Any Ideas?? (1 Viewer)

I'm in north central Louisiana and the last couple of years have been strange at my feeder. Its been only a few occasional straglers that do not return to the feeder up until about last of June to mid July. Then I begin picking up daily visitors. Whats the deal here are they finding natural food until then?? Even stranger yet this year theres been very little rainfall until the last week or so and I know that water has not been available like usual for them to get a drink, but I must admit I'm a 1/2 mile from an oxbow lake.

Has this been anyone else's experience also??

What kind of cover do you have in your garden? In my opinion, this is the most significant habitat factor missing in most gardens.

Mark
Bastrop, TX

Area is to open not a lot of cover at all. You probably have a valid idea and I know you have better experience than I do but if cover is bad and hummers did not like lack of then they wouldn't come latter, or am I all wet with that thought???

After I made the post I saw a hint in Helen's post, or on her web page. She thinks, or knows, that the birds went North and are on their way back slowly south after breading.

July through October in the south we have a very different situation developing than we do the rest of the year - hummingbirds are in a heavy migration, more birds present than we had in the spring, and for the most part the birds are "just passin' through". I know people will tell you that they have birds there pretty steady through this period, and that they are certain it is the same bird, but banding studies tell us that any one bird spending more than 3 days at any one feeder during this period is very unusual. While a bird passing through still needs SOME cover for rest and escape, a big part of that shelter need is removed by the fact that the birds are not looking for a nest. I am sure you will not have more than 10 birds at your feeder at any one time - something that is quite common at this time of year with a feeder that has lots of shelter nearby.
Look at the natural history of these birds - they are mountain birds. They need shelter!

Mark
Bastrop, TX

You know I was thinking about my yard in that cover statement but birds don't usually look at survey maps and I didn't think how near real good cover is across the narrow side street from the feeder. There's a row of cedars some 40ft high on the property line adjoining the street and that probably counts. Also I've seen a few make a quick hit and fly to sycamore tree in my yard that I didn't call cover because it's so tall and I was thinking low cover when you posted.

Also I wish I could prove this because your experience says other but some seem to have stayed around for much longer than you said above. I'm not planning on looking for a bander to come for my stupid want to know though. That's a little to invasive for my way of treating wildlife with little gain other than personal. Now if I had a Red Cockaded colony back there I'd call in the big guns from National Forest Service based nearby real fast. They are working active colonies until they drop around here the Red Cockaded is not that rare here anymore but still quite proctected.

Where I see lots of hummingbirds is in areas where the feeders are essentially surrounded by cover but the feeders themselves are not shaded.

Mark
Bastrop, TX

humminbird said:

Where I see lots of hummingbirds is in areas where the feeders are essentially surrounded by cover but the feeders themselves are not shaded.

Mark
Bastrop, TX

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Thanks for the replies and insight, Mark.

I know you've put a lot of effort into Hummers and probably know more than a little about them.

Didn't want you to think I posted and ran but I was waiting to see what else poped up from you or other seasoned folks.