I had a hummer stopping by briefly last week to nectar at the Turk's Cap Hibiscus, Malvaviscus arboreus

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...and just for fun until next year...........I got mooned;-)

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I saw, what I believe was my last one, last Sunday on a buddleia Haven't seen one since but I too still have the feeders up and there are plenty of blooming things still around to feed on should they stop by. Love than moon shot!! OT, but I was treated to no fewer than 6 beautiful male bluebirds in the backyard a couple of mornings ago.

Yes, I'm enjoying the return of the "winter" birds in my yards - chickadees (my favorite), carolina wrens, titmice, mockingbirds, nuthatches and woodpeckers. But I'm missing my summer visitors already.

My feeders are dropping a bit, so I think I have some hummers passing through and stopping for a snack when I'm not looking.

I haven't seen or heard any for a few days.

I saw one two days ago hitting the feeder, but my feeder levels have stopped dropping noticeably.

I spoke too soon, there's one out there now.

The general pattern I've noticed is that right when I start to see a lot of anoles on the house (they overwinter in the wells of my crawlspace) the hummingbirds disappear. Something about the temperature or perhaps the angle of the sun this time of year that moves one in, the other away. I like them both.

Terramadre, I love the 'moon' :)

Y'all that are north of Mobile please keep posting any sightings. It's been about 3-4 days since I've seen one here on the bay but I would keep my feeder up and fresh as long as I know they're still north of me coming this way!

My feeders dropped like crazy today, and there's a very fat female still hanging around, so don't take your feeders down yet.

LOVE the pics Terra!

I'm in Mobile, about 15 miles from the gulf, and I haven't seen one on my feeders in about 7 or 8 days now......first saw the southern travelers around mid-August.

I usually see the first ones heading north in late February to early March when it is still chilly outside. I'll see them feeding till around late April.

I took in my feeders yesterday. I haven't seen any hummers or seen the feeder levels fall more than evaporation in the past week. Until next spring!

I saw one yesterday, here in Opp. It buzzed by my head about 2 PM, then visited every flower on one of Mom's large Camellias. About 4 minutes later, my mouth still hanging open, it flew back past me to an unknown location.

Spring to-do list:
Propagate more Camellias.

I reported the sighting to the people mentioned in this article. I received a reply from someone at this site. They asked for me to renew the feeder and report back if it starts to visit regularly so someone can come out and band it. They said it's not unusual at all to see hummers over winter in this area but we just don't know much about them. Fascinating!

"It may come as a shock to you, but your hummingbird could easily be one of a dozen species that we now know live in Alabama in winter. We are fortunate to have in our banding/research studies, Mr. Fred Bassett of Montgomery who does a lot of research work in your part of the state.

If you do not have a hummingbird feeder at your home, please hang a feeder now. Mix your sugar water solution 4 parts water to 1 part sugar if you will.

With your permission, if the hummer starts coming to your feeder, he would like to come to your yard and try to capture, band/document and identify your uncommon wintering hummer. The most important people in our study of these tiny birds are folks like you who discover them in winter and then contact us."

This post was edited by purpleinopp on Mon, Dec 2, 13 at 9:36

I know someone who had a hummingbird around all winter last year; she kept the feeders out. It looked like a female ruby-throated to me, but perhaps I was wrong.