Question, Hummingbirds in Ohio

Does anybody know when the hummingbirds return to Ohio? Who has seen hummingbirds? Let's track thier return from Brazil to Canada. I was given 3 new hummingbird feeders and I am eager to put them out. They usually go for my Corral bells & Buddelia(is that right?) What else attracts them? P.S. I would like to know about the Monarch Butterflies too. When do they come back from Mexico?

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I just saw my first ruby-throated hummer, a female, 2 days ago. She may have been around earlier, but I happened to see her when I was standing at my back door! My mother-in-law saw hers a couple days before I did, and she's in the same town. :o)

The hummers have been back here for at least a month now. They dive bomb me as I work in the garden. The monarch butterflies are just now showing up. Saw two today for the first of the year.

Last saturday, I saw one of my little guys for the first time. I think it was the 5th. I have seen him every day since. He was all over my ajuga. So they have arrived in southern new jersey. sue

They have been in Central California for about 3 weeks now. They really seem to like my columbine. I saw a rust colored one today. He flew right up to my face and hovered there for about 45 secs. I held my breath, because I didn't want to frighten him. Talk about a close encounter!

We put our feeders out on April 15th and had our first hummers on April 22nd. So far there doesn't seem to be as many as there was last year but maybe all of them haven't made it back yet. We are in southern Ohio.

Hummers are here in western NY. Saw one yesterday flirting with the narcissus.

I haven't seen one - I have never seen one :( - Here is a site that might be useful regarding plants to attract hummingbirds:-

http://www.birdware.com/NHS/nectar.htm

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The hummers arrive here on the same day every year..I've tracked them for four years now and they never miss. They are here on April 17..never varies. Usually a scout (male) shows up first followed by the rest in a few days. They are amazing.

Louisa, I had never seen them at our old stomping ground either, but I have seen several while living in Smithfield. I haven't seen any here yet, but it could be our temps have been cooler than the norm this spring. I hope you see some!
Carol

I know Patty - it does sound amazing doesn't it! I really can't wait to see my first one and when I do you can be sure that the whole of DG will know about it :-)

I saw my first hummer of the season yesterday. I am in central Indiana. Julie

One of my little hummers showed up May 2. He stayed for a few days, then left. We have Carpenter Bees this year. Do you think it's possible he left because of the bees? I had between 10-15 hummers last summer. I sure hope they come back!

Okay, I've cleaned out my feeder (hot water only, no soap, no bleach), mixed up some fresh simple syrup and hung it back up. No hummers. Anything else I can do to attract them? (Nicotiana is blooming, Monarda's getting ready to, other sweet plants blooming all around the gardens - honeysuckle, peonies, etc.)

I'm guessing they can't read a sign saying "Hummingbirds Welcome".....

We used to have some hummers that would come back each year, and they would almost dive-bomb us on the patio as they attacked the feeder - it was comical to watch, and I miss them.

Hi go_vols! Sounds like your doing everything right. My hubby said it was June last year before our hummers showed up. I was thinking they came in May, but my memory is not very good. My hubby said the one I had a couple of weeks ago must have been on his way to some other home, and just stopped by here to take a rest..LOL...I sure hope my other ones show up. I'll post on this thread if they do. Hope you get some too. :o)

We had a hummer, male ruby throat, spend a week in the green house during a cold spell about three weeks ago. I hung a feeder, but he had plenty of his favorites in there to feed from. They like salvia, Mexican Cigar (cuphea), Million Bells (callibracoa), fuchsia and hosta blooms.
He flwe away out the door when it was warm again. We get hummers in the green house quite often because of the flowers inside, but they are usually easy to coax out with a basket of flowers at the door. This one refused to leave till it was warm.
Calalily

We had our first one on April 6th and I'm just 10 miles north of you iluvhummers. Hi Neighbor! Welcome to DG.

According to Journey North.org,one was spotted in Almo , KY on the 6th also. I always get mine between the 4th and the 10th of april.I'm between Benton and Hardin at South Marshall.

For those of you who want to attract hummers,use silk poinsettias like you get at Christmas.Tie them in the bushes and trees. Also bright surveyors tape,pink,yellow,red...tied in strips to flutter.The little dudes can spot it a mile away and come to investigate.Your neighbors might think you're nuts,but it works.

There is a workshop every year in The Land Between The Lakes near here and Bob Sargent(hi guru of hummers) comes and gives lectures and they band the birds. You can actually 'adopt ' one and release it when they are finished banding it. Yep...you get to hold a hummer! It's heart beats 250 times a minute and it just sort of buzzes in your hand because of the vibration.

If anyone is intrested in attending,I'll get the info together and post it. I won't be able to attend this season as it falls on my niece's birthday and my DH's 25th class reunion day.I've been several times and it is well worth the trip.(only 20 miles for me)

Melody, that's great advice. The neighbors already think I'm nuts (actually one of them thinks a lot worse thoughts than that), so a few silk flowers in the trees probably won't surprise them, LOL!

mine are here in michigan-luv those lil hummers!

Just found this site about hummingbirds - very cool info, and a cute little hummer follows your mouse (hope that doesn't slow down those on limited bandwidth!) http://www.hummingbirds.net/

Thank you all so much, I've been putting a pin in a map for each one spotted. My hubby put out the feeders yesterday & so did our neighbor. We still haven't spotted a hummer but I saw my first Monarch Butterfly on Friday. I see that we now have a wildlife forum so I will start following it. Oh my nesting boxes are occupied and my neighbor has a robin nesting in the curve of her downspout, by the wisteria vine.

Yesterday was our first siting hear near Dayton. They were around all day!

Hi melody! {{neighbor}}...Small world isn't it..LOL...I live about 10 miles South of Murray. I changed my feeders today, and lo and behold, after I changed them one of my hummers showed back up. He/she is so cute! I'm sitting in my puter room wathing it out my glass doors. If you don't mind, would you post the information on the workshop. I have heard about it, but have not attended one yet.

go_vols: Thanks for posting the link of the hummingbird site. It is very informative. I think my hummers may have been nesting is the reason they came then left. Hopefully they are back to stay for awhile..heehee. Hope you have some hummers soon! :o)

We have a hummer! DS spotted it this morning as he was eating his breakfast. I'm soooooo excited. And the neighbors will be glad I didn't have to resort to surveyor's tape to get attract them!

go_vols: I'm sooooo excited for you! :o)

Here's a neat article on the little cuties from Smithsonian Magazine's September 2000 issue:

So Tiny, So Sweet...So MEAN
http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues00/sep00/hummingbirds.html
The whole article was re-printed in the May 2001 issue of Reader's Digest, too.

Bob Sargent says...'If hummingbirds were the size of crows...we'd all be dead' They're fearless and agressive.

I guess it's because they're all so bold that we love them so much.

I saw the first hummer about three weeks ago. Don't know what they are eating yet, as there aren't many flowers blooming around...

I'm in Maine.

-plant girl :)

Welcome to DG, plantgirl! We're starting to see a hummer on a regular basis here, I hope he/she invites some friends over soon, although after reading that article above, I guess they aren't big on making/keeping friends, LOL!

Louisa, I have seen hummingbirds for several weeks now, so I would think you should see some as well. They have lited on my salvia, just the plain old purple kind and something else that was blooming at the same time. My good stuff that attracts them won't start blooming for a couple weeks, They love the monarda. I also planted some agastache for them as well. I don't put out feeders because of my cats. I doubt the cat could catch one. By the way how is the house coming. I have not been on DG for a while.

Puttyrat

Hummers eat insects. That is why you see them before many flowers are in bloom. They migrate by day length,not temps,so that is why you can see them even when it's cold out.

go-vols..don't count on many hummer friends.If you have one that attaches him or herself to your feeder,they will fight tirelessly to defend it.You will probably get more than one and you will hear them squawking and fighting over it. Put out another feeder and they'll try to defend it too.In the late summe ,males and females will even fight each other.You can have several hummers visit your feeders,but this time of year,only one male will stay. Later..in July the birds you see each week are different.They are already migrating south.

Right now the males will stake out a territory and try to attract as many females as possible.
Sorry men,but the male hummer is only good for _one_ thing.
After the romance,he has nothing else to do with the family.
The female is a 'single mom' in every sense of the word.She builds the nest,lays the eggs,incubates them,fights off predators,feeds the babies and even fans them with her wings if it gets too hot.