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

QRTRHRS · Aug 20, 2019

In addition to the 4:1 ratio and no food coloring, my wife insists on pure cane suger not just granulated suger. In the two years we have been at our current place, she has pretty much created a "monster". LOL, the little buggers have her filling six feeders on one side of the house twice a day and three on the other that are less visited once a day. Not only that, our "county" water is so heavily clorinated that it will kill houseplants so we are going through gallon jugs of purchased water at double the rate we usually do.

goeduck · Aug 20, 2019

I am in a lull out here. I suspect Dragoneggs had his boys sweet talk my girls over to his place. I painstakingly feed my girls all winter long and now they go off to cavort. Oh well, they know who keeps the feeders up and thawed out all winter :thumbsup:

wwdiii · Aug 20, 2019

Mine have not come down this far just yet, only a few. Had a couple at the place near Lake Sam Rayburn in East Texas last week and one at my House in League City, south of Houston. They hit my feeders toward the end of Aug, first second week in Sept. Some years latter.

I keep 4 or so feeders out at my place near the lake. I have bottle brush trees at my House in League City, they can see them from a mile away and won't touch a feeder with bottle brush trees near. They like firecracker plants too. I need to plant some more of them someday.

The most I've had at one time was 12 or 14 that I've noticed. My buddy in South Texas has so many most years they will drain a feeder in just a few min.

dragoneggs · Aug 20, 2019

goeduck said:
I am in a lull out here. I suspect Dragoneggs had his boys sweet talk my girls over to his place. I painstakingly feed my girls all winter long and now they go off to cavort. Oh well, they know who keeps the feeders up and thawed out all winter :thumbsup:

Ha ha... I was just going to add my own update when I read your post. Actually a sudden downturn in activity this week here too. Partly I think because the bees/hornets (whatever they are) are swarming the two feeders and the hummers are not happy campers! Not sure if there is a way to hinder the bees without disrupting the hummers. Anyone have ideas?

CADplans · Aug 20, 2019

dragoneggs said:
Not sure if there is a way to hinder the bees without disrupting the hummers. Anyone have ideas?

Between the hummer feeders, I have three small plastic cups filled with the sugar water,,

The bees seldom go to the feeders, the cups are easier pickin's,,

One of the red cups is actually filled completely with sugar, and only enough hummer feed to make it wet,,
the wasps and hornets REALLY like that,,,:thumbsup:

I think a small plastic dish for the wasps and bees might even be better,,,

goeduck · Jan 14, 2020

I had to go out twice to exchange the hummingbird feeder, I did not need a haircut but nearly got one. We are hovering around freezing and I thought the feeder had frozen up. The resident Annas hummers are really protective this year or they are in one of the trees next to the house. Or with Dragoneggs heading out of town, his spoiled birds are hungry and over at my place
:confused3:

dragoneggs · Jan 15, 2020

goeduck said:
I had to go out twice to exchange the hummingbird feeder, I did not need a haircut but nearly got one. We are hovering around freezing and I thought the feeder had frozen up. The resident Annas hummers are really protective this year or they are in one of the trees next to the house. Or with Dragoneggs heading out of town, his spoiled birds are hungry and over at my place
:confused3:

Crap! I forgot to replenish during the holidays. Too excited about my own gifts. I feel really guilty now. Thursday I will put fresh nectar out! They may have all moved south to your place. :ashamed:

goeduck · Jan 15, 2020

dragoneggs said:
Crap! I forgot to replenish during the holidays. Too excited about my own gifts. I feel really guilty now. Thursday I will put fresh nectar out! They may have all moved south to your place. :ashamed:

South? That would be the scenic route :shocked:

dragoneggs · Apr 12, 2020

Well, the hummers are back with vengeance. Usually chasing each off the feeder with authority and occasionally finding peace and some sharing with 4 feeding at the same time. On my second batch in less than a week. I knew to put the food out when I started seeing them playing in our water feature by the front door.