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

[jfh28]

still getting some stragglers stopping by.......they look well fed this year........Jack

 

[RalphVa]

Praying mantises like them.

Ralph

 

[Diggin It]

Dude, that ain't cool.

 

[goeduck]

I’d kill that thing just for killing the hummingbird. I never would have guessed.

 

[sixdogs]

We stopped getting hummingbirds about a week ago but kept the feeders up and food keeps disappearing. We usually see one or two birds a day that zips in and zips out and it's often at dawn. They are definitely on a mission and don't waste any time.

 

[Gem99ultra]

We've had the same problem with our garage. We realized they were being drawn into the garage by the garage door release cord and ball (both had red colors) and a red safety tag hanging from the hanger. Once those were removed (replaced cord and ball with black color) we haven't had any HB trapped in there. The car and truck taillights also draw them slightly in but luckily they always swoop back out before getting too far into the garage.
Before those changes, we tried everything to get them to fly out but never succeeded. If we get another one in there, I will try to close the overhead door and shade the windows and only open the man-door. Then leave it alone for awhile. I think the single source of daylight might work better to draw them out.

Same problem here as well. We spent nearly 3 hours last week trying to run two, one on each occasion, out of our garage. You would think that they'd go to the open double wide overhead door. But no - they just keep searching for the way out. We tried every trick we'd read about, such as sticking limbs up, fish nets, swatting at them with brooms... all to no avail. I suspect that near exhaustion, they simply stumbled into the right way out. Since then, we've been closing the garage door.

We bought a new 8-position feeder to go along with our other 4-position feeders. They're swarming the new feeder and avoiding the old ones! I know it not due to them not being clean, as we sterilize them each time before refilling. Strange little creatures Very curious, and very beautiful.

 

[goeduck]

.I know it not due to them not being clean, as we sterilize them each time before refilling.

How do you sterilize them? I give mine a good washing with clean hot water and soap and a good rinse, but I would not consider them hospital sterile.

 

[sixdogs]

We stopped getting hummingbirds about a week ago but kept the feeders up and food keeps disappearing. We usually see one or two birds a day that zips in and zips out and it's often at dawn. They are definitely on a mission and don't waste any time.

That's my post above and let me add that today we have seen 10-15 or more birds--and it's only noon-- after only seeing one or two a day. In fact, it's a food and buzz fest with competition for the feeders. Birds buzz in, eat like crazy and buzz out. Very interesting

 

[goeduck]

That's my post above and let me add that today we have seen 10-15 or more birds--and it's only noon-- after only seeing one or two a day.

Well it is the weekend so they have more time to go out and eat
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

 

[atsah]

Only about 4 pairs here this year, normally 8 pairs. There gone by Labor Day every year.