Larry,
How's come we don't have any Hummingbird here on the MS Gulf Coast right now????? I have 8 feeders out and I haven't seen a hummer in about three weeks.
Where's our Hummers???????
Glory
Jul 18, 2003
I only have a few myself. I am guessing, but it probably has something to do with all the rain we have had. I am sure that by mid Aug. they will be here in full force. Sometimes when we have much rain, as this year, it causes the first breeding to be less than normal, but the adult females will breed two and sometimes three times during the spring and summer to make up for loss young.
Larry
Glory
Jul 20, 2003
Larry,
I'll let you know when they show up!!!
Glory
Jul 23, 2003
Larry,
Had one hummer show up yesterday and today.......hopefully more will be here soon.
Glory, we had about twelve hummers and now it is down to six. I don't know what happened to the rest of ours either.
I think they all headed to my house. Within the last 10 days, we have suddenly become hummingbird heaven. Normally, I don't see this many until they start to dominate the feeders during their "bulk up" period prior to migration. I'm loving it and am glad that it's Friday so that I have the weekend to enjoy them. Nat
They are headed south. I am going to put up 10 more feeders this weekend. They really have been flying and fighting this week.
Larry
Glory
Jul 26, 2003
Larry,
Bring some here the next time you come to Biloxi. LOL
Please send some my way, too! I've got all these nice tubular nectar flowers and have yet to see a hummingbird (I get sphynx moths, but that's about the closest thing so far...)
None at my house either...... :0(
We have several hummers here. They really like the Salvia Larry gave us at the swap..at least I'm pretty sure it was Larry. They also like the Cigar Plant we have.
I'm not over run with them either. Have only had a few lately maybe 2 or 3 but hopefully we will all see more as they begin there migration further south. I had tons of hummers in Tennessee, had to refill feeders ever couple of days, so I guess they are all up there in the heat of the summer....LOL....I sure miss um'...... :o)
One plant the hummers really like in my garden is the Gaura. I don't remember the name of the first one I bought, which self seeds. I bought Gaura Siskiyou Pink last year. They do have quite small blooms, but the hummers love them. Donna
The adult males have started their southward migration. I have a yard full of them now. In case you do not know, adult males migrate both north and then south first, followed by adult females in about 2 weeks, then hummers born this yr in another 2 weeks. They do not migrate as pairs or groups, but as individual birds. By this time of the yr, most rubbys that spent the summer in Canada have all migrated back south into the US now. This southward migration will continue for the next 3 months until 99.99 % of them has left the US.
Thanks for the info, hummer_nut. I have a female and a male and I think two babies. But I never see them together at one time. They seem to like the larkspurs best. My buddleias are just now starting to bloom. I suppose they will stay as long as there is plenty to eat until September anyway. They are one of the best things about summer.
There were approximately a dozen of the little cuties last nite fighting and playing on the three feeders I have. Since they drain the feeders in one day, I guess I need to get a few more :)
Sugar, Larry's salvia is probably the best thing I have had in my garden that attracts hummers. I had hummers hitting on the salvia all summer; or at least off and on all summer. My problem is that they just do not stay. I have seen three, yes three only, at one time. Larry that salvia is everything you said it is and more. We have had so much rain that mine is dying, but I am trying to root more. Maries died too. It has been most unusally rainey this year. What is the name of that salvia ?
Roz, the name is Salvia guaranitica 'Costa Rican Blue'. How have you and Marie managed to kill it. That is almost impossible to do. It likes a lot of rain or water & shade, but will grow in full sun. Don't use much fertilizer on it. I fertilize mine once a year in early spring, then no more.
I think it is sitting in a low area of the garden; normally, it does not affect anything, but with this rain, it is sloshy. The whole garden is actually. I am trying now to root more. It has the most beautiful blue flowers.
Edited because I cannot type!!
This message was edited Monday, Aug 11th 11:32 AM
Roz, I may be coming down soon. When I do I will bring you some more.
Larry