An informal poll about Ruby-throat Hummingbirds

that's the red satin pajamas with embroidered flowers and real feeding ports on the PANTS bottom. LOL.

meanwhile, someone stole my Ruby-throat hat project idea.

HA, not really stolen. But I had this idea and others made fun of me. LOL.

Mrs Ed, I've heard that people have had great success when they dress in a clown suit and wear a red frizzy wig and a big red nose. I think you should give it a go. Nothing to lose (except your freedom).

Ahaaaaa...Margaret...again I can see it happening...oh not pretty!!

I am trying to find more jammies that might be hummer friendly... and cooler!

(hides behind Mrs_Ed's fence with a camera)

You can't "form" me from Australia, dear Margaret!!!

LOL, hilarious.

You know that they make red duct tape now too. You could always use it to make a big red arrow on your roof. (tee hee).
Margaret, you made me laugh so hard with that visual. My sides are still hurting.
Since they live here year round they know a lot of our native food sources some of which I posted on this thread, here's the link: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1002745/
although, I think it's on like the first page of the thread. They mostly rely on flowers around the house and feeders in the summer.
If it is any consolation, my MIL, who had to refill her feeders (2) on a daily basis at her former house, didn't receive any hummers at her new place in Sun City until this year. She's been there going on 3 years now. Timing is everything. She kept her feeder up, and kept it clean, when others stored theirs for the winter. This year, she has a lot of visitors.
Hope that you all get a chance to see some of these lovely jeweled birds in your own yards.
WIB,
SW

SW, since you are on the west coast and have different species, I wonder if your populations out there are more dense?

Well I'm still ho ping and planting. I have LOADS of hummingbird plants in the yard. Most are young though.

Red duct tape, heh? HMMMMMM

People need to stop giving you these ideas!! LOL

Hey, WHO is running around in Flowery pajamas and telling us gals about it?

uhhhhh...dang that would be me!! Okay...carry on

HEEE!

Hey, who knew that birders were so funny!! I love this site. Do you have a Red Hat Society? Invite them over for tea and see what happens! We have loads of ruby-throated hummers all season long up to early October. We're in a suburban area by your definition. We've had them fly right up to us, almost to our faces, especially (we think) when we're wearing red. They seem to get bolder as the season progresses.

HA! That's hilarious.

Suburban/almost rural here (0.75 acres with open lawn and mature mixed species trees forming a small woodland area shared with neighbors). We have lots of hummers. We get much more activity on our Hummer Garden flowers (Monarda, Pennstemon, Sage, Butterfly Weed, Cardinal Flower, etc) then we do at our feeders. There are probably 3 nests that use our yard for nectar and hawking bugs.

JEALOUS!!!

It's nice. Now that the Monarda (jacobs cline) has flowered, there is almost always at least one feeding in the back yard. later in the summer when the babies fledge it gets really fun. 3 or 4 at a time with lots of little skirmishes.

Whatever red you wear don't forget the yellow buttons. It helps them to focus.

We are rural,and I have 5 rubies,3 male 2 female.

That is great hugger!!

LOL Frank!!

Update, I have something called a broadtail not a ruby throated. Also have Anna's and visits from BCH's which may have been migrating.
Still documenting their Hummingbird Adventures on this forum if you are interested in what they've been up to.
WIB!
SW

How nice to have such a variety! Since moving from the Missouri Ozarks to Korea, I have only got Dave's to see them at as there aren't any in Asia. I may have to recreate DellRose's hummer paradise when we return to the US since I miss them so.
I really enjoy your thread, SingingWolf. I get to see them through your lens...

We are rural and I just learned that the humming birds that I see are at least mostly Ruby Throats. There seem to be a lot of them this year.

The people I know who have a lot of Hummers have been feeding for many years. I haven't really seen any habitat features that are needed. One I know who has to refill daily has hardly any HB friendly plants in the area, just grass and one pine tree on about an acre.

Anything I've ever done with birds takes a year or two to get established, feeders nest boxes, etc, but once they find it the usually continue. My first year for HB at this location I hardly saw any, 2nd year one or two, this was the 5th yr and we have several that fight over it. I don't think we have alot yet, but maybe in another five years we'll have several family lines that remember where we're located.

Good to know, Chris. I'm certainly hoping that I just have to have some patience. It was an average fall migration for me here in terms of numbers. Of course, because I added so many plants, I didn't see them at the feeders as much.

Interesting idea there Chris. We have lived here almost 3 yrs. The first year(2007) we had so many hummers it blew us away. There had been no plants in the yard before us and what I had put out that spring was not hummingbird plants. We would have to be careful walking out the front door and off the porch because they were always zipping by! I was able to easily get them to hand feed. But the last 2 yrs. the number of birds has dropped drastically. At least at my house. But, I do live in an area with lots of woods and wild flowers. So there are natural sources available aside from other neighbors who have feeders.

Okay, here's what you need to know..I live near town and I have hummers every year. I put my food out early because the hummers send out scouts. Once they establish a feeding ground, they will return each year.

I put the feeders out in April which is early here. I watch the migration map. We do have returning birds ...but the numbers have dropped. Of course there could very natural reasons for that. Including the hurricanes of the last 2 yrs. and last years severe rains across the country. And not all birds survive the journey.

Also, Mrs. Ed could be right. Since I have added more plants, what birds I do have are feeding on them and not the feeders as much.

Iam rural,I put feeders out early too,ive gone from 3 males 3 females,2males 4 females,and this yr.3 females 1 male,Ive never had a lot of hummers . I have lots of flowers ,never seem to get a lot that hang around,always the same ones just making rounds drinking off feeders hitting flowers all the way around the house.

Hey munchkers, welcome to the forum. You'll see that we all are hummer crazy come spring. We watch the hummingbird.net and journey north maps like a hawk and usually put out our feeders when the scouts are in the state below us. isn't technology wonderful?

Anyway, I put mine out in April too and usually have a few. But never during the summer. Then at the end of August I get a bunch. I had one sighting this summer (don't know how many were there that i did NOT see). So I'm hoping that one of the local newbies will pick my yard next year.

Mrs_Ed, I always seem to just have a few all summer long,i have 4 feeders change the sugarwater everyotherday .Years ago I was cleaning a house about 1 1/2 mi. from here there were more hummers than i could even count,it was summer i remember leaves were still really green.I need to ck out that map.Now there be one more crazy hummer watcher on board!!!

lol hugger!

here's to hoping that I become that house with more hummers than you can count.

Mrs_Ed ,where abouts is whiteside co ? just curious,wondering why you dont have hummers that hangout for the summer ?

It's in northwest Illinois. Don't get me wrong, they are in the county. A friend of ours lives out in the country and he has lots of them. He didn't even have a feeder until I gave him one. And the only flowers he had were container plants and hosta. How fair is that? Not very, I say!!! And I tell him that often! LOL.

Mrs.Ed,wow that is weird,so I should be thankful for my few,Iam = + }

When I first moved here, I put out a feeder. My neighbors to the north told me that the woman across the street had a hummingbird feeder. I strategically (I thought) placed my feeder so that they could see it if they cam around to the front of her house. My intent was to steal her hummies! Ha! I also saw one other feeder at a neighbors (I cruised the alley to look. how sick am I?) but otherwise, I'm the only one that has a garden full of lots of flowers on these couple of blocks. I will be anxious to see what next year has to offer now that I've had the good plants for one season.

Tell the hummers look for the big red X on the roof !!!! This yr was my first getting orioles to feed off the feeders,they fed untill their babies hatched,i see them every yr,just couldnt get them to stick around finally this spring they did,Ive been trying for 4-5 yrs ,ya know they are perfect Harley colors too !!!!!

Ha! Harley Colors.

I had an Oriole show up for about 3 days at the beginning of May to drink from the feeders. I was very surprised since I live in town. Again, my mother has them at her house all summer. I gave her an oriole feeder so she really enjoys seeing them up close.