NICE!!

I've never had any in my yard, that I know of, and this year I planted Agastache. Wouldn't you know, they've forgiven me for forgetting to fill the feeders and are back!!

I even had one fly at my head when I was collecting seeds from a, beloved I guess, Agastache. I think it about landed in my hair.

What a thrill! I would be, too, especially those conditions. Hope it returns for you.

But that made me remember, my sister lives part of the year in San Diego and put out a feeder at least expecting to get some hummingbirds in a high rise. I never thought to ask her if she actually did.

Speaking of feeders, they're a nuisance to keep changing so I quit and am hoping my plants will attract some. My neighbor next door got a lot on his hisbuscus. I didn't see any this year in my yard. The only time I did was one that went for my annual salvia which I don't grow any more.

But I'm not in the yard all the time so may have missed some visits, don't know if they like phlox or not but have those. A tiger swallowtail has come to those for two years now. That was a thrill. And it was a thrill when I saw a goldfinch this summer, put out a niger feeder but don't see any on it.

Oh, pvick - that is just too wonderful. I mean, it just goes to show you how wonderful your patio is! Did you grow anything particular that you think attracted it?

Hope it comes back soon :0)

Carrie

I've been wanting to see a hummingbird in real life and in my garden. But still no luck. Do we have them here in Chicagoland?

Lucky you PV! :D

In Brooklyn, NY???How wonderful!!!
I have not seen any in mine either, Neil. But a neighbor said she had five of them around her Cypress Vines. :-(

I can't imagine what attracted it - not very much of what I planted this year even bloomed!

I was standing inside at the terrace door, looking at nothing in particular, when it just appeared! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd ever see one up here. Fantabulous!

So, now I've had a hawk and a hummingbird! Beats those 'ol pigeons any day of the week .....

PV

OMG, I start feeding them mid-April, have been doing it for years; if you put out a feeder they will come. This time of year they are on their southern migration, you probably had a little traveler stop at your "diner" lol. My last feeder will stay up, refreshed once a week, until the end of October to accommodate any late fliers.

I start with a couple of feeders, then as they multiply (they can have broods 3 times in a season), I add more feeders. Over the years many of my neighbors have noticed my feeders and are now doing the same. Even with all the feeders around here, the hummers are very aggressive and territorial and boy, they sure love to do battle.

With all the flowers on your balcony I would imagine you could even be a nest location, they often nest in plants. I'm so glad you had the opportunity to see one up close, in fact if you wear red they will come right up to you, and sometimes they will scold you if you are too close to their feeder, or if you don't remember to hang flowers in the same spot you had a basket the year before! They are extremely interesting little critters. They return to the same feeding station every year, and they can live about 10 years, so they actually do get to know you and their favorite digs.

Good news, PV, hope you see many more next year. It really is ironic, when I moved into this mobile home park I was told that there were no birds here because of the cats. Within a couple of months I had "captured the market" on the American Goldfinch. Soon the Cardinals followed and then just about every bird that comes to a feeder, except the Bluebird. The most beautiful one so far has been the Indigo Bunting. I just love all of them!!

Mary

How cool!

Time to put up a hummingbird feeder so she has a good place to fuel up before that long flight back down to ground level.

Lynda

Here is a pic of a hummingbird at my feeder. I have 5-6 that regularly visit my feeder outside my living room window. They fight with each other and dive at each other. With the window open I can hear them squeaking and their wings. It is truly great to see them that close. Sometimes when a honeybee gets on the feeder and a hummingbird tries to land the bee will chase the hummingbird away!

Danielle

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:435207}}

Here is the other picture.

Danielle

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:435211}}

This year I planted cypress vine for the first time. My husband has seen hummingbirds on it numerous times while heading out to work in the mornings. PV, I have collected loads of these seeds if you want any - just let me know. BTW I am so happy for you. On a side note, I like to look up totem animals anytime they show up in my life unexpectedly. In ANIMAL SPEAK, Ted Andrews says hummingbirds teach us how to draw the life essence from flowers. "They can teach us how to use flowers to heal and win hearts in love." How cool is that!

-StLGirl

I'm so happy for you! I remember the first time I saw a hummingbird. They're so special. If you have lots of red dots that even just look like flowers, that will lure them to you and then they find the non-red flowers. So, do grow the cypress vine, or start sticking fake red flowers on your balcony, so you can see more hummingbirds!

I grew up in the Chicago suburbs, and never saw one there. But I see them almost every time I go to Chicago Botanic Gardens (go to the Enabling Garden). And where I live now, I get to see them every day!

This year I bought a much easier to clean feeder, which is a tray design that sticks to the window with a suction cup. I can watch the endless parade and all the fights, AND, it's easy to clean! I added another feeder on the other side of the house because the fights were making me worry that someone was going hungry.

The downside to seeing them so much, especially while in my house, is that I'm going to be really sad when they're gone!

A lot of it really has to do with location. I have family up in central Wisconsin who live in the country surrounded by farmland and large wooded areas. They don't plant anything special to attract hummers, and can just stick out feeders and have swarms of them all summer. That didn't work for us.

We live in the Chicago burbs with no natural areas anywhere nearby. There used to be wetlands very nearby but they were removed to put in a golf course, athletic fields, and lots and lots of manicured grass. Our neighborhood has very few people that plant anything more than a few shrubs and pots of geraniums. But by planting a lot of the hummer's favorite plants in our yard we see at least a hummer or two most days from August to October. We rarely ever see a single one during their spring migration north though, because there is very little flowering at the time. I have heard flowering quince is good in the spring, but haven't found any yet. For late summer/early fall these plants are great: cardinal flower, agastache, scarlet runner bean, trumpet creeper, salvia, and cardinal climber.

I agree that they get to know you. We have some that like to come around when we're watering the yard. They will buzz us until we aim the hose up higher, then they fly into the water and really get a good bath! Funny little guys, and we love them.

How lucky you are, PV. I am so disappointed I saw only a few 'pass through' my yard this year. One early in the summer spent some time in my apple tree, and a few just passed through a few weeks ago. They usually like my Snowberry, Red tall Cannas, and Yvonne's salvia, but the Cannas only started blooming this week (2 out of 7 plants) and the Yvonne's Salvia is at its best now so I guess it's too late. I have put out feeders for several years, but I found they ignored the feeders and went for the flowers so I've stopped putting them out. Didn't see any Monarch butterflies this year either.
Northerner.

Very cool, indeed! I have yet to see one out here on the island. I have to settle for Monk Parakeets.

Oh, PV, that is so special!! I'm so glad our little friend paid you a visit on her way south. :O) We have quite a few here in the summer, but they leave in late August early September. I told them all that there were great gardens all the way down and to stop and visit my friends along the way. Too sweet!!

Cool, PV. Maybe you'd better start planting some hummer plants up there in your bird nest.

Karen

I've seen them a zillion times before in my home town - we called them "doctor" birds (have no idea why). But never, never before here in NY. Even when I had Yvonne's salvia, or the everbloomin' red abutilon or any number of other flowers which attract them to other folks' gardens.

I'm wondering if the red, ripening tomatoes might have been what attracted her?

PV

PV, you are making big environmental changes - in a good way, of course! FWIW, I've seen hummers go after pretty much any of my flowers when they have a mind to. During the short time I was in Greenville/Spartanburg, I only had one, and it came for my zinnias, believe it or not. I used to have plenty in MA - we'll see what I get in AL once I get settled!

I Live in the middle of the woods,have had a feeder out for 5-6 years,and have lots of hummers.
Each spring,when they come back, they will fly right in front of our faces,back and forth,as if to say hello,or are they checking to see if we are who we should be,
One time two were fighting so bad, they fell to the ground and rolled around,one got up,and went to the feeder,hubby and i thought the other one was surly dead,but after a few min.he flew away.
They will also hide from each other,under the big hosta leaves,just waiting for a sneak at the feeder.
What a joy to watch,soon,we will have around 10,filling up for their flight back.
At this time,we do nothing but sit on the porch and watch all the fun,no movie could be more entertaining.
cAROL

I have tons of them all summer. But yesterday, I didn't see even one. I guess they're starting to migrate :-(

My hummers seem to love some zinnias but ignore others. Some of my big attractors are salvia (Yvonne's and coral nymph), larksur, agastache, leptodermis, petunia, and nasturtium. The flowers are quickly fading now, setting seeds and preparing for winter.My feeder will still be out there, clean and fresh for travelers, for a while.

Karen

That is very exciting - congrats! My guess would be the little guy was migrating, and they were indeed attracted to the tomatoes. If you have room, I would grow some Cypress Vine or Cardinal climber to attract them and provide some late season nectar (both are easy to grow and very pretty too!).

I don't have a feeder up but have a "Hummingbird garden" and see hummers here regularly (multiple x per day) during the summer once the Monarda starts blooming. These plants are top attractors, visited daily by the Hummers when in bloom. Lots of turf wars go on in that garden. :)

Monarda didyma (red Bee balm)
Monarda 'Raspberry Wine'
Lobelia cardinalis
Salvia coccinea
Yvonne's Salvia
Ipomoea x sloteri (cardinal climber)

There are lots of plants scattered around that they like to sip on, but these are their favorites.

That is wonderful Pvick, I've never had one here and I'm on the ground.
I did see my first monarch since I planted the Tithonia out front. I've lived here for five years now, never saw one before.