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The Rubies are back! (1 Viewer)

The Ruby-Throated migration seems to have ended. I haven't seen a hummingbird for two days now. For the past few days there was only 3 or 4 birds visiting the feeders. Quite a let down from the 100 or so visiting during the peak of the migration.

I'll keep a feeder going this winter. Maybe the little female Rufous female will show up again. I hope she again spends Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years with me.

Looks like I have to amend that post. I saw a female hummingbird at the feeders just a few minutes ago. :)
 
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Hmm, it's strange. I'm still seeing only occasional individuals. Last year at this time I had them by the dozens!
 
This has been a weird year. Most of the hummingbirds were gone from here on September 21. That's a couple weeks earlier than usual.

I can usually tell when the birds are getting ready to leave. They are much fatter than they were when they arrived.
 
TFM, I thought I had seen my last one for this fall back on the 17th. I keep a feeder going anyway and one showed up today. I'm sure she won't be here long.
 
Our 'first male' was seen on 23rd. Oct and the 'first female' was seen on the 30th Oct.
 

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I have two females visiting regularly, but it's been a disappointing season. Nowhere near the swarms (literally dozens) of rubies I had last year. But the good news is, my Green Violet-Ear has become a regular visitor, and this week a visiting male Baltimore Oriole seems to have found the feeders too!
 
The little female that showed up here on Oct 17 was gone on Oct 22. She was the last one I've seen this fall. I still have a feeder going just in case the little female Rufous shows back up this year.
 
Glad to hear the hummers are returning to the South! I always feel sad when they leave us here (they left mid September this year). Can't wait until they return in the spring!

Enjoy them while they're visiting!
 
Nov 10 2012 probable Rufous in SW Ohio

There had been scattered reports of a couple hummers still around in SE MI and Ohio so I kept a feeder going and this morning after weeks and weeks of no hummer I had what I think is a female, maybe juvie female Rufous Hummingbird.
I didn't see it after 1430 though I could have missed it. It made very short visits to the feeder and was very skittish.
Hope it makes it south ok.
 
Glad to hear the hummers are returning to the South! I always feel sad when they leave us here (they left mid September this year). Can't wait until they return in the spring!

Enjoy them while they're visiting!

I am! They don't generally spend the whole winter here (I'm at too high an elevation for them) but this year I've had very low numbers :-( I'm still getting two females, and one day last week I had a male.
 
We had a trip to South Carolina - Pawley's Island - January 18-21. There is an Audubon Store there in a little independent shopping area called the Hammock Stores. There were 2 Ruby Throats regularly visiting the feeder hanging near the front door. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself. We also visited a residence in McLellansville that has a Buff Bellied Hummer feeding every 15-30 minutes.
 
I love the Hammock Shops.

You would be amazed at the amount of different birds you will see if you just park yourself on the bench in front of the store ;)
 
The shop had an Oriole feeder (using grape jelly) out with a regular Baltimore Oriole visiting. The bird did not show while we were there but we were assured that it had been there the day before. The owner was taking the Sunday afternoon off - so I was speaking with her father. He said they typically have Ruby Throats every winter.
 
Fall of 2011 I had an Oriole visiting my hummingbird feeders. He was here for about two weeks before moving on. I put a peeled orange out for him but he seem to prefer sugar water. If he ever comes back I'll try the grape jelly.
 

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