Headed South

[chaseisland]

Hummingbirds left three days ago without a thank you for the sucrose solution.

About the same time started seeing monarch butterflies on their migration to warmer territory.

Used to enjoy Winter, but now just tolerate it.

[upthesaukee]

I'm thinking you may be correct. The nectar was down into the base on Friday, so I filled it with the last of my nectar.

I thought I saw one making a quick trip in to the feeder yesterday, but no action like we've had over the past few weeks.

I'll keep my feeder out for another week or so.

Dave

[FlyingScot]

I'm thinking you may be correct. The nectar was down into the base on Friday, so I filled it with the last of my nectar.

I thought I saw one making a quick trip in to the feeder yesterday, but no action like we've had over the past few weeks.

I'll keep my feeder out for another week or so.

Dave

Question so I can be prepared for next year. Years ago I bought a feeder, but when I read the instructions, it said I needed to freshen nectar 2X/week. I'm not that ambitious, so I shelved it. How often do you change the solution?

[Newbiesaukee]

In past years, about once every 10 days. In the past month, about every 3 days. I always seem to have about 3 hummingbirds a season...but admittedly I can’t really tell them apart beyond sex. Somehow, this year they just seem more active. They were still here this am. I had read that they switch to a more protein diet and less sugar water prior to migrating. Again, I do not know if this is really the case.

We are really home bound this year, so perhaps I am just being more observant.

[upthesaukee]

Question so I can be prepared for next year. Years ago I bought a feeder, but when I read the instructions, it said I needed to freshen nectar 2X/week. I'm not that ambitious, so I shelved it. How often do you change the solution?

It varies. I'm not sure how many birds we have, seems to be 6 or more. Usually they go through the solution in about 10 days, less days when the they first arrive and less days when they are getting ready to leave. The less (fewer) is because they are eating us out of house and home. I go through 4-5 qts of solution per season, very late Apr to early/ mid Sept.

Dave

[Hillcountry]

I believe some have left on migration but I have at least one that sips a few times a day...not like a week ago when they were very active.

[Barney Bear]

Heat four cups of water in a Pyrex bowl for three minutes. Then stir in one cup of white sugar until the solution is clear. After it cools, store it in the refrigerator. We put in about a cup of yummy water in each feeder each weekend. Rinse out the feeder each time before adding water - dangerous for our tiny friends to drink moldy solution. Hummers have been visiting today here on East Bear Island. 🐻

[hilltopper]

9/14 and I have still been seeing hummingbirds every day. Not as often or as many as a couple of weeks ago, but they are still here. I can't say I ever remember them hanging around this long.

[Woody38]

My last hummingbird left sometime last weekend. There was one male that kept coming every half hour just prior to last weekend and then he disappeared.

One female did stay at the window momentarily.


Sucrose solution does not have to be made with boiled or heated water. I use 1/4 cup white sugar mixed into 1 cup of warm water (dissolves quicker than cold) although I have used cold water from the fridge dispenser.

Will be waiting for them next year.

The honey bees are having a great time on the Red Sedum. Making honey for my neighbor. Honey is good in tea.

____________________________________

I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholic

[Newbiesaukee]

Mine have been gone since 9/11.

[Barney Bear]

Have not seen any of our tiny guests this weekend on East Bear Island. Au revoir. 🐻

[upthesaukee]

Haven't seen any in the last two days, right after a mixed up a small batch of "go juice":D.

Figures. I'll give it a few more days.

Dave

[upthesaukee]

Update: after a couple of days not seeing any hummingbirds, this evening we've had 1 (or 2?) make several trips to the feeder. Maybe it's waiting for the hurricane to get out of the way;) .

Dave

[Nagigator]

My Hummingbirds are gone, but I've got a Baltimore oriole feeding on the hummer feeder. He's been hanging around for a couple of weeks now. I put an orange half out for him, but he prefers the feeder. Go figure.