Hummingbirds

[bersaguy]

There back in late Spring early summer I thought we were not going to have any this year. I always put up one or two feeders early for early travelers passing through going up east. I finally in mid July got two regulars so I put out 3 more feeders and still only had 2 for about two weeks. Now I guess most folks took their feeders down thinking they weren't coming. About 3rd day of August I had about 25 birds fighting over 5 feeders so I put up 3 more for a total of 8 nd now I bet I have 40 to 50 birds buzzing all over m house and yard. I just came in from watching them feeding feuding and fussing and they are really funny to watch. I laugh all the time I am out there sitting and watching. I have to fill the feeders every 2 days since they all have shown up. I sure do enjoy watching them. Does anyone here enjoy feeding and watching them?

[RED333]

We used to, got to be a pain keeping the feeders full.

Now we have a "humming bird" bush, it has red trumpet shaped flower

that they come to a lot.

[bersaguy]

We used to, got to be a pain keeping the feeders full.

Now we have a "humming bird" bush, it has red trumpet shaped flower

that they come to a lot.

I sure wish you knew the name of that bush/vine. There was one here when i moved here and it would come back every year on it's own and had birds on it all the time. It finally died and I have not been able to find out what it was so i could plant more of them........I know what you mean out filling the feeders but I don't really mind. Gives me something to do and I keep it mixed up in the fridge in gallon containers.

[Trekbike]

We haven't had near as many this year compared to years past. Two summers ago we were covered up, less last summer and even less this year.

[enfield]

They hit our feeders, and our hibiscus, mandevilla, and butterfly bushes. We love watching the little warriors. Edited September 9, 2013 by enfield

[bersaguy]

We haven't had near as many this year compared to years past. Two summers ago we were covered up, less last summer and even less this year.

 

I didn't think I was going to have very many this year either but I am guessing right now I have about 50 to 60 resident birds that will stay till it's time to migrate but up until a month ago I only had about 5 and they all showed up here about same time and I had to put out more feeders to make sure they all got fed. I sit out there on my patio and they will buzz all around me and i love it when one will get about 3 feet from my face and just sit and hover there looking at me. I have had some do that for as long as 1 minute before another one comes in and distracts them and away they go...I have had folks tell me about one flowering Vine that grows up a piece of laddies if you plant it at the base of it in early spring and it will come back every year but I can find out the name of it. It has little horn type flowers on it and they say Hummingbirds love it and when I first moved here there was some here but it finally died that year we had that really late freeze and frost. 

[Lowpower]

Bartlett, TN here. We have 3-4 every year until the hoard begins heading south then it's a madhouse. I love walking out an standing beside the feeders while they hover in for some snacks. Right now I think the migration is beginning because with our 5 feeder we have 10-12 fighting over the 5 feeder. We've had them for the past 15 years and love them!

 

Lp

[RED333]

I sure wish you knew the name of that bush/vine. There was one here when i moved here and it would come back every year on it's own and had birds on it all the time. It finally died and I have not been able to find out what it was so i could plant more of them........I know what you mean out filling the feeders but I don't really mind. Gives me something to do and I keep it mixed up in the fridge in gallon containers.

Here ya go

http://www.hillcountrymysteries.com/2010/06/hummingbird-bush-anisacanthus.html

[QuietDan]

My wife has five feeders out for three regulars and a few transients. They always fight over the same feeder even though there's enough to go around. Very sweet.

[Guest Bonedaddy]

Used to feed a bunch at the house I just moved from. Didn't put the feeders out here, for some reason but I will next year. They should be headed South soon. Wasn't sure if any were even nearby until opening day of dove season when I had one fly up to me, right after shootin' a couple of birds and just look at me, not a foot from my face like he was asking me why I did that then it flew out over the middle of my yard and met up with another and they just looked at each other like they were discussing something then split in opposite directions. They used ot fly up to me at the other house like that, too. Just fly up and look at me for a spell then fly off. Have no clue why. i'm puttin' the feeders out, next year. The little critters kinda fasinate me.

[Trekbike]

They always fight over the same feeder even though there's enough to go around. Very sweet.

Funny that kids will do the same thing over one toy.

[Fourtyfive]

We have a whole gaggle , herd , flight or what ever it's called of them in our backyard all day.

[superduty]

I was in Lawrenceburg this weekend at David Crockett State Park, and they were everywhere.

[bersaguy]

I had to laugh a few years after i moved here and first put out a few feeders. I had been gone a week and when i got back the feeders were empty so I went out and got them and filled them with food from the fridge and as I was walking back out to hang them up I had one in each hand and two birds  on each one drinking while was toting them back to hang them back up. I had to laugh about that for a few minutes. I think the climate changes are having some effect on them since they are a migratory bird and I think that the drought all over the west is making it harder for them to make the migration from Brazil and Latin America where they winter at back up to Maine, Canada and Nova Scotia where most of them summer. I know a great number of birds into the thousands spend all summer in Eureka Springs Arkansas each year because everyone in that town has at least a dozen feeders up on every house and tree in town. Been there to visit a few times and see thousands of birds there every time I go there. We should have birds here in middle Tennessee till at least end of September to mid October depending on the weather.........jmho 

[jgradyc]

We have a dozen or so at our feeder.

[Oh Shoot]

....and as I was walking back out to hang them up I had one in each hand and two birds  on each one drinking while was toting them back to hang them back up.

 

Here near the urb I gave up on the hummers years ago, as didn't get enough to make it worth the hassle, but I get more birds overall to the seed, suet, and thistle feeders I have than I did when I lived in the boonies.

 

Sometimes I'll be out there filling them up and it's like the impending doom of a scene from Hitchcock's The Birds, so many are hanging out, waiting to swoop in.

 

- OS

[Guest PapaB]

Here near the urb I gave up on the hummers years ago, as didn't get enough to make it worth the hassle, but I get more birds overall to the seed, suet, and thistle feeders I have than I did when I lived in the boonies.

 

Sometimes I'll be out there filling them up and it's like the impending doom of a scene from Hitchcock's The Birds, so many are hanging out, waiting to swoop in.

 

- OS

 

I know what you mean. We buy sunflower seed in 40lb bags and don't dare let the feeders get too low. I love hearing them sing throughout the day, especially in the early morning.

[PackinMama]

I keep a couple feeders on the front porch and we have around a dozen. My cat caught one a couple weeks ago and I knocked the cat away and grabbed it up. I took it to the front yard and tried to release it since it wasn't bleeding and appeared uninjured. It would fly about two inches up from my hand and then land again. It did this several times and just couldn't get any higher. I sat it down on a bush and noticed something caught in it's wing. I picked it up again and began pulling at the thing on it's wing. It turned out to be a very large and long strand of spider webbing that was entwined all around it's whole body. I gently got it all off and then opened my hand. It sat there for about a minute and just looked at me (almost like it was thanking me).....then it flew off like nothing had happened. My husband now calls me the hummingbird whisperer. :) Edited September 9, 2013 by PackinMama

[Timestepper]

I have had folks tell me about one flowering Vine that grows up a piece of laddies if you plant it at the base of it in early spring and it will come back every year but I can find out the name of it. It has little horn type flowers on it and they say Hummingbirds love it and when I first moved here there was some here but it finally died that year we had that really late freeze and frost. 

Sounds like Cypress Vine. We had one for several years (until our Pygmy goats ate it) and the hummingbirds loved it.

[peejman]

We've only got a few humming birds.  We used to have more, but my arsehat neighbor cut down a willow tree that they liked to roost in.  My parents generally have a dozen or so.  They're definitely fun to watch, they'll keep my kids entertained for a while. 

 

So who else has had one come eat from the feeder while you're carrying it from the house to the yard? 

 

We have several other regular bird feeders and lots of birds.  I like watching and listening to them, though I will admit my favorite part is when the resident Cooper's Hawk swoops in and snatches a Dove.  :)

[Oh Shoot]

  I like watching and listening to them, though I will admit my favorite part is when the resident Cooper's Hawk swoops in and snatches a Dove.  :)

 

Yup. I've had big ass red tails do the same thing right here near the urb. I was standing about 10 feet away once when it happened. He actually struck a dove on way down but missed, got a cowbird as consolation prize. :)

 

- OS

[peejman]

Yup. I've had big ass red tails do the same thing right here near the urb. I was standing about 10 feet away once when it happened. He actually struck a dove on way down but missed, got a cowbird as consolation prize. :)

 

- OS

 

I had one nearly get me once....  I had just walked around the corner and there was this swoosh and rustle of feathers right across my head.  It flew back up, sat on my roof, and fussed at me for screwing up it's meal.