial birds? I have one that will chase all the other birds off no matter which feeder they try and use. Entertaining to watch but dang give the little guys a chance too

I am not sure were you get that birds won't feed on feeders if they are faded. All of my feeders are at least 15 years old and tops of all of them are faded and it has not slowed the birds down yet. Yea I know bright red is how most are made but I have seen feeders made from the old Coke Bottle colored glass and have birds fighting over them. BT's wife has window feeders that stick to the out side of her windows with suction cups and I have sat at her kitchen table and watched 2 feed on one small feeder at the same time on her kitchen window right next to her table. I was going to buy new feeders at TSC this year but I missed the sale and they sold out. This winter I will redo my old ones I guess. I know a couple folks that have taken them apart and sanded the bases and reapinted them red wih that plastic paint and painted the flowers yellow again and let everything dry and them put them back together and the birds came and spent all summer on them. 1 warning!!!! Don't paint the inside of the feeders!!! Could harm the birds.

[Tuffus]

I've had a praying mantis perched on one of my feeders for a week or two. Didn't see any harm until someone sent me this video. I had no idea......

 

 

[bersaguy]

8 minutes ago, Tuffus said:

I've had a praying mantis perched on one of my feeders for a week or two. Didn't see any harm until someone sent me this video. I had no idea......

 

 

I've had them get on a feeder from time to time but they don't far well if I see them. They go the way of the Red Wasp and a fly swatter if they don't get gone before I make the swing with the swatter.

[bersaguy]

I don't know if folks have taken down their feeders in my area or what but I have so many birds I am having to fill all 6 of my feeders every 2 days as I ahve birds on them all day long. I have so many birds right now that they have began to stop fighting and I have seen 2 or 3 birds on a feeder at the same time feeding. I went and bough another 4 lb bag of sugar and will make more food to fill the feeders again tonight. I will them at night now to keep them from fighting over the ones I leave out while I am filling others. It was funny the other day to see that crazy woodpecker on  his feeder sharing it with Hummingbirds. I asked Tommy if they had any Hummingbirds where I wil be moving and he said my daughter keeps to feeders full for the birds they ahve so yea they have birds so I will be sure I put my feeders up next spring.

I am going to mss this place. I have lived here longer than any place in my life and if I didn't have a butt head for a land lord I would not be moving this Fall but have no choice. I have been out to the new place to look around and trying to see the positive things about moving out there. I will be back in the country, I will be able to build a small range behind the house because there is a natural burm that will work just right. There are lots of wild critters out there. Squirrels, Rabbits, possums, an occassional Black smellie critter that seem to come around at night mostly but seldom. A fox or 2 live in the area but Tommy says he has never seen an Coyotes in all the years of living there. He said he thought at one time he had a Bobcat in the area back when he had a Chickent Coupe but not sure.

Darby will have plenty of critters to chase anyway. He she only has a few rabbits and squirrels.

Oh well it is what it is so guess I will make the best of it.

[A.J. Holst]

What appears to be the same two females, haven't seen the male in weeks

[peejman]

Ours have been gone for a couple weeks. It's migration time. 

[bersaguy]

37 minutes ago, Gotthegoods said:

What appears to be the same two females, haven't seen the male in weeks

Right now I am guessing I have 30+ birds. I can go outside and they are buzzing around me like mosquito's going in every direction chasing each other around. I can walk up to a feeder with birds on it and get within 3 feet of it before they take flight. They sure are putting on a show here.

 

1 minute ago, peejman said:

Ours have been gone for a couple weeks. It's migration time. 

Well the birds here don't know it's time to migrate but then that is the way it works when they do migrate. 1 day you will have 20 birds and the next day none. I don't know but I think they might leave at daylight after they hit the feeders that last time and then go.

[n0rlf]

31 minutes ago, peejman said:

Ours have been gone for a couple weeks. It's migration time. 

Same here, ours apparently missed the migration memo.  they are everywhere and unless you get within a couple feet they just look and squeak.  LOL

 

[bersaguy]

51 minutes ago, n0rlf said:

Same here, ours apparently missed the migration memo.  they are everywhere and unless you get within a couple feet they just look and squeak.  LOL

 

I'm watching for signs of less birds as that is a sign of a coming migration and also watching the weather. As the leaves began to turn and the nights cool down. They are all signs of a pending migration. Once the main flight has left I will keep 2 feeders up for late travelers and when the leaves begin to fall I will look at putting up my seed feeders for my winter birds and begin putting food in  the squirrel feeders as long as I am here and than I will be moving all of the feeders to my new home and get them up pretty quick so te birds will get use to them pretty quick along with the Squirrels. 

[bersaguy]

Well, I know the migration can happen at most any time but I am still gaining birds. I am hard of hearing but I have so many now I can hear their chirping and see them everywhere. I had to fill the feeders again last night as they are emptying them every 2 days now. They are not fighting as much and now I can have 3 or 4 on all the feeders at the same time which is a sign of a migration soon but when they leave here they will leave with full bellies. I sure have enjoyed thej this year. Just sitting watching them is so relaxing and they will come right up and get within a couple feet of my face and look me all over and are not afraid at all.

[bersaguy]

Well went from having about 30+ birds to zero birds over night. I was watching them all day yesterday and I was knd of expecting to wake up to no birds. All of the fighting over feeders had stopped and there was as many as 4 birds on all of the feeders all day yesterday all the way up till almost complete dark. I got up this morning and looked and there is not one bird here. They all left sometime between dark last night and first safe light this morning. I will leave the feeders up till this weekend and then take down all but 2 and fill those with fresh food  for any birds running late from up north and needing food on the trip. When the leaves have changed and begin to fall I will begin taking care of my winter birds and putting up the seed feeders and putting food down for my ground feeders. I have Cardinals, Blue Jays, Doves and a few Red Wing Black birds that normally show up for the ground food every year. I have often wondered about why I have about 5 Red Wings but have had them the last couple years. I would think where I live would be out of their element but have had them about 3 years now. They show up about Mid November and stay through early March.

[Tuffus]

I have had 3 -6 birds still feeding today. Made up a new batch of food just now. Probably will be the last I have to make but want to be sure and have plenty for the birds that haven't yet left and the passers through.

[bersaguy]

4 minutes ago, Tuffus said:

I have had 3 -6 birds still feeding today. Made up a new batch of food just now. Probably will be the last I have to make but want to be sure and have plenty for the birds that haven't yet left and the passers through.

I had not seen any all day and just a few minutes ago I saw 3 on the feeders so I figure they are travelers. They are not fighting at all. just eating.

[A516]

Our feeders are covered up with HB's that have arrived in the last three days (in southeast Tennessee).

[bersaguy]

47 minutes ago, A516 said:

Our feeders are covered up with HB's that have arrived in the last three days (in southeast Tennessee).

Yep!! Those are migrating birds probably. Heading for the gulf coast to follow it back to Mexico and Equador were they Winter!!!

[monkeylizard]

Bump, cuz I bought my first feeder today. It's red glass so I should be good without adding the food coloring which I hear is bad for them.

When should I put it out in Nashville? About another month?

What's your sugar water recipe? How much sugar to how much a water? Does anything else get added besides sugar and water?

Edited March 11, 2019 by monkeylizard

[ShaggyRS6]

WOW - This is such a coincidence. Did not even read this thread and I put my H-Bird feeder up today!  I actually put right down the of the yard, but I am going to move it closer to the house.

Do Hummingbirds prefer a certain location?  Here is a shot of one I took back when I lived in NJ.  

Edited March 11, 2019 by ShaggyRS6

[Hozzie]

2 hours ago, monkeylizard said:

Bump, cuz I bought my first feeder today. It's red glass so I should be good without adding the food coloring which I hear is bad for them.

When should I put it out in Nashville? About another month?

What's your sugar water recipe? How much sugar to how much a water? Does anything else get added besides sugar and water?

No food coloring  regardless of the color of the container.  They just want the sugar water.

1 part sugar to 4 parts water.  Heat to combine and kill any contaminants.   Store in fridge.  It's pretty simple.  Make enough so you can fill regularly.  They want fresh liquid so if it has been out in the heat for a couple of days, they will start to not eat it.  Don't overfill the holder to not waste it.  Better off to fill a small amount daily or every other day.