For the first time, I saw 2 hummingbirds at my cypress vine. Up until now I've only seen one at a time. Wondering if it is the time of day - right around sunrise (a little after 7).
Is there a best time of day to see them?
Thanks,
Sherry
Beginner question - Time of day?
Hi Sherry,
I've observed the new hummers in my area (I suppose they are new, new to me anyway!) by the feeder and nectar plants at the following times daily now for more than three days:
10:30, 1:30, 3:30, 6:30 till dark dusk.
Those happen to be the times I can be outside for at least 15 minutes or more to watch. I've never seen any out earlier, and I try to have my coffee either out in the garden or on the deck every day. Maybe mine sleep in late... or hit the other nectar areas outside of my yard earlier than that. Of course, maybe I'm just not alert enough yet earlier...haha.
So far I've seen them on really tall blue salvia, rose of sharon, and checking out some little red berries that are growing on a vine in a big bush.
I'll be interested to hear how often you see yours since we're in the same area.
Happy Hummering!
~Sunny
they are out there all day until dusk. They usually feed about every 15 minutes or less depending on the quality of nectar they are getting from the plants or feeders
I see mine all day but mostly mornings and late afternoons.
Well, I went out and started looking earlier today, DonnaB seems to be right on target (as usual :D). They were out at 07:30 between the feeders and the salvia, and so far have been around the feeders most times I go outside to check and can stand for about 10 minutes.
Apparently they sleep in my Granny Smith apple tree - I saw the female ruby throat waking up while the Calliope was feeding. He flew off over the house and she quickly came down and fed. Their feeding styles are totally different, and he chirps the entire time he is eating. He's like a hummer on crack, dipping, chirping, flying back, and then the whole thing all over again. He's very, very small. She calmly flies down, picks a perch, and sits for nearly the entire feeding, and makes no sound. I also saw for the first time yesterday the little tongue/sipper thing they have...looks like monofilament line coming from between their beaks!
Calliope's have not been recorded before here in Georgia, so I'm going to do a sighting report for the Bird Watch.
I have to say, between butterflies, flowers and hummers, my delight in the outdoors has multiplied since I attempted to garden seriously for the first time.
Enjoy your day!
~Sunny
Thanks for the info. I must need more plants for them. I've looked and looked for the past two days and haven't seen any :(
I have a cypress vine by my front door and another one I can see from the kitchen or the laundry room windows. That's where I've been seeing them. And once on a canna.
Sherry
is this your first year with cypress vine????
I almost regret planting them a couple of years ago.
They are very pretty, but very invasive. Once they come up in the late Spring, mine grew very rapidly and out of control. Next year, I may try to keep just one, in a large pot.
I love the cypress vine I planted this year! It took a while to get started (from seed), but then it took off, covered the shepard's hook that the hummer feeder hangs from, then leapt over to cover the adjacent shepard's hook that holds another bird feeder, then started scrambling over a nearby boulder.... I love the feathery foliage, and the hummers loved the flowers even more than I did! It's not hardy in my zone, and it's not in a good spot for reseeding, so I'm not concerned about it being invasive.
Sherry,
Since it's late in the season for buying plants, drop in to Lowes and get one or two of their really inexpensive (2.97 I think) feeders for this year. It's not fancy, but mine love it. I use 1/4 cup of turbinado sugar to 1 cup of water, boiled and cooled and change it out every three days. I know they won't be here much longer, but I'll have a seriously inviting yard for them next year :)
It takes patience, but once you know where they go, and how they zip about, you'll be spotting them all the time. And, if yours are like mine, they'll even come up and say "howdy" when you're watering or doing stuff in the garden. I get a fit of giggles every time and just say "well hello little buddy" (okay, so I work alone at home all day, gotta talk to something other than the plants...hehe). It sure makes my day :D
~Sunny
Purplepetunia, yes, this is my first year with cypress vine. I know what you mean abt it being invasive. It even overtook the sweet autumn clematis! I have a feeling I'll be pulling up seedlings all next spring.
Hineni, I have 3 feeders that I would love to use but I don't use them bcs I read you have to change the solution and take them apart and dlean them every 3 days. I'm just not up to that! (Founfd that out after I bought them!). So I guess I'll just read up on humming bird plants.
I was next to my cypress vine, leaning over to inspect my canna seed pods, when I heard a buzzing or whirring sound behind me. I cocked my head over my shoulder and saw a hummingbird about 3 ft. from me!
Even at that close proximity I could not see him clearly (my glasses are old) but I knew if I moved, he's be off in a hurry. So I froze in that most unfomfortable position and waited.
He flitted around me seemingly trying to decide if I was friend or foe. I was wearing a bright coral shirt which had fooled butterflies before - would it fool him? Nope. Apparently having completed his inspection and made his decision, off he went.
I finished with the cannas and walked around the corner of the house to go back in. There he was again - at the cypress vine near the driveway! I guess he saw me coming bcs he flew up to a low telephone wire. I sat down on the picnic table bench determined to wait him out. I sat stock still. He busily moved his head about but I couldn't tell what he was doing - some sort of grooming?
Finally he made his move back to the vine. I slowly got up and and painstakingly crept closer. He flitted from flower to flower. I got about half way there and he flew to the crepe myrtle.... then to the dogwod tree..... and finally, off through the neighbor's yard. Goodbye little friend!
It doesn't take much to entertain me does it, (LOL)? I must need a life!!!
Doesn't take much for me either then first yard :) I can spend hours a day doing it (except for that JOB thing!)
:)
Here's a recent under-the-hummer shot I got yesterday.
~Sunny
Cool pic! I gotta get a digital camera!!
Sherry