Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Hummingbirds

We have four hummingbird feeders on our back deck this year and we seem to be getting some migrants coming through ‘cause the activity has really picked up the last two weeks. My wife and I were at the table finishing our morning coffee a couple of days ago watching a bunch of hummingbirds in a feeding frenzy and she asked, “I wonder what it would be like if someone put a ‘Go Pro’ on a hummingbird?” 😀

Try to picture that the next time you’re watching them.

I hang two feeders in Illinois and at their peak had around 20 hummers jockeying for position. Most left here around Labor Day, but I still have about 5 stragglers. I'll send them your way.

Your ruby-throats are a bit more congenial with others than our black-chinned hummies. My backyard male watches my two feeders from a vantage point and if any other bird tries to feed, he immediately strafes them. The only other birds he allows are his mate and offspring, all of which have now departed. Yesterday, I saw three black-chins engaged in aerial warfare around one feeder: my male and two others - presumably the males of my other two neighborhood families. They're likely the last three local birds left.

Always wondered if feeding them that mix up junk is detrimental or making them dependant on humans.
We are not supposed to feed most other wildlife species. I refuse to maintain any product for them.

I have many hummingbirds at there house even right now. I have have a wall of petunias planted in a 30ft retaining wall for them. Several hanging flowering potted plants they hit and most of all, a walkway and seveal random Rose of Sharon ornamentals they fuss and fight each other all day starting at the crack of daylight.

We've got to where we keep a nectar feeder up until around mid October for late stragglers. We've had them still showing up when night temperatures dropped down into the high 40s - low 50s. They don't stay more than a day or two then continue their migration.

I have seen my first hummingbird this year at my feeder in the last week here in Oklahoma City.

That may be true.....can't prove it but I'd be willing to bet it's the same crew that hangs out here every summer.

I'd also bet that hanging up a jar of sugar water is pretty low on the list of things humans do that are detrimental to wildlife.

Scads of migrating hummers are moving through right now. At the peak feeding times (just after sunrise and just before sundown) it looks like a bee hive around the three feeders, but there are birds at the feeders all day long. It's been a dry, dry summer here in our valley. The monsoon rains never materialized. We have had right at two inches for the entire year, so far, and one of those inches was from winter rains.

The migrating birds need energy and there is not much of anything native blooming around here. Most of the flowers in our little village are on the trees and shrubs that are irrigated. Here at the house, we have more than most other places. Our roses, desert willows and purple sage get hit pretty hard, but the feeders are clearly providing needed energy. I just provide sugar water, none of the commercial "mix up junk." The birds always seem to move along on time once they get refueled.

I saw a dog fight yesterday where one knocked the other bird out of the air.... they were low over a flower bed...it took a few seconds for the down combatant to fight it's way back through the stems...…

If hummingbirds were the size of robins, I'd be afraid to go outside.....

Is there really a difference between putting up a feeder and planting flowers specifically for the hummers?

We have flower baskets for the hummers on the back porch and feeders. 99% time they hit the feeders.
Flowers may be better for butterflies and other insects like bees. So I guess if you are allergic to stings that makes it easy.
I am going to plant 1/2 acre in flower mix and milkweed for butterflies for the hell of it at the end of my land. Just got some milkweed husks. Hummers should dig that.
I am still getting travels at my feeders here in the center of PA, but that is dwindling. The travelers eat and perch more compared to "home" birds. Sad to see them go, but that means the hunting season is closer.

My resident black-chin, I've named him El Gordo - the fat one, is still here trying to protect the feeders. Yesterday, we had some rubies buzz in and try to feed. Gordo was going crazy trying to fight them all off. I thought the poor little fella was going to have a coronary but he was back just after day light defending his territory again!

With as much food as they've gone through this summer, I decided to call a group of hummingbirds "a glutton".

Used to hang a feeder on the front porch near the kitchen window until we got tired of ducking them. The final straw was having to pull one out of the window screen that it had wedged its beak in. Now hang it on the bell pole out front. From what I've read and observed early in the year they concentrate on local blooms. When rearing young they feed on insects. Late August and right now is when they really hit our feeder.

They're working these ornamentals right now. Just took this pic 5 mins ago. 3 flared off, one came right back (center of frame 2nd pic)

Humminbird makes a decent fish finder....LOL

i have 4 feeders out now, usually set out 9 when the ruby's are thick. wife and i love watching them. grand kids do too.

At this time they're taking close to twelve ounces of nectar a day here. They will migrate out soon I think. It's a feeding frenzy pretty much all day long.

Fast forward to :50

BA- DOW!!!!