Mine were a bit late, too. The first ones were spotted around here weeks ago, but my first male just showed up last Saturday. It's been cooler this year than usual, so I'm ALMOST glad they are later!

Well I guess I am just being jelous- a girlfriend of mine went out and bought her fist feeder two days ago in the suburbs and she's got here- huuuummmmmmmpppppppfffftht
(This is me being a brat) ::P
I want my birds....... wee wee wee all the way home.

MAN I am being a BRAT today.......

Irisheyes..it's OK to be a brat...we're all like that about the birds we love...I think of my backyard birds, nesters and yes hummers, as MINE!!!! And when they don't show up when I want them, well..I get pretty bratty myself!!!

I had the nerve to be mad at my chickadees when they decided to nest somewhere other than MY yard!!LOL

Your hummers will come!

Donna

Same here in NC for me. According to the map, they've been here for a month. But nothing for me. The ironic thing is I had never had an interest in them. Then, last year, dh suggested getting a feeder. So I bought 1 little feeder, and within a couple of days, we had our first one. I had also planted some petunias in some flower boxes on my back deck simply b/c I can't kill them =) and they loved them. By the end of the season, I had flowers everywhere and 3 feeders. I literally could sit on my porch swing any time of day and see at least 5 feeding at one time. Estimated we had about 12 in all. I became fascinated with these creatures who at times would feed almost beside my head. They didn't appear afraid at all. So this year I had my feeders and flowers up early all excited and NOTHING. I'm so sad =(. Still hoping and waiting though.

Remember all, the first birds of the season are few and far between. They tend to be males who are beelining it north to stake out the best breeding grounds.

Hummingbirds migrate individually, not all at once like some birds do.

It's mom nature's way of not putting all of her eggs in one basket. The guys heading north now may stake out the best breeding grounds and father more babies OR they could get frozen out in a late spring storm. In that case the ones that are playing it safe and heading north later win out and get the good breeding grounds and more babies. Other years they may find all of their dance partners taken by the time they get where they're going.

Where I'm at I sometimes will spot one mid-April, often I hear othgers nearby have seen them in mid-april, but I won't see one until May. Or the ones we see early are only there for a day or two before heading on, and we don't get our regular "summer long" visitors until May or even June.

It's kind of odd, but I've noticed a similar deal here in Iowa - the hummers seem to be sighted along the Mississippi river MUCH further north before we ever see one here. Maybe there's routes they take first and the others fill out the "in between" later. Has any one else noticed this?

Imagine a marathon running by your house - you're on a part of the route without crowds. The very first runner may be hours ahead of the main bunch and easy to miss unless you are looking out the window at exactly the right moment. The main bunch fill the road for hours and are impossible not to notice. Hummer migration is kind of like that - it's easy to miss the first few birds.

I always put out my feeder early, so I know if a hungry bird stops by he'll have food. If I see an early hummer that's a bonus - I'm happy knowing I'm doing what I can to help them whether or not they come to the feeder just when I happen to look at it.

I completely understand your impatience to see your birds, we all share that right now. I just don't want you to stress or be depressed because they're still on your way to you.

If you've had dozens you must have good habitat and food for them - they won't forget that. I do hope you'll let us know when they do show up - jot down the date on the calender so you can compare from year to year.

Yes I see they are up in Canada....but I'am getting worried too.but I do this every year. I'am in Michigan and there have been dots on the migration map around me..my feeders are out and I keep looking out the window and I think soon.....soon!!!!

Lucy GreenThumb- It's very sweet of you- but I am STILL AWAITING!!!!!!!!

Let's remind you , I have the patience of a three year old that needs a nap- what a brat I am......

Nah I understand the locistics of it all- I just get worried.........I have had the feeders up for well over a month and a half- sometimes we've seen them here toward April 10th - So I tend to put them up at least two weeks in advance .........It woulod be SO UNIRISH to have visitors come along and not offer them some refreshments!
I have already purchased all of the petunias (20+) pots worth....some people think I am nutty for buying them so early, but I take them into the cellar or garage if the cold threatens them.......

well I will sits and i will waits..........
and sit and wait......
and wait and sit ~~sigh~~

I usually see my first hummer when my lavender azaleas bloom. Which is usually late March/early April. This year, everything is behind and the azaleas are just now in bud; however, I did see my first hummer of the season this weekend so I got a feeder out, but I haven't seen any use the feeder yet.

Hi Irish Eyes,
I share your impatience!!! We have hard frosts forecast for our area tonight! Argh!!! I shouldn't complain they've had SNOW to the north!

I haven't seen the one i had so he's probably moved north as well - i hope he's missed the snow. Anyhow hang in there!

PS Having food out for visitors is definitely hard-wired into celts - I'm scotch/irish/german myself LOL!