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bmmalone

hummingbirds

21 years ago

we have lots of plants that should attract hummingbirds, but have not seen any so far this year. About six weeks ago I put a feeder outside our dining room French Doors. Today I was sitting under this feeder talking on the phone. I looked up and there was the most beautiful hummingbird I have ever seen. I have never been so close to a humming bird either! Since then it has been back twice. I am so excited.

Comments (16)

  • 21 years ago

    BARBARA, last year I hung a red-blooming basket outside the french doors to our bedroom.My daughter, who will be 38 this Thursday,was resting on the bed(she was VERY pregnant at the time) She was so excited she could scarcely speak;she saw her FIRST hummer,about 2 feet away!!!

  • 21 years ago

    I have not seen a hummingbird since spring. I have all sorts of goodies they love, and not one!

    Please send hummingbird, lol

    GGG

  • 21 years ago

    GGG my hummingbirds disappearred for a while as well and about 1-2 weeks ago I started seeeing a female again at my feeder regularly. I have also started to see a few more butterflies as well, although I still haven't seen near the amount of either as last year.

    bmmalone, I have a feeder on my upper porch off the kitchen-- just wait till you are sitting there and they start zooming over your head to fight off the intruders who are investigating "their feeder" they are so loud it is a little startling. They are so fun to watch-- and beautiful. Last year it was common for us to be eating out back and have them flying in from two directions tryig, one trying to beat the other to the feeder and steal a drink prior to getting chased off. My cat likes to sit by the back door and watch them from the window.

  • 21 years ago

    My Hummers always appear late in the season but,I just saw my first one last week and the feeder has been out for months. This is by far the latest I have had a first appearance. I'll bet I have gone through 10 lbs of sugar changing that stuff every week or so. Guess they all have their own habits!

    Most of my flowers lean towards the red- orange spectrum which I thought would attract more, but I seem to get the same ones and/or their offspring each year. Makes me think fall will be extremely mild this year if they stick around as long as they usually do. I can water in the morning and stand beside the feeder and they will come to it with me just 2 feet away.

    I have noticeed the Ruby Throated Hummers always seem to be here for the Sourwood blooms in early fall.

  • 21 years ago

    I usually see most of our hummers once the summer cools off and into the fall. Even if I have the food out all summer long.

    One time I was sitting on the patio reading the paper and I heard one real close so I put down the paper a little bit and it was right on the other side of the paper. It freaked me out a bit and when I put the paper down I noticed the AD on the back of the paper was bright red in some areas. That must of been the attraction.

    Cath

  • 21 years ago

    I saw my first hummer last week on the roof-deck. It was feeding off of an annual that I bought this year - don't know the name. But it has bright red tubular flowers kind of like a pinapple sage bloom. It's crazy though - we went to Arizona last year and they are all over the place!

  • 21 years ago

    I put my feeder out @ the beginning of May and on June 2( I remember the date because it was my daughter's B-Day) I saw the first one. Since then I hadn't seen one until Thursday afternoon. On that day all of a sudden there were at least three, I think four. A male, female and 2 juveniles. The male has decided that the feeders are his and protects them religiously. The others have to sneak little drinks while he is chasing the rest.
    I can't believe that I never put out the feeders before this year. It has been a long wait and I wish I had a dollar for the number of times I changed the nectar that hadn't been touched, but now that they are here it is all worth it.
    If you haven't seen them don't give up. They will come and when they do....WOW!
    Bob

  • 21 years ago

    I have seen them jeting around for the past month in Stone Mtn, yesterday when I opened the garage door, one flew in and tried to feed off the drive release handle of the grage door opener. Got to keep the ants away from the feeder.

  • 21 years ago

    My DH saw one today in our patio.....I missed it!!

  • 21 years ago

    i have had a couple more over the past couple of days. I think I may put another feeder out there. I keep looking out of the window and when I least expect it a hummingbird is at the feeder again!

  • 21 years ago

    Funny story about hummers. We could not figure out what scared our Chocolate lab over the week end. He was on the leash on the back deck. My HD was back there with him and Luke (the lab) was going crazy. He was scared to death. HD let him off the leash and he ran in the house so fast. I couldn't figure out what was going on. HD said " something scared him and I have no idea what." For 3 days we had to go out with him to get him to go potty. (this is a 90lb. lab.) I just figured it out this morning. He was standing at the back door, looking out barking like crazy this morning when I was getting ready for work. I went to see what was going on and there was a hummer flying around the plant beside the door. Luke has a red collar and I bet that hummer got a little too close. I can't wait to tell my HD when we get home today, that I figured it out. Poor Lukie, is scared to death.

  • 21 years ago

    I don't live in Georgia but in Virginia. I'm just over here visiting the Georgia forum.

    I have two feeders and the Hummingbirds just flock to them. I was on my deck in the Spring and had just had my nails done (red color). The Hummingbird flew right at my hand and startled me so I jumped and screamed and of course scared him away. It took me a few second to compose myself and realize he was just seeing my red nails. If I had just stood still he may have landed on my finger. Of course, I've tried that since then and I can stand out by the Hummingbird feeder for 45 minutes and not see even one. Same with my camera. If I don't have it with me they will sit on the feeders and eat forever but just let me get my camera and go outside and I dont' even see a bumble bee.

    Ann

  • 21 years ago

    Hello to all...new to the forum...but had to quit lurkin' and say hello...and join in on the hummingbird subject! I just love them. I have been feeding them for the past few years and this year I have more than ever. My neighbors have taken up the habit too, so I think they have discovered a great little hideaway in this area!! As I work from home on the computer, I watch them on a small feeder suctioned to my window. They keep me going through long days of work!!! They each have their own personality and markings. Lots of young males with the beginning of their ruby throats. A couple of adult males who are just gorgeous with full red bands and of course quite a few females who fight just as furiously as the males to protect their nectar!! :-) I just love them...Can ya' tell??

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:830831}}

  • 21 years ago

    Humming Birds are attracted to other colors other than red. They like the trumpet shape blooms.
    I keep a window box of Purple Torenias under the HB feeder and Humming bird vines on the fence.You will find them working on the lilac blooms of the Butterfly Bushes. They need the nectar for food and the sugar water for quick energy. They have memories of where the feeders are and will come back to that location every year. They are also as curious about you as we are about them. They will hover over and around us and check us out. They seem to show no fear. They think they are giants. If they were any larger it would not be safe to go out in the yards in the summer.
    Gagranny.

  • 21 years ago

    Until recently, I guess I've seen no more than half a dozen hummingbirds in all my 52 years.
    Earlier this week (September 6th) some friends in Atlanta invited me over for dinner. Before we sat down, my friend said, "Let's go out on the porch and I'll show you something." His porch is very narrow... no more than four feet deep. We each sat in a rocker, directly beneath a hummingbird feeder. The air was ABSOLUTELY FILLED with hummingbirds. I was awestruck. Our talking didn't seem to bother them a bit. They would hover, then dart in for a drink. There was the occasional squabble. I'd never heard hummingbirds squeak and twitter before.
    The next day, I went out and bought a feeder like his. I hung it near the house and as I was watering my hydrangeas with a hose, an irridescent green hummingbird hovered just outside the wide stream of water. I have no doubt he was getting a drink. I've seen a few hummers on my feeder, but NOTHING like the bird-fest at my friend's. What an unexpected treat.
    Hyperboy

  • 21 years ago

    You know I have always wondered why some people get so many at their feeders. Mine our so protected by the one that claims it that they don't let any others near it. It is amusing to watch them try and sneak in and then get chased off. I have seen several different hummingbirds, but they certainly don't share the same feeder. My brother and his wife have several feeders right next to each other and there are always at least 4 hummingbirds and sometimes as many as 8 at one time.

    Today I was watering and one came right next to me, didn't seem to be bothered by me at all. they always come to the feeder when I am sitting nearby but that was the closest one has come in the garden before.

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