Are the hummers leaving?

[Vik]

During the past week we've seen a decline in the hummingbird population. Ruby throats. Usually, we have them around past the first week in September. Has anyone else noticed this? I hate to see them go. Vik

[jeepee]

I haven't seen one hummingbird in the backyard garden here in Minneapolis, Minnesota this year and that's unusual.

[snowyowl]

I had three around yesterday, all juvies, I think.

[bobky]

Hi,

The Fall migration seems to be underway. Apparently, the males leave first, as all I'm seeing are females and juveniles. Cya, bob

[shelley810]

I haven't seen one hummingbird in the backyard garden here in Minneapolis, Minnesota this year and that's unusual.


I am just south of you and I have 3 juv males here. Which is way, way down what I usually have at this time of year. In years past I would have hummers hang around well into the first week in October. Others in my area have reported the same. I didn't have the influx in the early spring this year, either. |=(|

Shelley

[stephennj]

I have one left out of two apparent residents here in NJ

[amasara]

Still plenty of hummers here on the Ohio river - never sure if they are regulars or just passing by .... fat little bellies!!

[marianna]

There didn't seem to be nearly as many hummers around my yard this summer either....but there ARE still some females about. Saw two buzzing each other over one feeder this afternoon. Last year they stayed actively feeding at my feeders until the very end of September.

[KCFoggin]

Well, I'm happy to say that the hummer activity has picked up quite a bit here this week. Much feistiness among the young male juvies. Got clipped in the ear yesterday during one of their battles ;)

[stephennj]

I'm back up to two today as well.No idea if they are migrants or residents.

[marianna]

I cleaned out and refilled all three hummingbird feeders on Tuesday (21st), and within 24 hours had a female ruby-throated hummingbird. Have seen one (always female) each day since, including this morning. I think these are migrants, as two different ones have approached the colored perches on a large tube thistle feeder before finding the 'real' hummer feeder close by.

So, officially, there is still a hummingbird at my feeders Sept. 24, 2004! ( I KNOW someone else will have a later visitor! Ha!)

[Katy Penland]

So, officially, there is still a hummingbird at my feeders Sept. 24, 2004! ( I KNOW someone else will have a later visitor! Ha!)
LOL! Still have two female rufous (this year's young that fledged here) at our lone remaining feeder. Everybody else has skedaddled. Did have one broad-tailed male visit on the 19th, but only made one stop and haven't seen him since.

We also had frost two days ago for the first time this season, and it was down to 34 last night. Won't be long before these two holdouts will be gone.

Hey, Marianna, wanna bet a 10# bag of sugar whose hummers are here the latest? :bounce:

[marianna]

Methinks you would win that one, Katy!!!

[KCFoggin]

I've still got 3 juvie males and one female so tonight I said what the heck and hung one more feeder. ;)

[Katy Penland]

I've still got 3 juvie males and one female so tonight I said what the heck and hung one more feeder. ;)
LOL, now that's what I call optimism!


Methinks you would win that one, Katy!!!
Nah, I seriously doubt it since I live at 7,000 ft. ele. in northeast AZ, not the warmer, hummer-rich southeast part of the state. :-) It will be interesting to see how long these two hang around, though. Last year we had hummers 'til mid-October, but we also had three feeders up and needing to be filled twice a day EACH almost until they all just disappeared within a few days' time.

Hey, had a common ground dove in the yard this afternoon!!! Wow, that's a species that just isn't seen much above the Mexican border areas. We had one this past spring, too. Wonder if it's the same one checking in on its way south (where it belongs)? ;)

[prairiemerlin]

I saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird in my yard this afternoon! First one ever for my yard. I was very glad to see it, but I hope it doesn't stay too long - we don't have that much hummer food around!

[KCFoggin]

Well, you can quickly make up a solution of 1 part sugar to 4 parts boiled water. They will be very happy with that ;)

[Dave B Smith]

Well I know where y'all's hummers are! In Texas! I saw several hundred two weeks ago in Rockport and then last weekend in Smith's Point saw a house with three feeders with easily 150 birds in the yard trying to feed. What an impressive sight. They say about 10,000 Ruby-throats migrate through the area each year.

[Steve Gross]

Dave, et al.:

The numbers have dropped here in TX as well. Ten days ago, I had at least seven birds coming to my single feeder in NW Houston. I haven't seen any in the last four days. While birding in Corpus Christi last weekend, there were a few birds coming to feeders located near the hawk watch area, but only a few.

The peak of the migration matches the dates of the Hummer Festival in Rockport (which Dave and his wife attended), but, as you can see, the numbers dwindle at that point.

Houston has played host to good numbers (relatively speaking) of wintering hummers, but ironically those birds have been members of more westerly species. Very few Ruby-throats are seen in this area during the winter.

Steve in Houston

[Curtis Croulet]

Nah, I seriously doubt it since I live at 7,000 ft. ele. in northeast AZ, not the warmer, hummer-rich southeast part of the state.

Sorry if I've missed an earlier post. What species do you get? We own a piece of property between Show Low & Concho, and I often wonder what species we might see if we can ever get back to visit our 1.18 acre "ranch"! The habitat is pinyon-juniper woodland. I'd expect Broad-tails, but do Black-chins get up there? Magificents supposedly occur up to the Mogollon Rim, and I often wonder if any of them ever get beyond the Rim and onto the plateau.

[Katy Penland]

Sorry if I've missed an earlier post. What species do you get? We own a piece of property between Show Low & Concho, and I often wonder what species we might see if we can ever get back to visit our 1.18 acre "ranch"! The habitat is pinyon-juniper woodland. I'd expect Broad-tails, but do Black-chins get up there? Magificents supposedly occur up to the Mogollon Rim, and I often wonder if any of them ever get beyond the Rim and onto the plateau.
Oooo, I've never birded over in that area at all but would sure love to. Lots of great birds are reported during migration.

I've logged 103 species since moving here September 2001. I can PM you the list if you're interested.

Re: hummers. Never have heard of magnificents coming up onto the Rim but I'm sure no authority. Here in our Overgaard yard, we get black-chinned, broad-tailed, rufous and calliope all summer, and I've also been told that Costa's has been reported on the Rim but I've not yet had them in the yard.

We actually had two waves of black-chinned this year; the first two pair fledged their broods, the "kids" disappeared leaving only the adults when the rufous showed up and the season-long donnybrook was convened! ;) The poor broad-taileds could hardly get to the feeders with all the proprietary behavior going on! This year, however, we didn't have any calliopes that I saw, but we were also waaaaaaaaaay down in numbers all the way around. Never got all 3 feeders up, and probably only had just around 30 hummers total at any one time. The two female rufous are still hanging in here despite one night already of freezing temps, and regularly into the high-30s/low-40s for the past week.

Had a dickcissel come in this morning! Only the 2nd time in 2 years that's happened. What a beautiful bird!

[KCFoggin]

Well with the tail end of Jeanne over us yesterday and steady winds of 40 mph all yesterday, I was heartened this evening while I was mowing the lawn to see that I still had 3 hummers that I can count so not sure if the 4th one is still around or not but I was a happy camper this evening as I refilled all the feeders ;)

[Katy Penland]

Well with the tail end of Jeanne over us yesterday and steady winds of 40 mph all yesterday, I was heartened this evening while I was mowing the lawn to see that I still had 3 hummers that I can count so not sure if the 4th one is still around or not but I was a happy camper this evening as I refilled all the feeders ;)
Boy, KC, you've really caught it from hurricanes this year, huh? I'm so glad to hear Jeanne gave you a wide berth. And that most of your hummers are still around! I sure missed having the huge crowd this year. There's just something about getting dive-bombed and hummed and buzzed every time you step outside your own back door! LOL!

[KCFoggin]

Boy, KC, you've really caught it from hurricanes this year, huh? I'm so glad to hear Jeanne gave you a wide berth. And that most of your hummers are still around! I sure missed having the huge crowd this year. There's just something about getting dive-bombed and hummed and buzzed every time you step outside your own back door! LOL!Katy, I was especially pleased to see my little female still around. Heck, she is almost another pet. She will come to my finger as I am holding the feeder. The kids in the neighborhood get such a kick out of watching this.

We are in for some cooler weather next week so that should cool the waters down and slow any potential storms that might be brewing out there. Hopefully anyway.

[Katy Penland]

Katy, I was especially pleased to see my little female still around. Heck, she is almost another pet. She will come to my finger as I am holding the feeder. The kids in the neighborhood get such a kick out of watching this.
Awwwwwww... I've had hummers remain on the feeder all the way to the door and I've had to gently shoo them off before going into the house, but I've *never* had one perch on a finger! How cool is that?! That little one of yours must feel so comfortable around you, she knows she can trust you completely.


We are in for some cooler weather next week so that should cool the waters down and slow any potential storms that might be brewing out there. Hopefully anyway.
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you -- and for everyone in the southeast. I cannot believe poor Florida this year.

[Curtis Croulet]

Oooo, I've never birded over in that area at all but would sure love to. Lots of great birds are reported during migration. Thanks. I know Overgaard is, so that gives me a good idea of your surrounding habitat.