This is the last time I saw the "Big Boss". He's fattened up and ready to fly south. We usually post as they fly north in the spring. How about posting when they leave. This one was in Princeton, NJ.
End of the hummer season 2005
Wow they are leaving already?Mine stay until Dec-early Jan,and then are back in March. I took this last year in Carmel, an Allen male I think.
Monterey is warmer -- I guess.
I noticed mine were getting fatter. Evidently chowing up on insects. And, zip -- they're gone.
This is different lighting same bird.They can look so much like some other bird. Mine don't leave , just go south a little.
Ours are strictly the redneck variety (the boys, that is). No red anywhere else. Yours are magnificent.
S'funny, we never see them in my part of Florida.
Most all of my pics are of the guy Big Red and they go from just brown to this
Or this same bird again just the light is different. They can flash or be almost invisible in the plants, quite a cool way to avoid predators, or attract girlfriends.
You know. s'funny. One can never see the feet and claws on mine. You can on some of yours.
I think that originally they were thought to have no feet. I guess sitting on a thick branch brings the toes out into view, but on your last shot you can see them, flying..
I've gotten pictures of them hovering that show the feet. Here's a young male from august. He's a lot fatter now. Guess he'll be leaving soon. They are usually gone by the 2nd week of October. Becky
Here he is again, just yesterday.
More feet, the trick is to shoot them from underneath.
Beautiful photos.
Now I have to wait a year.
Does anyone know when they leave Minnesota mine are still here. I'm surprised . Maybe next year get some pictures...
Marlina~
You're lucky ! Maybe mine left early because of the Florida hurricanes last year. Those storms raised havoc with them.
It appears that mine are gone too. I also saw one yesterday, but none today. I generally see them all day.
Pray for no Florida hurricanes the next few weeks.
The south-bound hummers got hit pretty badly last year.
I'm following your comments with great interest. All of your pictures are fantastic. My problem is that I can't seem to attract any hummers at all. Can any of you recommend how I can do this? Which plants? What type of feeders? I'm in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Thanks for any suggestions and help.
gardenveg~
I am sure there are some around your area. I am not far away in NJ. I wasn't too careful with my plants, but I do have red weigela bushes adjacent to my feeders. Anything red, or orange, seems to attract them. S'funny, but near to the house seems better. Mine are hanging from a tree, just outside a kitchen window -- so they can be seen, and photographed.
My feeders are run-of-the-mill. Clear tubes with red top and red base with yellow flowers into which are holes.
Like the old baseball movie, "Field of Dreams", build it, they will come.
Good luck.
Well, I thought the hummer's had left, but today i saw a female ruby. I have not seen a male hummer for at least a week and a half. I wonder if the males leave first, followed later by the female. Could it be that now the females have a chance to get to the feeder and fatten up before the long trip?
crystal~
From what little I know, they fatten up on insects. The nectar is just like Gatorade to them -- a pick-me-up.
Sometimes they leave behind those hummers who couldn't make the trip. Heartless --- huh?
So do you think the ones left behind can withstand St. Louis winters? I hate to think of what will happen to the poor little things. I've heard they sort of go comatose when it starts to get cold out. Maybe they just take a little longer to get down there.
Oh, I see you are in Longboat Key. Any problems with the hurricanes? I love the keys. We've been down there about 5 times. We try to stay away from Key West, it's just a bit too busy for us. I love the laid back feel to the other Keys. Plus, I've met some of the nicest people there. Once we were on Isle Marada at a restaurant. Some people were have a Birthday party and invited us to be part of the family, it was great!
no crystal~
The ones left behind just die. Something like the ancient Spartans.
Longboat Key is not a part of the chain of keys that leads to Key West from Miami. We are opposite Sarasota -- as Miami Beach is opposite Miami. I am prejudiced, but the west coast of Florida is nice.
We do get our share of storms. Two hurricanes last year just slipped by us. We were lucky. We rode out Hurrican Dennis this year, which also just missed us. It's hairy.
In Texas 7b it is recommended we take our feeders down at the last of October, so the hummers move on before cold weather...put them back up the first of April......I would think it to be different the furthur north you are..
Yes. In NJ, here, we take them down Sept. 15, or so, and put them up when we see the little hummers buzzing us -- May 15, or so.
In a bird book devoted to hummers that I have recently been reading, they say that the hummers will leave regardless of whether feeders are up or down when "their time comes". We have had 6-8 hummers most of the summer but are down to 1 male this morning. This book also recommends leaving at least 1 feeder up for 2 weeks after you see the last hummer for any late guests or those trying to regroup enough to make the trip. Different perspective on the need to take down feeders to encourage migration, huh? Just a thought to consider.
SORRY TO BUTT IN BUT HERE IN BATTLE CREEK MI. I'M STILL SEEING THE USUAL AMOUNT OF RUBY THROATS. ( 09/28/05 )
MY QUESTION IS HAS ANYONE HEARD OF HUMMERS CATCHING A RIDE SOUTH ON THE BACK OF A GOOSE? I HAVE ACOUPLE OF FRIENDS WHO SWEAR THEY HAVE READ THIS. I CAN'T FIND ANY PROOF ANYWHERE.
HAZY~
Try google. "hummingbirds on geese." There are a few places they'll send you. It is NOT possible. This seems to be the best.
http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0007a&L=birdchat&F=&S=&P=184
Well all my hummers are gone. Been about a week. I have left one feeder out for maybe some stragglers. I am going to miss them!!
Hope they made it through Katrina and Rita.
They got hit with last year's.
i have heard the goose story..not actually under........ like in the back draft, maybe....they say they also glide on the tradewinds.....i still have lots of hummer
flyboyfl thanks for the site it's a good one! and I printed the answers for my friend not that iit will change her mind.
We were gone for a week and most of the hummers left. Have only seen 2 the last few days. I'm keeping the feeders up for migrators. Also, I'll keep at least one up all year hoping to attract a rufous. They've been know to appear in GA in winter. The mature males do leave first and come back first, according to the hummingbirds.net site. Becky
10/02/05 The hummers are gone as of day before yesterday . Thaought I saw one this morning but haven't seen it since. I really hate to see them leave they"re so much fun to watch.
I also noticed yesterday the goldfinches have started to turn to a ugly shade of green.
Guess fall is teally here. though it's hard to realize by the weather it was 81 degrees out to day.
hazydazy~
You're right about those "golden" finches. I couldn't figure who these strange feeder were, at my feeder.
And how do they get the seeds out? I have ten fingers and tweezers, and can't.
flyboy
GOOD QUESTION! I'LL HAVE TO SEE IF I CAN FIND THE ANSWER. IF I DO I'LL LET YOU KNOW. DO GOLFINCHES TURN COLOR IN FL. TOO? DO YOU HAVE THEM THERE?
HAZY~
No. No gold finches, that I've seen.
We live on a bird-sanctuary island. So we have Blue herons, and ugly storks, and all sorts of shore bitds.
I've been waiting for a lost hummer to stop by, but not yet.
Nothing lasts forever.
Our hummers are still around in dribs & drabs, but it's only a matter of time.
The first to leave here are the swallows - both Barn & Tree. They've been gone for about a month now. The hummers will be next. Whether or not the Phoebe's leave will depend on the weather - sometimes they leave; other times they stay thru the winter. The Robins & Bluebirds are year-round residents here.
Right now I'm awaiting my first Junco sighting. For me that truly represents winter on its way.