They also get nectar from the long spurred columbine
The ruby throated hummingbirds are on the move!
Did ya'll know that these little guys use the nectar as a source of energy to go after the source of nutrients they need to survive? Insects and small spiders! And, to survive the night they go into a torpid state. Sort of a coma.
John
No, I didn't know that John. Makes sense though--BTW do you have a good hummingbird book? thanks. t.
Must be like the titmouse. His heartbeat and breathing slows down in winter to conserve energy.
I don't see how people get shots of them. I read Monetery's threads, and Magpye's. This is such a busy time of the year, I just don't have my camera with me. After everything is planted out, I can sit on the porch and maybe get a shot.
No I don't. :-( Most of my info is gleaned from the internet and the link at the top.
A friend of mine in The Woodlands (10 miles south) told me that her hummingbird feeder was empty. While she was sitting in the garden yesterday evening, a hummer circled around it, and them came and hovered over her, looking right at her, as if to say, "Well?! Where's my food?!" She got right up and made some more nectar!
I finally saw another one today, but over at my parents house across town. I came right home and refilled my feeder.
Well! I hope so.
Yes, they used to dive bomb me while I was hanging out clothes in El Paso. They would litterally swoosh across the top of my head.
Sidney
Hi---Does anyone know--
Is it better to place your HB feeders in the sun or in the shade? We are rearranging our feeders, and we were wondering if anyone noticed a preference. (We do try to place them so that they have a 'cover' bush close by for a safe getaway.)
Also, do you hang HB feeders in close proximity of your other Bird Feeders?
Thanks for your comments. t.
Shade is better, t, as the juice will spoil faster in the sun. Mine are placed near cover and a few feet away from the other feeders.
John
I had hummers about 3 weeks ago for about a week then they have disappeared. I checked with my neighbor and she had them but hasn't seen them this week. Wonder what's going on?
Nesting?
Right after I posted that message, I looked out my kitchen window to see 2 at a feeder. So what ever they were doing, they are done and are back!!
John, how can I tell if the nectar in my feeder needs to be changed? Do I just go ahead and do it every 2-3 days? (You said that in sunny locations, it goes bad faster. How can you tell?)
For sure if it turns cloudy. I clean mine once a week with soap and water and then, soak them in a clorox solution for at least 20 min. A recipe is on the back of the clorox bottle, I think. It doesn't take much.
defoecat, that same thing has happened to me, except I haven't seen mine in two weeks. The honeysuckle is in full bloom, as well as some trees and bushes, so I hope that's why the little guys have disappeared. I keep putting fresh nectar out there and I am sure to look out at sunrise and sunset, but no hummers. :-(
Am cleaning my feeders and putting out new food. Hope they hang around. Last year they stayed all summer.
:-)
I haven't seen mine in a couple of weeks. I keep remembering that July is when I started seeing them regularly last year, so I'm not giving up until then. lol
Mine had been gone for a while too, but they're back now. I'm seeing the female more than the male, I don't ever seem to have more than 4 all together.
I beat them North this year. Today, this evening, first one, a female, Princeton, NJ.
Thanks for your advice.
We rearranged our HB feeders and are still having good luck. Also have a nice big new coral honeysuckle and salvia blooming just beneath so that helps!
Does anyone know where HBs like to nest? Are the nests high up in trees? Any particular trees?
Also planted 'Pardon Me', a dark pink day lily with a yellow eye, to see if any HBs are attracted to it....
The Salvias are the best attractor in my garden. Let us know how the day lily does. I've not tried them.
John
tabasco~
I planted a coral honeysuckle about a month ago, in Florida. It had a few blossoms, but when they dropped -- no more (at least as of last week.) It's flourishing, but no more blossoms. Not even nascent buds. What are their blooming charactersistics?
This message was edited May 24, 2005 6:45 PM
hi flyboy--here's a link for coral honeysuckle. http://www.floridata.com/ref/L/loni_sem.cfm
they think it's great all summer for HBs and butterflies...maybe it has to do with the berries, too.
Mine is the first one I've planted, so I have little personal knowledge of them, but ours is still blooming and I don't do anything to it...
tabasco~
Thanks. I'll check the link. Mine seems to have deeper-colored blossoms.
tabasco, I have that same honeysuckle. It's doing pretty well this year. The last few it's gotten powdery mildew pretty bad tho. It wasn't very big, but I was going to get rid of it last year so I cut it all the way to the ground. This year, it came back and looks even better. Go figure...lol
konkrete~
If you have any influence on wandering DGers who might be passing thru Longboat Key, I'd like someone to check on the GF cats I left behind.
Wrong thread, Brad.
Sorry imway~. Thought I could get konkretes~ attention quicker. But these cats are butterflies to-be.
Might be easier on one of her butterfly threads? This threads about ruby-throated hummers. ;-)
imway~
Our hummers seem to be all ladies. We have still not seen a ruby-throat. Any suggestions?
Don't really know much about plants for New Jersey but, the red Salvias should work there, too. Check with your local nursery. They can see reds from a long way off so group reds together.
No imway~, I get hummers, but only ladies, so far. I have plenty of red. My feeders are in the midst of two shades of red weigelas. But the hummers go right to the feeders. But, still, no males.
Perhaps they were born "that way."
If so, then I won't have ANY, next year.
There are Texas male hummers on the way. They will bring them back. There will be many hummers next year!
In the last 3 years I've only seen one with a ruby throat and that was last year. I'm thinking I read tho that mine were either females or "immature males" so maybe the red comes later on them?
psss Brad, your cats will be fine.
Well, I haven't seen my hummer in months. While driving home one day, I noticed several houses had feeders out front, so I assumed they are getting fed elsewhere. I just hope I haven't lost them for good.. (sniff)