Mimi,
I got my first visitor today, a male RT of course. I'm sitting in the garden enjoying watching him get his evening meal :) I'm sure you'll see one soon.

I saw my first male about the 19th of March, which is later than usual, then saw my first female yesterday, on the 24th, which is about the usual time to see my first female.

It's good to have them back!

Sherry

I have been AWOL but isn't it wonderful to see those first hummers of the season. I was outside working today an heard the little jewels buzzing around me. Music to my ears.

I got my first one yesterday, a male. He is coming back to my feeder regularly during the day. It made my day to see him outside of my office window. :-) And I'm in Central SC.

Congratulations on your first hummer of the season.

Good news, hummersteve!! My first arrived yesterday, Apr 2.

It would be so helpful when you report sightings if we had an idea of the stateor city, or even the zone you live in.

If I'm reading the map correctly, they've been seen in southern Missouri. What on earth are they eating this time of year?

I put out my feeders today. About two weeks early, but maybe there's a straggler out there. This is Zone 6 St Louis.

This year I'm planting Mondarda. Hope I need to buy more feeders, too!

Ugh. I've been checking the map every day and others have seen them in Tulsa, OK and the surrounding area but not me.
Meanwhile I just keep buying more Aquilegia canadensis 'Little Lanterns' (columbines) and Salvia coccinea (scarlet sage)! Laugh.
Guess I'll just have to wait until July to finally start seeing them again.

-Robert

Robert, I'm crossing my fingers for both of us.

They're well north of St Louis now, but I still haven't seen one. Feeders out, tho, and they could be there without me happening on them.

I have a wall of red honeysuckle that will be blooming very soon (buds already). Dont see how they could stay away from that.

Thanks, Mehitabel!

My partner just texted saying there's a hummer on the red honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)!!!
Of course I'm at work but I'm hoping to spot one this evening!
We had a cold start this morning (it was 32).
I wonder if the little guys just go into torpor to survive such temps?
I'm also highly curious if there are any ways to try and convince the spring migrants to stick around but I suppose their drive to go north is stronger than any amount of flowers or feeders we can provide them. :)

-Robert

This post was edited by robert1971 on Tue, Apr 15, 14 at 17:06

That's wonderful, Robert! I'm going to expect one as soon as my honeysuckle blooms.

I expect some of the migrants stay if for nothing else than to fatten up for the next leg. There's probably more of them out there than we ever see unless we watch full time.

Yes, the books say they go into torpor to survive cold nights.

Thanks! The books say that the ones we think are 'resident' hummers come July (for me at least) are actually just passing through as well. Sigh.
At least we get to experience them for a little while!
It's been a super windy day so I had to take down all the Salvia coccineas I had on the back deck railing I used for lure this morning. Laugh.

Hope you see some soon!

-Robert

Robert, I see from another thread that you like planting seeds. Just wanted to say the Aquilegia seeds itself. Last year I cut off the seed stalks and just put them on a batch of bare ground (thin layer of mulch), and left it there. This year there's at least a dozen tiny little seedlings there and another dozen near the mother plants.

There were zillions near the mother plant last summer, but a dozen is pretty good given the winter, and godzilla edging grass and leaf raking.

The columbines also get better every year. You will love them. Mine have buds right now. Bloom for about a month in May. Will rebloom if you cut them back after blooming.