meghann Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 Well, another new one for me. We had a Black-throated Blue Warbler on the hummingbird feeder. I didn't have my phone with me to get a picture, sadly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Got my first hummingbird feeder up this week had a Black chinned hummingbird in the first five hours! I was wondering if I should put more sugar in the water. I read that you should put more sugar in the spring and fall. I put one to four. Was wondering what y'all would suggest. Please any opinions appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Kevin said: Got my first hummingbird feeder up this week had a Black chinned hummingbird in the first five hours! I was wondering if I should put more sugar in the water. I read that you should put more sugar in the spring and fall. I put one to four. Was wondering what y'all would suggest. Please any opinions appreciated. I've been known to go a bit heavy on the sugar for the first few weeks and late in the season. I make two cups at a time (1/2 cup sugar to 2 cups water) and I'll toss in a couple of extra tablespoons. Certainly nothing as strong as 3 to 1. Edited May 15, 2019 by Charlie Spencer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aveschapinas Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 18 hours ago, Kevin said: Got my first hummingbird feeder up this week had a Black chinned hummingbird in the first five hours! I was wondering if I should put more sugar in the water. I read that you should put more sugar in the spring and fall. I put one to four. Was wondering what y'all would suggest. Please any opinions appreciated. I don't vary the proportions, but I don't have the same seasons here, and I have hummers all year. I also don't measure; I eyeball about 1:4 sugar:water, stir, and serve! I've heard that flower nectar varies a lot in sugar content, so doesn't seem necessary to be that precise with the homemade stuff. But I agree, not 1:3! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthcatrin Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Very interested in the feedback on that Hummbug feeder! I keep seeing them, and thinking it sounds cool..... For what its worth I make up a pint or two of hummingbird sugar water and keep it in the fridge so that my husband can fill the feeders if he feels inclined (and he often is). I only use smaller feeders that hold less than a cup of liquid, I find that even during the busiest parts of the season multiple small feeders works better for me than one or two larger ones. Ruby Throated Hummers don't share feeders well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 How often should I refresh the sugar water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Kevin said: How often should I refresh the sugar water? Every four or five days at most; and maybe three if it's really hot. Otherwise it starts to go bad. That's another reason small feeders are better than larger ones. Those large ones make sense if you're down in Brownsville TX where hummies migrate through by the thousands and people use literally gallons of food in a week. Edited May 17, 2019 by Charlie Spencer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeInDallas Posted May 20, 2019 Author Share Posted May 20, 2019 On 5/17/2019 at 2:23 PM, ruthcatrin said: Very interested in the feedback on that Hummbug feeder! I keep seeing them, and thinking it sounds cool..... For what its worth I make up a pint or two of hummingbird sugar water and keep it in the fridge so that my husband can fill the feeders if he feels inclined (and he often is). I only use smaller feeders that hold less than a cup of liquid, I find that even during the busiest parts of the season multiple small feeders works better for me than one or two larger ones. Ruby Throated Hummers don't share feeders well. The Hummbug feeder does work, but I dont think it would be useful for me at this point. Maybe someday if I get a lot more hummingbirds coming around to feed. I never do see very many of them at once, it's more like a steady stream one after the other. The Hummbug feeder you have to put banana's in it, and then it can take up to 10 days for the flies to lay eggs and hatch. Once they come out there are tons of them to eat, but theres just not enough hummingbirds that come around to eat at this point. If I had swarms of hummingbirds like I've seen on the Youtube videos, then I could see it would be a really great thing to have. Maybe even have 2 of them going at once and start them at different time so you always have flies that are hatched. I dont know if I'll ever have the big swarms of hummingbirds like some people do. It does work though for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted May 20, 2019 Share Posted May 20, 2019 8 hours ago, MeInDallas said: If I had swarms of hummingbirds like I've seen on the Youtube videos, Do those happen except in limited areas during fall migration? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthcatrin Posted May 20, 2019 Share Posted May 20, 2019 cool, thanks. Probly not for me then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeInDallas Posted May 21, 2019 Author Share Posted May 21, 2019 On 5/20/2019 at 6:26 AM, Charlie Spencer said: Do those happen except in limited areas during fall migration? I'm not really sure. I've been told and have read, that the more years you keep feeding, the more show up over time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeInDallas Posted May 21, 2019 Author Share Posted May 21, 2019 I watch this lady on Youtube, and she has a lot of hummingbirds. I want a lot of them like she has ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNEmja72Ixs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aveschapinas Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 11 hours ago, MeInDallas said: I'm not really sure. I've been told and have read, that the more years you keep feeding, the more show up over time. That has been my experience. I have hummers year-round, but the species vary, as do the numbers. I'm starting the heavy season now, when they'll drain three liters of nectar in a couple of days. I vary the number of feeders depending on how many hummers are around, and how fast they drink the nectar. During the "slow" season (January - March) I just keep one out and it takes 4 or 5 days to empty it. But, especially during the peak seasons, I get tons of birds, especially in the hour or so before sundown; they seem to call a truce and all the ports will be full, with others waiting in line hovered near the feeders. But it took months before I even got any birds, and years before I got this many. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 (edited) I have two feeders with 1/4-cup in each and I usually throw half of that away. I've never seen more than four at one time, and even then two of those are feuding. Edited May 22, 2019 by Charlie Spencer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 On 5/22/2019 at 7:10 AM, MeInDallas said: I watch this lady on Youtube, and she has a lot of hummingbirds. I want a lot of them like she has ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNEmja72Ixs It must be totally cool to see those birds in person! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeInDallas Posted May 29, 2019 Author Share Posted May 29, 2019 I know isnt that crazy to have so many? I started watching her several years ago. Heres a more recent one from her, and this is out her kitchen window, and sometimes they just fly right in. I'm hoping one day I can be so lucky as this ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAT5syAYcIo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aveschapinas Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 1 hour ago, MeInDallas said: I know isnt that crazy to have so many? I started watching her several years ago. Heres a more recent one from her, and this is out her kitchen window, and sometimes they just fly right in. I'm hoping one day I can be so lucky as this ? My hummers routinely fly through my bedroom, and occasionally get stuck and I have to escort them out ? This is a big reason why my first bird on New Year's Day is almost always a hummingbird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 3 hours ago, MeInDallas said: I know isnt that crazy to have so many? I started watching her several years ago. Heres a more recent one from her, and this is out her kitchen window, and sometimes they just fly right in. I'm hoping one day I can be so lucky as this ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAT5syAYcIo It is amazing the birds are so attracted to her feeders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tclarkwood Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 I went from zero hummingbirds in May and June to having probably 4 or 5 now that we are starting August. I am pretty sure that my problem was that my sugar water was not kept fresh enough. It is really important to change it out at least once a week. When it is really hot maybe even once every 5 days. Most of you may have already known this but I wanted to pass it along just in case. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcarscadden Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 I saw that video and was amazed at how many were feeding at one time. Mine tend to be a bit (understatement ) territorial and I went and got a second feeder but had to take the first one down in order for them. - i have at least 4 but think 6. Males for the past month as well...earlier it was only females. Will put the second one back up today about 100 feet away from the other and see what happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 I’m pretty sure videos like that are shot during migration, when most species aren’t as territorial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeInDallas Posted August 14, 2019 Author Share Posted August 14, 2019 Speaking of migration, I wonder if it's started because it seems like the last week, everytime I look at one of the feeders, theres a hummingbird just sippin' away. All of a sudden the population seems to of risen really fast. Been going thru lots of nectar too. I actually had to refill one of the feeders before it was time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 Sounds about right. Look closely and you may see some that appear to be down right FAT compared to earlier in the season. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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