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

[Sigarms]

Been seein' the weirdest dang thing. I must have a hornet's nest somewhere (I ain't goin' looking for it) because I've been seeing these yellow and black hornets about a 1/4 the size of a hummer, maybe a bit smaller. The weird part is, they're feeding from the hummer feeders and chasing the hummers off. Not just off the feeders, but around the yard. Eventually the hummers will go sit on a tree branch and the hornet will come back to the feeder.

I can't really spray for the hornets since that might contaminate the feeder goop.

I went ahead and sprayed a bit ago since the feeders are nearly empty, so I'll bring them in and rinse them. Season is only about another month .... they usually leave the first week of October.

And the hornets usually abandon their nest by November.

I thought it was on my post about yellow jackets, however I didn't see it, but look to youtube.

Someone here mentioned about a home made trap for yellow jackets with chicken nailed to a board laid upside down over soap water in a dish, and after watching some videos, found lots of "low impact" solutions to killing any kind of "stinger buggers". Reality is I don't know the different feed habits between yellow jackets and wasps, but if you go to youtube, you should find something helpful. I did. Worked pretty well for those yellow jackets where I couldn't find the nest in the ground becuase I couldn't get to close (even drove my truck with the windows up trying to figure out where they were LOL).

 

[goeduck]

Someone here mentioned about a home made trap for yellow jackets with chicken nailed to a board laid upside down over soap water in a dish.

I will have to pay more attention

 

[Sigarms]

I will have to pay more attention

Go to the three minute mark

Another guy used caned cat food on the board upside down.

Then the bottle meathod

I used the board /pan method, actually worked very well.

 

[goeduck]

Creeped me out when he was fingering the dead yellow jackets but it sure looked like it did the job. I am allergic so the fewer of these things around the better.

 

[dragoneggs]

Pretty standard. Water sugar mix at 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. I boil the water, add sugar, stir to dissolve and then let cool it down. I use organic sugar which gives the water a beer color look, I find it easier to see the water level. Keep it fresh and keep the feeders clean. I use feeders that open up enough to get good and clean.

Yep wide mouth glass containers I find are the best.

 

[lman]

Our hummingbirds have finally started to disappear. My wife was giving them about 2 quarts a day earlier. Tired of buying sugar.

 

[goeduck]

2 quarts, WOW! that is about 375 birds a day based on this link:

Out My Backdoor: Counting Hummingbirds Is No Easy Task | Department Of Natural Resources Division

By Terry W. JohnsonAugust is indeed a special month. For the state’s students, it marks the end of summer vacation and the return to the classroom. For Georgia sportswomen and men, the 2010-2011 hunting season is ushered in with the opening of squirrel season. And for the backyard naturalist...

georgiawildlife.com

 

[sixdogs]

Our hummingbirds have finally started to disappear. My wife was giving them about 2 quarts a day earlier. Tired of buying sugar.

That is an amazing number of birds that you have. Any more details as to how many, etc?

 

[lman]

That is an amazing number of birds that you have. Any more details as to how many, etc?

We would see about 25 at one time with 7 feeders. Now I only see about 6.

 

[Wakey]

I was out of town for a week and returned on the 18th and my birds are gone. (Hour East of Atlanta)
I hope they come back in the numbers we saw this year.

 

[dragoneggs]

Hey Gooy! Do I bother putting out new feed? Been gone for a week and a half and aren't seeing much activity albeit a dry feeder.

 

[goeduck]

Hey Gooy! Do I bother putting out new feed? Been gone for a week and a half and aren't seeing much activity albeit a dry feeder.

Mine are still here and will be all winter. I am refilling about every 4 days.

 

[dragoneggs]

Mine are still here and will be all winter. I am refilling about every 4 days.

Yeah my neighbor keeps it going all winter. I hibernate. I guess I should keep the action going.

In the 35 years (and parents before that) I have not put out the feeder but a few times during the winter.

But I have had hummers on a snow covered feeder before!

 

[goeduck]

During the dead of winter I refill about once a week, maybe more often if it warms. Keeping it fresh is the key.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

If the feeder freezes you have to swap it out for liquid at dawn in the winter. If you aren't going to be regular, don't start.

 

[goeduck]

If the feeder freezes you have to swap it out for liquid at dawn in the winter. If you aren't going to be regular, don't start.

Hummingbird Feeder Heater, Hummer Hearth

Keep the nectar flowing in your hummingbird feed this winter with the Hummer Hearth, hummingbird feeder heater! Easy to attach and use. Ensure hummingbirds can feed even when your neighbor’s feeders are frozen.

www.hummerhearth.com

 

[goeduck]

I do not know if I had a run on the feeders or if I simply spaced out for a few days and forgot to check them, but for the first time in about 2 years my feeders were empty at once. I hope I did not lose any customers.

 

[kenmbz]

Hummingbirds have left for the winter. Will keep the feeder out as sometimes we get a few on their way south.

 

[lman]

Our hummers disappeared a couple of days ago.
There are no hummers around here in the winter. I've never heard of anybody feeding them in thehe winter.

 

[goeduck]

Our hummers disappeared a couple of days ago.
There are no hummers around here in the winter. I've never heard of anybody feeding them in thehe winter.

We have one type (Annas Hummingbird) that lives here year around. Fun to see them even in the snow (which we rarely get). Our mild marine climate is the reason they can survive.