CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Where you are, there's a good possibility that it is a Ruby Throat, although some others like Rufous may overlap over into Kansas.

Since the migration is about to happen or is already underway, I've been running around trying to think of something to use as a "beacon" for any coming down from up north through here and I finally found one of those canvas and vinyl "lunchbags" that I bought at the Dollar Store awhile ago but never used, that is red. Well I hung it up on a small shepherd's hook not far from my feeder and wouldn't you know it, my (or maybe a different one because this one looked smaller) hummer came buzzing over investigating the thing and then suddenly perched on the single ball feeder that has been ignored all summer, and then zoomed to the regular feeder, took a few sips and flew off. It was a riot watching the little one checking out the bag though! LOL

Oh gosh - soon as I posted, the little one came back, checked out the bag again, perched on the little ball feeder, zoomed over to the regular feeder and took some long sips, and then when I decided to go step aside to get a closer pic, she disappeared over towards my balcony wall across from the feeder. And when I looked closer, she was nectaring on the Agastache 'Tutii Fruiti' that is putting out some new blooms!! WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!! First time I saw her on that!! And I was able to watch her for a decent amount of time while I fumbled with the camera. Then she finally noticed me, flew over towards the feeder again while hitting a lone reblooming flower on the "Red Prince" weigela, and then hovered up in the air just on the other side of the balcony rail while staring at me and apparently thinking -

"What the heck is that thing standing there bothering me????"

Then she zoomed around from side to side, stopped and hovered way up above me looking down towards me while I stood there in shock, and finally flew off. LOL

Yeah baby... that lunch bag is a godsend! It's staying out there!

I even have "Scarlet O'Hara" morning glory volunteers that found the feeder hook to wind around and those should be blooming soon.

Jenny, that bag IS a riot! I will confess I've never seen THAT before!

Hee hee. It worked though! And now she's been coming back a bit more regularly today and when I was downloading some pics off the camera, she came zooming over to my balcony door to see where I was! I was trying to get the stupid camera off the dock in the middle of the download while she was fluttering at the closed sliding glass door and just wasn't fast enough. In fact, while typing this message, she was back again and I just can't get myself and the camera together. lol

Congrats to both of ya'll!

Keep posting photos!!! We all love to look at hummie photos!!!

I am blessed to have a few hummies stick around all year long and I never cease to be enthralled by them :o) I really love the migration season...lots of hummies squeaking and chirping and zipping and chasing!!!

As you can tell by the photos I've posted on this forum and all the hummie feeders I continue to make - I do my best to make sure their visits to my yard makes them happy!!!

~ Cat

Congratulations Luna,
Your the first Bag Lady I know that likes Hummingbirds, I can feel your excitement.

Thanks, Thanks and Thanks!!

Alan, Jenny is the bag lady, and an ingenious one at that!

Sorry Luna,
Jennie the Bag Lady is back in town,but I still suspect your a very close second:)

You guys are too funny! Sarah

Heh heh. :-D

Let's hope some migrators see it!

OH WOW!!!! I have a lunch bag just like that that my stepdaughter takes her snacks in when she goes to gymnastics. Maybe I will hang it out there in betweeen classes or just get a new one for the hummies!

Penny

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Penny - about 15 minutes ago, my little lady (or maybe it's another) was buzzing around the bag again, checking it out. I keep wondering if I'm getting more than one because I am seeing two very distinct behaviors from whoever comes to visit me - one time the hummer gets spooked if I'm out there or I approach the window when inside and will fly off the feeder pretty quickly.... And another time the hummer is very inquisitive and will check things out, coming up to my window or sliding glass door to hover and look in, as well as taking the time to investigate some of the other plants on the balcony. I'm really trying to pay attention more now because I do want more than one to imprint on my very unusual location and come back next year!

Congratulations to you both. Amazing what a "hummingbird addict" will do to attract one of the little darlings.

Thanks mimidi, and No Kidding! I took my lawn chair out this morning and sat in my front yard on the drive until I saw my hummer. It's becoming a lifestyle, like those people who sit in lawn chairs in their garages pretending it's a covered patio while they watch the world go by.

That's very cool, Jenny that you have TWO visitors! I guess that red bag is really working! (And may I say that I AGREE AND SUPPORT YOUR DISCLAIMER 100%.)

After I grabbed the binoculars, I realized my he is a SHE. Now tell me please...what are the chances they will be back next year?

Claire - I am hoping I do but it is hard to tell because so far, all I can make out visiting me is a female, although I swear I am seeing a small one and what appears to be a larger one but never at the same time. So I can't confirm whether it's just the same one and my eyes are playing tricks (not out of the question...lol) or there are actually two...

A supposed good way to tell male from female, particularly if there are juvie males around who haven't developed their red gorgets yet, is to look at the tail feathers. The females will have white-tipped tails and the males supposedly don't and I noticed that the females will readily spread those tail feathers into a fan where you can easily see the white at the bottom.

Oh and if your hummy makes it through the migration, she'll be back. Obviously mine came back 'cause she came right to the same spot that I saw her last August nectaring on my weigela and so that's where I ended up putting my feeder this year!

Jenny, I'll just keep my fingers crossed for you and assume the best. How could they not love the red bag with flowers too?

Yes, there are white tipped tail feathers. Any chances she'll be back to nest next year? I had one all summer a couple years ago...

OH GOSH!!!!!!!!!!

I think there ARE two!!! The past hour, I've been seeing feeder activity now about every 10 - 20 minutes and in the past 1/2 hour, it's been going about every 10 minutes... So I got up to try to take a pic and I suddenly saw what appeared to be 2 - one dive-bombing the other at some ridiculous amount of miles per hour. Sometimes I see a bee-hummer chase but what I just saw appeared to be 2 streamlined, similar sized whirs go flying past!!!!! WOW!

Yeah baby! That BAG is doing it's job!!!!

Claire - we've been posting at the same time but I think your hummer will be back, assuming she makes it through migration. I also think that once any of them find your spot, they'll come back 'cause they know there's a good source of food and love! :-D

Congrats, Jenny and Claire!!! Jenny..the males are alot more skittish and shy than the females. They are also usually the ones guarding the feeders and flowers (at least until they migrate). My females will get within 2 or 3 feet of me to feed and are the ones that do the "buzzing".

I am so glad that you guys are having great visits. It's amazing how addictive they are. Linda

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It's funny that you mention "guarding"... I decided to sit by the window for a bit to watch what is going on out there and I just saw a hummer whiz by. I looked for it and it was perched on a branch from one of my blueberry bushes that is about 6ft from the feeder. It didn't go to the feeder or anything. It was just sitting. Then it flew off. It was as if it came zooming up here to "check" the feeder in case someone else was on it and then head on back down to the ground to whereever it goes when it's not up here. LOL

Jenny and Clare you have at least ten right now and I bet that you will see some next spring!! Sarah

I hope you're right Sarah! Here's a zoom from the sofa through the window of one that I call the "bigger" one:

Maybe 'cause she is so skinny. LOL

Sarah, please 'splain about having 10 birds right now. (I just have basic hummingbird instruction, and little else.) Do you mean between Jenny and I? Does that mean the one little female I've been seeing may be part of a flock? Or did I really see a male when I thought I did?

i'm confused, but am willing to believe you!

You ladies are having too much fun. Keep up the good work!