The Uncaged Bird -My first Hummingbird has arrived 4/26/2024
Wow - So pretty! I caught a glimpse of one at my feeder about a week ago around 7 PM. Was sitting on the backporch talking on my cell phone and just happened to look up at the right time. My feeder is not in a good viewing location. It's possible that hummers are visiting regularly and I just don't see them.
Sweetsnuggles said:
Wow - So pretty! I caught a glimpse of one at my feeder about a week ago around 7 PM. Was sitting on the backporch talking on my cell phone and just happened to look up at the right time. My feeder is not in a good viewing location. It's possible that hummers are visiting regularly and I just don't see them.
Its definitely more active now. I did the math and apparently the males arrive in May and the females around June to find their mate. The females then build their nests and lay typically two eggs. She incubates the eggs for about 2 weeks and then the hatchlings stay in the nest about 3 more weeks so we would notice them around July. I see 3 hovering around. One has something white on his foot. Another is equally as small and I see a larger one. I'm not sure if there are more. I have 2 feeders now and they use both the feeders and the small petunias.
The goldfinches are nibbling away at the Cone Flowers. Still plenty for sale at Home Depot. This is a perfect plant for the little birds as I notice the flock of sparrows who dominate the feeders, even the thistle feeder, do not even investigate the seed rich centers of this generous plant. Do not remove the heads when they turn brown. I'm seeing both males and females.
Several species of hummingbirds.
https://allaboutbirds.org/texashummers
Morganna said:
The goldfinches are nibbling away at the Cone Flowers. Still plenty for sale at Home Depot. This is a perfect plant for the little birds as I notice the flock of sparrows who dominate the feeders, even the thistle feeder, do not even investigate the seed rich centers of this generous plant. Do not remove the heads when they turn brown. I'm seeing both males and females.
I LOVE this picture of the Goldie!
I was having trouble posting it for weeks. Let's try another. By the way the Cone Flowers are magical. The Goldfinches are in the yard everyday! Still for sale at Home Depot.
Keep some water out for birds; this is a long hot spell and they appreciate both a drink at the bar and a dip in the pool. Good thing that the life guard is on duty, it looks like a rowdy crowd.
That's beautiful! Thanks for posting the video.
Morganna said:
Man saves dog, dog saves hummingbird.
https://www.facebook.com/innncredible/videos/1591142567880961/?autoplay_reason=all_page_organic_allowed&video_container_type=0&video_creator_product_type=2&app_id=2392950137
So it's September and it will soon be time for the Hummingbirds to begin migration South. They may stay through September and some juveniles may linger so some leave the feeders up through October. As they migrate they will be drinking mornings and evenings, while traveling during the day. Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, the ones that we see, travel on the average for 23 miles a day and will be on their way to Florida, Louisiana or Texas. Some will then travel further down to Mexico.
Just saw a hummer so they are still around in South Orange. They are going to gain from 25% to 50% of their body weight. I'm preparing to post several of the links that I'm reading but for those who want a few bits of information without reading whole articles, I'm sharing a few interesting facts. Please if you are as intrigued with them as I am, do check out these links and share new ones that you like.
As they leave our area it will be time for Cornel Lab of Ornithology Project Feeder Watch. If you have never participated and you love bird watching, join at least once. I'm hoping to get a few of us on a thread to share our reports as we input data.
There were some by the reservoir in West Orange today, too. The female is so well-camouflaged that she is hard to spot (she's to the left of the male).
cody said:
There were some by the reservoir in West Orange today, too. The female is so well-camouflaged that she is hard to spot (she's to the left of the male).
I have found the females goldfinches do easily get lost in the foliage. I also noticed today how camouflaged sparrows are taking dust baths; I wouldn't have noticed them if there were not so many of them. When I grabbed my camera I had to look carefully to see the couple that were sitting still.
I like that photo.
Here is one camouflaged in the coneflowers.
Morganna said:
Just saw a hummer so they are still around in South Orange. They are going to gain from 25% to 50% of their body weight. I'm preparing to post several of the links that I'm reading but for those who want a few bits of information without reading whole articles, I'm sharing a few interesting facts. Please if you are as intrigued with them as I am, do check out these links and share new ones that you like.
As they leave our area it will be time for Cornel Lab of Ornithology Project Feeder Watch. If you have never participated and you love bird watching, join at least once. I'm hoping to get a few of us on a thread to share our reports as we input data.
http://www.nectarartprints.com/hummingbird-migration_rt.htm
Do you have a link for the Cornel Feeder Watch? I'd love to join them and participate in your thread here on MOL.
I never had hummers (or any other birds) while I lived in Maplewood -- too many feral cats. But I once again have hummers and feeders at my house down the shore. Not a lot of birds, but 2 or 3 regulars at my feeders. I was recently in the hospital for 8 days and my neighbor took down my feeders thinking they would be thrown to the ground (or someone's window) in the storm-that-wasn't, so I just put them back up last evening. I only saw 2 hummers fly around, but didn't feed, so I'm wondering if they're already migrating.
I couldn't get a picture of them feeding -- they're too smart and see me through the window. But I did get this one perched on the swing:
@mumstheword Wow, what a coincidence. I just saw a swing for sale in the new Doctors Foster and Smith catalogue advertised as a Hummingbird swing and as tempted as I was, I thought it was unlikely to attract them and here is the proof. Glad you snapped the picture and I guess it goes on my "have to have" list. I'll post the link and glad you are planning on joining!
By the way hope you are feeling well.
As for the Hummers, I saw one yesterday so they are active in South Orange. Everything I read says mid September but with 90 degree days this week I'm thinking they may hang around.. I've got to post more articles on the uncertainty of what it is that makes them start their migration. I did read that they each do it alone. So since they need to gain up to 50% of their weight if you are back in SOMA and you can put out a feeder, give it a try. Some are passing through from Canada!
OK here it is, the link for Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project Feeder Watch. I thought if people decide to join and log in data, they might want to add some things to their yard like water sources, roosting boxes and extra feeders before the start date, although a simple feeder is all that you need, but I warn everyone it is addictive. Its a great deal of fun and you can chose one or two days a week and also chose whatever time frame you wish each week and as long as you stick to your days the time spent watching can vary. It gets wildly active when we have snow on the ground!
For those who have children, it might be an interesting extra credit project. For those who like me get cabin fever, it gets me out to fill the feeder and then back in to snap pictures or work on drawings with a cup of coffee.
Morganna said:
OK here it is, the link for Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project Feeder Watch. I thought if people decide to join and log in data, they might want to add some things to their yard like water sources, roosting boxes and extra feeders before the start date, although a simple feeder is all that you need, but I warn everyone it is addictive. Its a great deal of fun and you can chose one or two days a week and also chose whatever time frame you wish each week and as long as you stick to your days the time spent watching can vary. It gets wildly active when we have snow on the ground!
For those who have children, it might be an interesting extra credit project. For those who like me get cabin fever, it gets me out to fill the feeder and then back in to snap pictures or work on drawings with a cup of coffee.
http://feederwatch.org/
Thanks, Morganna, for both of your posts. I permanently live down the shore now, so I will post my results from there. I did see one hummer during dinner time last night, but the bevy I used to have seems to have ended. I bought two swings, one for either side of the house, on Amazon -- very inexpensive. And thanks for the feederwatch link! Keep me in mind if you start a special thread or group.
mumstheword said:
Morganna said:
OK here it is, the link for Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project Feeder Watch. I thought if people decide to join and log in data, they might want to add some things to their yard like water sources, roosting boxes and extra feeders before the start date, although a simple feeder is all that you need, but I warn everyone it is addictive. Its a great deal of fun and you can chose one or two days a week and also chose whatever time frame you wish each week and as long as you stick to your days the time spent watching can vary. It gets wildly active when we have snow on the ground!
For those who have children, it might be an interesting extra credit project. For those who like me get cabin fever, it gets me out to fill the feeder and then back in to snap pictures or work on drawings with a cup of coffee.
http://feederwatch.org/
Thanks, Morganna, for both of your posts. I permanently live down the shore now, so I will post my results from there. I did see one hummer during dinner time last night, but the bevy I used to have seems to have ended. I bought two swings, one for either side of the house, on Amazon -- very inexpensive. And thanks for the feederwatch link! Keep me in mind if you start a special thread or group.
Thanks and I will.
If @jamie can fix it so that we can edit our thread titles again I'll put out a reminder for folks to join.;
A friend mentioned he is seeing a drop off in Goldfinch on his property and after a bit of research I learned that some migrate south but some are with us during the cold season, just not necessarily the same ones. Some are coming from the north and some who nested with us will be vacationing south. So keep their food in supply. In the course of researching them I ran across information about S.A.V.E. birdseed grown in NJ with a contribution to our environment.
One of the helpful sites with great information is the New Jersey Audubon website. There is information about the S.A.V. E. program.
While not quite a "murder of crows" I did see a "congregation of starlings" in front of my home on Friday at dusk. There were about 50 birds and it seemed to include grackles. I'm not sure if their were cowbirds in there and before I could grab my camera they were off.
I had a similar experience with robins a couple of years ago in the fall but they stayed around for awhile and I did get a picture of some of them. I believe it was almost as large a flock but I only captured a few in the shot.
I haven't seen a hummingbird since last Friday, 9/9 but I'm still putting out fresh sugar water in case a straggler from the north wants to belly up to the bar for a drink on his journey south.
I haven't seen a goldfinch for about a week but I bought new coneflowers to plant today as our locals will move south but our northern goldies will settle here for the winter. I met a coneflower aficionado at Home Depot who agreed that he keeps them visiting with his plantings of these seed rich plants. He did warn me that my white plants may revert to pink next year. The birds may not mind but it will upset my color scheme.
There were tall millet plants for sale at the Depot and I may go back for some to see which birds they draw.
I joined Project Feeder Watch already and I'm hoping if other decide to join we can start a separate thread and share our data as suggested by @mumstheword. Its early and there is time to join and begin the count.
For those who haven't checked the link above, here is a link to a brief overview. http://feederwatch.org/about/project-overview
@Morganna - I have one hummer at my feeder now (when I came home from the hospital 2 weeks ago, 2 of the 3 feeders were empty and I didn't refill them). Since his feeder-mate has flown the coop, he has no one now to fight with, except for the wasp that likes the feeder also. It's so funny watching him try to scare off the wasp.
I never saw any goldfinches here. I put up a number of bird houses in the spring, but no takers. Now that I had the outside of my house painted, I will have the landscapers plant a bird/butterfly garden alongside the house in the spring. Hopefully that will attract some new friends.
I had no goldfinches use the bird houses. They must be nesting in the trees. I read that the female weaves the nest so tightly using spider web thread, that it is does not drain and she must shield it with her wings when it rains. Apparently they go on a feeding frenzy before a storm so keep putting out nyjer seed in a wire mesh feeder and watch for them. The sparrows will eat nyjer but it is not a favorite so you might get lucky and seduce some goldies. I try not to overfill the nyjer feeders as I read the seed can get moldy.
Wow @mumstheword I just saw another hummer! 6:20. I'm cooking up a fresh batch of sugar water!. I saw something the other day that I thought was a hummer flying away but I wasn't sure. Now I spotted one but he was not familiar with the feeder and took a few seconds to figure out the port. He might be migrating so keep your feeders full, I'm telling him to look for your garden! They like the tiny petunias better than the regular ones. I have both and they like the shallower cups.
My first time cleaning out a bird house! Wrens have finished nesting and after waiting a few weeks I mustered the courage to unscrew the little house. As they had disappeared so suddenly I worried that the little hatchlings had died. To my delight I found the little nest which was woven on top but rested on more than 500 pieces of tiny twigs! Yes I sat there and counted trying not to disturb the inner part which held together so that would have added perhaps another 100 pieces. Even if the little birds carried twigs and then broke them in half that is still 250 trips!
The male actually makes several starter nests to attract the female so he must have made an easy 500 trips if he started 5 nests and only put in 100 twigs in each. The female choses just the right home and then finishes off her nest to her taste. My little female added flourishes of red cardinal feathers and blue jay feathers. I'm thinking she wanted to reflect the small American flag that was sealed to her little home. Trend spotters take note.
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Hmm looks like this hummingbird picture will post.