My first Hummingbird of the season, but it must be passing...

I had put my Hummingbird feeders out over the weekend, and had noticed the nectar was going down. I had not seen any hummers until last night. There was one drinking from my feeder for a long time completely unchallenged. This was a type of bird that I had never seen before. It was about 1/3 the size of the hummers I have had in the past. I don't believe it could be a young hummer, I'm thinking it is to early in the season. Maybe someone out there has experience with the nesting patterns and when the young appear. If this wasn't a youngster, could it be a species that is just passing through. In all my years of watching I have never seen a hummingbird this tiny.

Are you sure it wasn't a Hummingbird Moth? They can fool you!

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ec...gbird_moth.htm

This was definitely a hummingbird. I could see it very clearly since my feeders are so close to my porch. It's wings were not clear and it's shape was just like a hummer except it was very small.

I saw my first-ever hummingbird this morning! It was hovering over some hosta flowers. It moved so fast! How sweet! I've read that there are certain plants and flowers you can put in your garden to attract hummers, just like you can with a butterfly garden.

At first I thought it was a dragonfly, but then it slowed down a bit and I got a better look at it. By the time I got out my phone to try to snap a photo it was gone.

We saw our first hummer yesterday! I wonder why so late?

We've had them up here in Michigan since May. Could it be they've been around and you just haven't noticed them?

I put up my feeders on May 1st and take them down October 1st - been doing it that way for years.

They have been here since May also. They were here & then left & are back again. I noticed when I did my neighbors dog chores across the road, that her hummer feeder was empty so that is why they came down here.

They've been around her since May or June here too. I'm wondering if this extremely hot summer has had an effect on them being late showing up in some areas too. I haven't seen as many as I usually do, so maybe the heat is a factor. :confused:

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Originally Posted by pomtzu

They've been around her since May or June here too. I'm wondering if this extremely hot summer has had an effect on them being late showing up in some areas too. I haven't seen as many as I usually do, so maybe the heat is a factor. :confused:

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I was just wondering about the heat this year being the cause of not seeing hummingbirds. We haven't had even one come around the feeders so far and the tree where they usually nest seems to be without nests . This is the first summer we haven't had any so maybe you're right about the heat. I've asked a few people and they haven't spotted any either.

I just got done checking a wild bird board I frequent. The lack of hummers could have something to do with the feeders that more people are putting out as the birds migrate north they may chose to stop & nest in those areas. I hope there is it not some disease affecting their population or lack of habitat where they winter. I had two ruby throated females getting territorial over Canna plant blooms today. Early this spring there were two male hummers around the feeders but there aren't any around now which is strange, just the two females.

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Originally Posted by Bonny

I just got done checking a wild bird board I frequent. The lack of hummers could have something to do with the feeders that more people are putting out as the birds migrate north they may chose to stop & nest in those areas. I hope there is it not some disease affecting their population or lack of habitat where they winter. I had two ruby throated females getting territorial over Canna plant blooms today. Early this spring there were two male hummers around the feeders but there aren't any around now which is strange, just the two females.

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Males are the first to arrive and the first to leave. I thought August would be a bit early, but then I found this.


Some adult males start migrating south as early as mid-July, but the peak of southward migration for this species is late August and early September.

My initial post dates back to April when I saw the lone small hummer. I am now covered up with the little hummers everywhere. I thought last month (JULY) that maybe I was going to have a very small group this year but now I have about as many as I have had in the past. I have 7 feeders out and they are keeping me busy keeping them filled. We are having record heat this year so they are not detered by our heat. We have had about a month in the high 90's everyday with the heat index above 100. We have had a few days above 100 with the index at 110. I'm ready for fall myself.;)

The golden rod plant started blooming the end of July & generally doesn't bloom till about now. We were two to three weeks ahead with our planting season this year so maybe that is why the males are no longer around & the females are maybe either feeding young or regaining their strength from raising their young before they migrate. That is a good article.