Anyone else have an unusually large number of hummingbirds this year?

[TractorGuy]

We put our feeders out last week. Wife said she spied one on the front porch but not at the feeder. I have not seen any myself this year.

 

[sixdogs]

What's going on here? We're in mid-Georgia and haven't seen a single HB so far this year. We've had feeders out for 3 weeks, but no HB's. We'll put out a new set of feeders today. Spring's only 5 days away. Maybe that's the ticket?

We put our feeders out last week. Wife said she spied one on the front porch but not at the feeder. I have not seen any myself this year.

This happens to us as well and we don't understand why they aren't on the feeders early on. We figure it must be the abundance of bugs that I think is most of their diet. Maybe the feeders are more for later in the season when flowers and other food sources aren't so plentiful?

Our best year ever started out as a bust even into mid season. As things word down late season, however, we had more birds than we could count and it stayed that way right into late fall.

 

[ArlyA]

When I check the active hummer migration map, I assume they are at least 60 miles further north than whatever it shows. Its normal to have them passing through and people never see them. No they're not here yet. I blew a path around our house this week so in this photo, you can see our sunflower feeder.

 

[goeduck]

The bug/flower/temperature must not not be right enough for the travelers. Now that I know Annas winter over here I have to be more astute watching for the different species when they arrive.

 

[TractorGuy]

Spoke too soon. Just spied my first feeder.

 

[goeduck]

Spoke too soon. Just spied my first feeder.

View attachment 596164

Nice! What kind is that?

 

[goeduck]

My activity seems to be picking up. I do not know if it is just the overwintering Annas getting more active or if travelers are reaching th8s far north. Either way I am thinking about putting a second feeder up.

 

[oosik]

Any day now..........

 

[teejk]

Like many species they send "scouts"...must be some sort of bet they have and the loser gets to travel north. I don't expect to see any around here for a month or more. Bluebirds maybe in 3-4 weeks. Rose breasted grosbeaks always the 1st or 2nd week of May (we get a pile of those...when they arrive not unusual to see 20 or more at the feeder). Orioles pop in later in May but they don't stay. Later in the summer we'll get the indigo buntings and the occasional scarlet tanager. Timing works out around here because the bears will be waking up soon and I can pull the feeders for a week or so.

 

[goeduck]

Like many species they send "scouts"...must be some sort of bet they have and the loser gets to travel north.

That would be a bad bet lose.... fly north to check it out.... fly back south to tell the other birds..... then fly north again for the summer.... that is a LOT of flying. :confused3: