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

goeduck · Dec 4, 2018

I was outside talking on my phone today and stopped near the feeder that I am keeping active. A bird landed on a branch right in front of me, I assume waiting for me to leave. I was able to get a good look at the little guy (girl actually). It was most definitely a metallic green colored female Annas Hummingbird which are resident year round out here. So I can end my speculation on what type of bird it is. Pictures attached are stock photos from an Annas Hummjngbird website and it is exactly what my bird looked like. Also attached is this birds range. The males are quite colorful and I think I mentioned that my wife has seen some of them.

dragoneggs · Dec 4, 2018

goeduck said:
I was outside talking on my phone today and stopped near the feeder that I am keeping active. A bird landed on a branch right in front of me, I assume waiting for me to leave. I was able to get a good look at the little guy (girl actually). It was most definitely a metallic green colored female Annas Hummingbird which are resident year round out here. So I can end my speculation on what type of bird it is. Pictures attached are stock photos from an Annas Hummjngbird website and it is exactly what my bird looked like. Also attached is this birds range. The males are quite colorful and I think I mentioned that my wife has seen some of them.
View attachment 581667 View attachment 581668 View attachment 581669 View attachment 581670

Yep, those are what we still have around. Had sub freezing temps last night. Lots of frost. Hoping they stick around... it's been a few days since my last spotting.

sixdogs · Dec 5, 2018

dragoneggs said:
Yep, those are what we still have around. Had sub freezing temps last night. Lots of frost. Hoping they stick around... it's been a few days since my last spotting.

What amazing photos. You must have a wonderful climate for HB's to year around.

sixdogs · Dec 12, 2018

Here's a pic of the cattle panel fence I mentioned earlier. I think we had 60 ft on each side and used to support our hummingbird flowers. Worked great. When full grown they were two ft over the top and three ft wide.

goeduck · Dec 12, 2018

sixdogs said:
Here's a pic of the cattle panel fence I mentioned earlier. I think we had 60 ft on each side and used to support our hummingbird flowers. Worked great. When full grown they were two ft over the top and three ft wide.

View attachment 582776

I recall you mentioning the plant but do not recall if you mentioned what kind it was. It might be a fun plant for next year if it grows here.

I refilled my feeder yesterday and put a rubber band around the fluid level for better tracking usage. It was almost empty but the sugar water had been in there for a few weeks so I freshened it up.

sixdogs · Dec 13, 2018

goeduck said:
I recall you mentioning the plant but do not recall if you mentioned what kind it was. It might be a fun plant for next year if it grows here.

I refilled my feeder yesterday and put a rubber band around the fluid level for better tracking usage. It was almost empty but the sugar water had been in there for a few weeks so I freshened it up.

Post #43

goeduck · Jan 5, 2019

I refilled the feeder last weekend and it is down an inch today from the rubberband marker. I saw a hummer yesterday and again today at it but it is not in a location easily visible so I do not know when they are feeding. One buzzed me up at one of my properties last weekend. In regards to the birds living in colder weather (not that our marine climate is that cold), My reading :reading: tells me that they enter into a state of torpor.

Source: birdwatchingdaily.com
Annas also take advantage of the hummingbird motto — When things get tough, the tough go to sleep. A hummingbird in torpor can drop its body temperature from about 40C to about 9C (from 104F to 48.2F) and reduce its respiration rate from 245 breaths per minute to 6. It can even suspend its breathing for up to five minutes. The metabolic rate of an Annas during torpor can be 300 times lower than when in flight. The savings are significant; they can help a hummingbird sleep through a severe weather period.

stuckmotor · Jan 5, 2019

That torpor explanation is interesting. I don't remember ever seeing a humming bird in winter.

ArlyA · Jan 5, 2019

They're long done from our neck of the woods. That is the Rubies that we see here. We will see them in the fall, when temps can fall in the freezing zone overnight. Love those silly little birds!