hummingbirds

[quilbilly]

One of the things I love to do this time of year now that they are back is watch our hummingbirds up close. Our feeder is located on an eve about 16" from the post on our front porch. When the birds are most frantic for their evening meal, I can lean up against the post only a foot from the feeder and the "Battle of Britain" among our 8-10 local hummers will go on right in front of my face at the feeder. I love spring. Wish the light was better for pics to share.

[fouronesix]

Love em! They're my smallest moochers around here. But they won't be here until about the 1st week in May. Later in the year as they start piling up before the return south, it gets wild. An interesting thing to do is stand still next to the feeder, get comfortable and put your finger out like a perch just under a feeding hole. Light as a feather :)

[DLCTEX]

I had one drink from the hose as I was watering during a dry spell last fall.

[x101airborne]

We planted a TON of vegitation to attract them this year.
About 500 dollars worth of plants, not to mention feeders. A swarm of 200 hummingbirds is a thing to behold.

[WILCO]

Humming birds are grand indeed!

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i had one rest on my finger once. she got stuck in our garage so i put my hand up
for her to rost on my finger so i could take her outside

[cat223]

We planted a TON of vegitation to attract them this year.
About 500 dollars worth of plants, not to mention feeders. A swarm of 200 hummingbirds is a thing to behold.

I can't even imagine that. Three or four at a time is the most I've ever seen. They are amazing little creatures.

[starbits]

My brother has a place down in Honduras where they have seen 17 different species of hummingbirds and pretty much every day have at least 10 different species. They also go through about 8 pounds of sugar "per day" to keep the feeders filled.

Starbits

[LUCKYDAWG13]

wow thats a lot the most i had at one time was 3

[Ed Barrett]

We buy sugar 50 pounds at a time for the hummingbirds. My wife and I are both diabetic so it's all for the birds we keep 5 feeders going for the summer, that keep one from keeping the others away.

[BW64]

I've had them drink from my hand. They're fairly tame here in Henderson. They even try to drink from the hot tub when we're out there in the early evening! They like to fly through the spray when the wind blows. Fascinating!!

BW

[scottiemom]

We planted a TON of vegitation to attract them this year.
About 500 dollars worth of plants, not to mention feeders. A swarm of 200 hummingbirds is a thing to behold.
what kind of plants are best to attract hummingbirds? any advice and recommendations appreciated!

[Marvin S]

I heard somewhere that sugar water was not good for them, something about no nutriants. Dont know if that is true or not. I had some bee balm planted for them but it did not come back last year.

[btroj]

Anyone know why they hum?

[fouronesix]

They forgot the words?

I think they know what to eat depending on what their diet requires at any one time of year and are self regulating as far as nutrition in the diet. Even though I have 1 or 2 large feeders out during their stay here, I often see them, particularly the females that are likely feeding young, out picking off small insects (protein is important for growing young). I also notice that folks get tired of keeping their feeders full (basic human laziness) just as the last groups start arriving to fuel-up before their trip south in the early fall.

I know of no credible evidence showing sugar water is harmful. What may be harmful is adding red dye or other "goodies" instead of the basic table sugar and water or a solution that doesn't have enough sugar. During stressful times for the birds like cold spells or just after or before migration I mix, by volume, about 3 parts water to 1 part sugar. During the mid summer "easy time" I mix about 4 parts water to 1 part sugar.

[btroj]

Well done sir, they don't know the words. Same with fluorescent bulbs.

[xs11jack]

I too, would like to know what vegatation you plant. We have one feeder and attract 3 or 4. Seeing 200 would be breathtaking!!!
Jack

[bayjoe]

I heard the drought in Texas has been really hard on the birds. Last spring we didn't see any birds till mid june.

[Bad Water Bill]

x101airborne

PICTURES----PICTURES----PICTURES----

No pictures = it did NOT happen.:bigsmyl2:

[Katya Mullethov]

I heard the drought in Texas has been really hard on the birds. Last spring we didn't see any birds till mid june.

Down here on the corner by Corpus, it's a nexus of many different migrations as they converge on their way to Mexico and Central America . There is just no telling what you will see as they sure as heck seem to avoid West texas and hug the coast where all the grub and water is . One year I had a couple hundred Golden Eagles roosting in my pastures in the mesquite trees and I rousted a half dozen at every turn on my morning walk about . Never saw them again , maybe I pst em off .

[Bad Water Bill]

With your charming mug shot I can understand why they never returned.:bigsmyl2:

[km101]

If you want to see hundreds, and hundreds of hummimgbirds, this is the place to go! You can sit in air conditioned observation rooms and see more birds that you ever imagined! Truly a breathtaking sight. They are at this place for months during the summer. Some of the best bird watching imaginable. Check out their website:


http://www.hummerhouse.com/

This is a privately owned preserve south of San Angelo, TX. They do come through W. Texas! :)

[km101]

Anyone know why they hum?


It's the speed of their wing-beats! Their wings are moving so fast that they are a blur.

[Bad Water Bill]

Their wings beat so fast (in normal flight about 75 beats per second, and ... both ruby-throated and rufous hummingbird wings can beat 200 times per second!

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM:lol:

[Duckiller]

They hum because they forgot the words to the song.