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

[Gem99ultra]

We continue to be swarmed with birds and wife had to refill the feeders at noon. This is more than we can ever recall.

Anyone know any wive's tales of voracious hummingbird feeding and the approaching winter?

I had not heard of hummingbirds feeding with some prior instinct of oncoming winter per se - but we're sure seeing signs of them being aware of incoming bad weather. You may well be onto something there.
We're filling two 1-qt feeders 3x per day now with as many as 15 birds on the feeders at time. Those are such beautiful little creatures; we don't mind the extra feeding. They repay us back with their just being themselves.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Our numbers have increased to where we are going through 4-5 qts a day after a late start. Be careful what you wish for.

Some thirty-thirty five years ago, I was sitting in a restaurant in a small town at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy where New Brunswick and Nova Scotia meet. I was amazed to see this swarm of ruby throated hummingbirds enjoying several feeders that far north.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I have a new problem at my house. For some reason every time I open my shop door I get at least 3 humming birds in the shop. The only way I can get them to leave is to leave the big door open and hang a feeder from it. I have no idea why they started going in there. It has not been a problem in the past.

 

[ponytug]

I have a new problem at my house. For some reason every time I open my shop door I get at least 3 humming birds in the shop. The only way I can get them to leave is to leave the big door open and hang a feeder from it. I have no idea why they started going in there. It has not been a problem in the past.

That would seem to be the hummingbirds training the human...

Anything red in view? Ours are quick to investigate any fleck of red, anything sparkling, and every spray of water. Ours love to clean out spiderwebs, especially of ants.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ArlyA]

That would seem to be the hummingbirds training the human...

Anything red in view? Ours are quick to investigate any fleck of red, anything sparkling, and every spray of water. Ours love to clean out spiderwebs, especially of ants.

All the best,

Peter

Hummers are pretty smart and will taste any bright color to see if they can eat it. This is one of the reasons they are so successful. I seen one lick a red wire once.

 

[ArlyA]

Hummers are pretty smart and will taste any bright color to see if they can eat it. This is one of the reasons they are so successful. I seen one lick a red wire once.

I'm only speaking of rubies which most folks here see. Other species i have no idea.

 

[Duds13]

Mine have been putting on quite a show the last week or so. VERY active and a lot of kamikaze attacks at the feeders, lol

 

[sixdogs]

Do HB's feed after dark and before dawn? I have seen birds at the window feeder before dawn and after dark so now wonder if that's a common thing. Anyone know?

 

[kenmbz]

We see them right before sunrise and right about sunset every day.

 

[John0829]

I have no idea as to when they start or stop feeding but if there is enough light to see the feeders there is usually a bird to be seen.