The 2021 hummingbird crop

[Faulkner]

The initial 2021 migration of hummingbirds was very light back in the spring. As the hummingbirds migrate in we have feeders prepared and various hummingbird friendly flowers blooming to attract them. Usually by April or May we'll have a dozen or so hummingbirds hanging around our place. This year, though, we noticed a significant reduction in the early spring hummingbirds, only four or five showed up. Mrs. Faulkner talked to a biologist who specializes in hummingbirds and was told that the late snowmagaddon that hit south Texas and several tropical storms impacted this year's migration.

Now, in late July, the new crop of hatchlings are starting to show up and we're seeing a significant increase in activity. Below is a short 2 minute video I took with my GoPro early one morning as the hummingbirds came out to feed.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEAr5XftL3M[/ame]

 

[soFlaNative]

Amazing, actually some occasional semblance of sharing.
Good stuff.

 

[Greyman50]

Outstanding! Great to see so many.

 

[Peak53]

I also noticed a later than usual arrival and fewer birds than normal. Thanks for the vid!

 

[pawngal]

I only have 1 pr this year and no goldfinches. Do have an oriole that stops by frequently. He can make serious dent in the nectar supply in a short period of time.

Love the video.

 

[Onomea]

We bought the house we're in now last fall. There was a humming bird feeder and an open box of humming bird powdered nectar packets in the garage. When we noticed humming birds in the yard, I mixed up some of the nectar per the instructions, put it in the feeder and hung it in the garden.

The humming birds were attracted to the feeder, but would not feed. After a few weeks, I decided that the feeder was defective, and bought a new one. Mixed up some more nectar, put the nectar in the new feeder, and hung it in the garden.

Same result. So, I'm thinking maybe the nectar powder is too old and has gone bad...

Today, mixed up a new batch of nectar from a new bag of a different brand I bought, and hung the feeder out again just minutes ago.

We'll see...

I think they're amazing creatures. The speed at which they fly, and the G-forces they execute — suddenly stopping in mid flight, sharp turns, acceleration — are astounding. I also think they're pretty smart.

What motivated me to try some new nectar was that for several evenings running, as my wife and I enjoyed a drink on our deck, a humming bird would zoom up to me, stop and hover about four or five feet from me, and, once confirming that I was paying attention, zoom off to the feeder hanging in the garden, hover there for a few seconds, and then take off.

Clearly trying to tell me something...

 

[Bullet Bob]

Forget the commercial nectar. One part white sugar to four parts water example: one cup sugar to four cups of water. Boil water, mix in sugar, take off heat and stir to mix. Let cool, put in cleaned feeder. Don't add red dye.

 

[mckenney99]

Keep the feeders cleaned and don't let them set in the sun for more then a day or 2 without getting rid of the "old" nectar and recleaning the feeder.

+1 on just using sugar and water solution. I usually make up a gallon at a time for my one feeder and keep the extra in the refrigerator. I never even bother to let it come to room temperature before putting the refilled feeder out. Nothing like hummingbirds with brain freeze.

 

[ZGrand]

We're seeing a bunch more hummers at our feeders recently as well. I use a Bug-a-Salt gun to try to keep the yellow jackets away. They fight the hummers for the nectar. The salt gun will kill a wasp or even a hornet, but it just makes the yellow jackets mad. They must have some pretty good body armor.

 

[Faulkner]

Mrs. Faulkner cleans and changes out the feeders daily every morning with 4:1 water/sugar. She mixes up a big batch and keeps it in a pitcher in the fridge so that if a feeder runs low during the day she can top it off with cool nectar. The birds seem to like it.

 

[6518John]

Do have an oriole that stops by frequently. He can make serious dent in the nectar supply in a short period of time.

You may want to try a jelly feeder for your oriole's:


Glass Oriole Jelly Feeder
– Bird Lover Nest

 

[9mmPatriot]

I've got 2 feeders and a lot of flowers that normally attract quite a few humming birds.


This year....meh. We've seen maybe a half a dozen so far.


We've tried 3-4 different feeders, different food with no change to the amount of visitors.



Next up will be a misting bird bath.

 

[Puller]

You may want to try a jelly feeder for your oriole's:


Glass Oriole Jelly Feeder
– Bird Lover Nest

It has been my observation that Orioles will run off the hummingbirds. I stopped attracting the Orioles because I noticed when we had an abundance of Orioles we had no hummingbirds. When I stopped feeding the Orioles and they left the hummingbirds would return. Not scientific evidence, but I've seen this repeatedly over a 5 or 6 year period.

 

[6518John]

Puller—it would not surprise me if you are 100% correct. Along that line of thought, I think most of us tend to concentrate our feeders in one location outside our home—the deck or picture window, etc. It's best to spread them all around the house and yard to reduce the guarding and territorial fights.

 

[yeti]

Nice video. Good to see so many.
Slow hummingbird year thus far for us, not much activity.
We do have an Oriole or two though.