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

[kenmbz]

Still looks like only one here, could be two females though.
Will need to change the food way before empty due to age.
Last year had babies and adults everywhere and weekly fills were needed.
Had quite a few dramatic fights last year, but did not see any get hurt, only choosing their time to feed more carefully

 

[sixdogs]

Still looks like only one here, could be two females though.
Will need to change the food way before empty due to age.
Last year had babies and adults everywhere and weekly fills were needed.
Had quite a few dramatic fights last year, but did not see any get hurt, only choosing their time to feed more carefully

Give it more time. I'm told they live on bugs the early part of the year and feeders are for when other food sources are lacking. Plus, they have to feed the babies bugs. Many years we started slow but picked up as the summer went on. We just kept on changing and filling and it worked out.

EDIT--for reference, we had thousands of visits in the heat of last summer and that's the most we have ever had. Wife just reminded me we had very few visits in the spring. This year is also off to a slow start. Jasut an FYI.

 

[psvfd]

Three at one of the feeders this morning, two at the same time as they flew another came in to feed. I can not see the other (I have two feeders) at the same time. Change out feeders every three days, they are not drinking all the water, keeping it fresh.

 

[MoKelly]

Do you guys empty and replace syrup after it rains? It rained last night for about 2 hours and my wife is gone on a 5 day bike ride.

Does rain dilute the syrup such that the birds won’t eat until replaced?

MoKelly

 

[kenmbz]

My feeder has a top and is upside down glass feeding into the base with tiny openings. Does not seem to get water in it.

 

[MoKelly]

I spoke to my wife. She says “don’t worry”. The only rain that can get inside are the tiny holes the birds use to suck out the syrup.

Crisis avoided.

MoKelly

 

[psvfd]

It does not seem to slow their feeding but does get into the feeders. I have put covers on the feeders which seem to be to small. So I put a small child umbrella on one that protects that one.

 

[dragoneggs]

I have to watch for insects penetrating the feeder. Seems they tend to scare off the HB's. I replace my water with fresh when the HB's stop feeding. A week is about as long as it usually lasts if they don't finish it sooner.

 

[MoKelly]

I have to watch for insects penetrating the feeder. Seems they tend to scare off the HB's. I replace my water with fresh when the HB's stop feeding. A week is about as long as it usually lasts if they don't finish it sooner.

Agree. Our problem is ants. They like the water but drown.

MoKelly

 

[goeduck]

I spoke to my wife. She says “don’t worry”. The only rain that can get inside are the tiny holes the birds use to suck out the syrup.

Crisis avoided.

MoKelly

I use upside down red pizza platters (you could use planter drain pans) on top of the feeders (mounted to the fascia board) to shield the feeders themselves from the rain. I would not dismiss the impact of rain on contamination, but it depends on the feeder style.

 

[goeduck]

Bugs here are accelerating in poplulation and my feeder usage has declined a bit (1/2 to 3/4 quart vs 1 quart a day).

I see this as a good thing. Eat them bugs

I hope they don't eat my spiders. I love spiders. they eat massive amounts of bugs.

- Spiderman (aka goeduck)

 

[sixdogs]

I hear they continue to come back near where they were born ? So you must be feeding regularly every year and keep them around.

I posted earlier that birds have returned that we not only recognize from the year before but have gone back to hidden places where feeders were there the year before and aren't now. I am certain they are returns from the prior year.

For bugs, I've seen them haul off big bugs as well as eat tiny insects off my wife's flowers.

 

[sixdogs]

Humm, seems odd that they are apparently eating bugs, so must be for their young nearby.

It's been mentioned in this thread that bugs are their primary food source and it's something like they eat their weight in bugs daily. Not sure on that but it's in this thread.

 

[goeduck]

It's been mentioned in this thread that bugs are their primary food source and it's something like they eat their weight in bugs daily. Not sure on that but it's in this thread.

This site talks about the West Coast Annas eating the most insects of the different species

Anna's Hummingbird Facts - NatureMapping

NatureMapping is a hands-on environmental science and education program linking kids, communities and professionals.

naturemappingfoundation.org

 

[sixdogs]

Can mother HB"S give feeder nectar to the babies in any any way? I ask because we have several smaller adult birds zipping in and out of the feeders dozens of times a day in what looks like a feeding frenzy.

 

[goeduck]

That is a good question. The fluctuation of visits that I see at my feeders seems to follow this pattern

1 Winter low volume while only the resident Annas feed
2 Spring increase while the traveling Rufous Birds from Mexico and CA arrive and "refuel" to gain weight back.
3 Late spring drop off while birds start to nest
4 Early summer increase while babies are taught where to feed and are growing boys and girls.
5 Mid Summer drop off while flowers and bugs are plentiful
6 Late summer increase when Rufous travelers "fuel up" before departing for Mexico and CA.
7 Late Fall Return to step 1

 

[dadiehl]

A quick google search says humming birds feed their young by regurgitating bugs and nectar for only 3 weeks. By then the little ones fly on their own . Pretty quick to be out on their own for eats.

 

[sixdogs]

A quick google search says humming birds feed their young by regurgitating bugs and nectar for only 3 weeks. By then the little ones fly on their own . Pretty quick to be out on their own for eats.

That is amazing and what must be happening here. We have maybe five birds making a nearly constant rotational feeding frenzy for maybe a week. Must be feeding babies.

 

[oosik]

Even the humming birds are affected by this unusual heat, here in the PNW. They hit the sauce first thing in the AM and again late in the afternoon.

"Only fools and Englishmen go out in the noon day sun"

 

[psvfd]

It has been wet for weeks down south and the humming birds have been feeding all day. I usually change the feeders out every three days with water still visible just old. Now I have to change because the drank them dry. Also they like cucumber flowers right close to the feeders.