Hi Everyone!

I'm as excited as anyone else here to see the first 2006 hummer. It could be any second (albeit tomorrow 5/4 and our average see date is 5/5 to 5/9). They're calling for possible 80 degrees with SW winds.

It almost sounds like a go for them to show up at someones' feeder's.

Let us all know, please.

Jim

Jim,
I am still impatiently waiting here in Niagara County. They are all around me but I haven't spotted nor heard the first one and I have been outside (in my red T-shirt) for the past five days planting things for them. I already have 14 salvias in the ground, the bleeding hearts are blooming along with my fushcias and I bought another azalea yeaterday. I also have 3 feeders up so that they can spot them easily from any angle they fly in at.

Penny

I never thought that the chickadees might drink from it. I think I will try making one for water...I just love watching them and even got one to eat from my hand this past winter.

Chicadees are very used to people and if they are used to you feeding them they will fly over to you whenever they see you. We took a trip out to one of the nature preserves recently with the brownies and the black capped chicadees followed us all over the preserve and would fly to a shoulder or outstreached hand at every opportunity. They usually fuss at me in mid morning if I go outside without my bag of seed until i go back and put fresh seed out for them.

Penny

I had a visitor (north of Rome)!!!!!!!!! a very happy [and hungry] little fellow. He also sat on the tree branch above me and preened himself! I've never seen one do THAT before, but on this particular tree the limbs don't have any growth yet, so he was highly visible. :o)

Our first hummer showed up this morning here in Sugarbush. That is half way between Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake. I'm surprised that we have them considering the leaves are just starting to open here.

Well Penny where's are Hummers??

Wayne,
I am getting very frustrated to say the least. They are completely all around us. I was wondering if you had one yet as I haven't seen nor heard the first one. Two of my fuchsias have been outside all week, I have six blooming salvias planted out until my own take off and start blooming, I have a basket of wine red trailing verbena hanging in the middle of the yard. I have wrapped a shepherds hookd with the verbena and a feeder with red rope and still nothing. I know it is actually a little early still but with everyone else around the country reporting early returns I was hoping for the same. They have already reached Nova Scotia but not NT!

Penny

Hooray, Horace the Hummingbird showed up in Huntersland yesterday. (Schoharie County)

Here in the Utica area I had my first sighting Thursday (the 4th). I heard the hummer at my window feeder, but when I turned around it took off so fast I was barely able assure myself it really was a hummer. I haven't seen it since then, but I haven't been able to spend much time watching either. I put my second feeder up as soon as I saw the hummer.

Still waiting in N. Tonawanda!

Penny

Greetings!

We had our first hummer sighting today in West Sand Lake, Rensselaer County, NY.

How exciting! It came to 2 different feeders and stayed for a long time!

Jean

There is a dot on the map for N. Tonawanda but it isn't mine. I have yet to see any hummers in or around my house.

Penny

Hmmmm...not from me either!

We saw our first one last night around 6:00. Flew in twice. I was afraid they wouldn't come back.
Last year they seemed to be most active around 7 p.m.

Wayne,
Looks like we may be the last two who have yet to see a hummers this spring. I am really depressed now.

Penny

we had our hummingbirds arrive back on may 4th!! we put up our feeder and enjoy their visits everyday!

I finally saw our first hummer yesterday May 10th at about 5:25pm....It was a female and she was on the apple tree blossoms in the neighbors yard and then came to our feeder and fed for several long seconds. I am so excited!!!! Only saw her that one time. I guess I will put up the other two feeders now that they are definately in the area.

Adina,
I saw my first (male) yesterday May 10 at 6:04 pm. I saw him again at the same feeder about 7:30. All is well now and spring really has arrived.

Penny

OMG! penny1947, I can't believe you didn't post about it at 6:05pm yesterday! lol. Congratulations that they are back. :)

I bought two new feeders this year, and, based upon the info at an on-line site about hummingbirds, one has perches. I've never used a hummingbird feeder with perches before, and they love it! and *I* love it! it allows them to get comfy and stay for longer periods at the feeder, and gives me the time to see what they really look like. I had always just assumed that they preferred to hover while feeding.

I actually did post on another thread that jim started when he got his first. I now also have a female also. Just saw her at one of the feeders up close to the house. I just went and bought an abutilon for them...yes another plant I will have to overwinter inside. This one I am going to train as a standard.

Penny

First one showed up here today in my Northern Adirondack garden. I saw the poor thing head over to the house and look around where my former neighbor used to keep a hummingbird feeder in the window. Hope it finds dinner. Not too much in bloom yet, tulips, dandelion and the hobblebush down by the creek.

Wayne

Well I guess I'm really the only one without Hummers now! I guess they don't like me!...Wayne

Adirondacks Wayne do you have a feeder hanging where he or she can find it? My two little ones would be up a creek here without my feeders as there isn't much in bloom here either except for my 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt' fuchsias and the irises and native columbine that just started blooming this week. I have one small azalea in bloom and one just about to pop.

Magicman Wayne,
Remmeber you have that huge red buckeye behind you at the neighbor's house. You probably won't see one until it is done blooming. That tree is a major nectar source for hummers in the northeast this time of year. You also have that huge lilac tree in your yard which is another natural source of nectar for them. The buckeye is so big and has so many flower pannicles they may not come out of that tree until the last bloom falls to the ground. You will need to add more hummer plants to your own garden space. You have some very nice plants but not many that will provide a good source of nectar for hummers. I know you already have a trumpet vine but they don't bloom until later in the summer. A great perennial vine for all season long blooms is a coral honeysuckle and it isn't invasive like the trumpet vine. Mine is getting close to blooming now. It would have already been starting to bloom if I hadn't cut it back so much last summer. If I can attact them where I am then you shouldn't have a problem either. Hang in there.

Penny

No feeder. The tenent in the apartment just moved out taking her feeder with her. Poor hummer was back again today and was obviously looking for it. It kept buzzing the window where it used to be and nothing is in bloom there. The bird seems to have a good memory.

I'm making a homemade feeder out of a small soy sauce bottle and a red plastic cap from a peanut butter jar and put it over where it's been looking for food.

(Adirondacks) Wayne

Penny it is fuuny that you mention about having Nectar plants. Today I bought a 6 pack of Salvia (red Bonfire) annuals! Also I bought "Red Nicotiana Alata" I hope they'll help.

I found this list online today and also noticed I have at least 9 of the 24 on the list. Most aren't in bloom yet!

Hummingbird plants available at nurseries

Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)
Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spp.)
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Century Plant (Agave americana)
Columbine (Aquilegia spp.)
Coral-Bells (Heuchera sanguinea)
Dames Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Delphinium (Delphineum spp.)
Fire Pink (Silene virginica)
Foxglove (Digitalis spp.)
Fuschia (Fuschia spp.)
Gilias (Gilia spp.)
Hollyhocks (Althea spp.)
Impatiens (Impatiens spp.)
Lily (Lilium spp.)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum spp.)
Paintbrush (Castilleja spp.)
Penstemon (Penstemon spp.)
Phlox (Phlox spp.)
Red-Hot Poker (Kniphofia uvaria)
Salvia (Salvia spp.)
Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)
Yucca (Yucca spp

I still say those hummers don't like me!

(Magicman) Wayne

(Adirondacks) Wayne
get that little feeder up right away before you lose her. Use a 3 part water to 1 part sugar mixture and no red food coloring or dye of any sort. They instinctively go back to where feeders have always been just as they return to the same area year after year where they began life.

(Magicman) Wayne
Here is a little more info on some of the plants you listed. I only commented on the ones that I have personally grown

Bee Balm (Monarda spp.) they will use most bee balms a little but will go nuts over the Monarda 'Jacob's Cline' and use it exclusively when it is blooming

Blazing Star (Liatris spp.) They will use it some but butterflies will use it more

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spp.) Not a big magnet but will use it some in very early spring if nothing else is around

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) blooms later in the summer but they love it

Century Plant (Agave americana) Usually takes a few years to bloom depending on the size of the plant. It also needs a dryer area to really do well.

Columbine (Aquilegia spp.) Native Eastern Columbine is the one to get (Aquilegia Canadensis)

Coral-Bells (Heuchera sanguinea) Early to mid spring blooms part shade and moist soil

Dames Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) Butterfly plant. Hummers don't use it much at all. Very invasive but it smells nice.

Fuschia (Fuschia spp.) You want the upright fuchsia -Fuchsia Gartenmeister Bonsted. That is what i have growing in my mini greenhouse. They like shade, no wind and lots of water. I have one for you if you want it.

Hollyhocks (Althea spp.) My hummers don't care that much for the hollyhocks but the bees love them.

Impatiens (Impatiens spp.) That is what you called a weed at the back of my garden LOL! The botanical name is Impatiens capensis common name is JEWELWEED

Lily (Lilium spp.) The best one is the Lilium Canadensis or Canada Lily

Penstemon (Penstemon spp.) These like dry well drained rocky soil The one commonly found here is Beardstongue 'Husker Red'

Phlox (Phlox spp.) Tall garden phlox will spread

Salvia (Salvia spp.) The one I gave you is the ancent relative of the Salvia coccinea which is the common species. There are over 900 salvia species and probably that many cultivars. The Salvia 'Bonfire' you bought is actually Salvia splendens and is a hybrid. It is a beautiful color but the splendens don't contain much nectar. You are better off getting Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red'. Walmart has Lady in Red (3 plants in a qt. pot for $1.97) If you are unsure about a particular salvia ask. I have grown more salvias than I can possibly list and I can tell you which ones are more attractive to hummers. BTW hummer salvias are hard to find up here. Common ones around here are BLUE BEDDER, MAY NIGHT, BLUE QUEEN, ROSE QUEEN AND LYRATA. None of these are really good hummer salvias but the bees love them.

Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) That is the ones that in my west facing bed and out in front of my trees. Butterflies used them more than the hummers.

Yucca (Yucca spp) There are many differnt Yucca species and may take several years to bloom depending on the size of the plant. I am growing False Red Yuccas which are actually members of the lily family but will have red flower spikes in about 4 or 5 years hopefully.

Now if you want to get some really good advice with planting a hummer garden check out this group of hummingbird fanatics and gardeners

Penny

penny1947, I have always read that a 4 parts water to 1 part sugar is the correct ratio for hummingbird nectar (it is closer to the sugar content of flowers which is around 22%). I also read recently (at http://www.hummingbirds.net) that a 3:1 or stronger ratio *may* actually cause liver damage in hummingbirds!

I am thrilled to hear that Canada Lily is a hummingbird favorite! A friend has some and I've been trying to get a division for YEARS! -- it was only last summer that I finally ID'd the actual lily. She claims that she will give me a division this year, so we shall see.... :)

Feeder is now up in the same place as in the past. Hopefully the poor hummer will give it a third try tomorrow and find a ready meal.

Starting my research on sugar concentrations and there seems to be a wide range of opinions. The Syracuse researchers in the article linked to below seem to believe that a rich 1:1 mix for a couple of weeks may benefit the new arrivals, gradually diluting the mix to perhaps 1:4.

The article sort of implies you can steal hummers away from your neighbor's feeder by increasing the amount of sugar!

Thanks for the info. Learning something new every day.

(Adirondacks) Wayne

(Adirondacks) Wayne
Good for you! You are a good hummer caretaker LOL! She will probably see your little feeder and come back. Now you are doomed to care for her until someone else moves in then you will have to instruct them on the care of hummingbirds.

Party music50
A 3:1 ratio is perfectly safe for hummers in fact a lot of the licensed banders use the 3:1 ratio both in the banding nets and in their own garden feeders. I use the 3:1 ratio during migration in the spring and again in the fall as those are the times when there are very few natural nectar sources available to feed them and they have to use more energy in order to stay warm. Then as it warms up and my hummer plants come into bloom, I drop back to the 4:1 ratio. The percentage of the concentration in plant nectar actually varies quite a bit from plant species to plant species. Some plants such as Abutilon will have a very high concentration of nectar while others are quite low and many more are in the mid rainge (4:1). Hummers will instintively go for the higher concentration if it is available.

The 4:1 ratio was initially used because it was a good average between the various plant species.

Penny

No hummers for me : (
I hung the feeder right off the lilac tree and next to the garden which is smack dab in the middle of the back yard. I don't know how much more obvious I could make it. Guess I may have to stick with my blue jays.

Julie
Hang in there. The birds are probably staying close to very dense shelter right now with all the rain we are getting and where there are natural food sources. Once the rain stops and the temps warm up we may be seeing more activity. I usually don't see much activity this early in the season. In fact in past years it was closer to Memorial week end or later before I would see the first hummer.

Penny

Still waiting! But can't say i've been in the garden enough to notice. Hopefully we get some warmer weather again so I can get out and notice the little buggers.

Penny,
I get home tonight, after working way too hard today, and my husband says to me while I'm eating, "Oh by the way, there were 3 hummers here today. One had the red." I'm like, "What? Could you repeat that?" And of course he did say what I thought he said. I've never seen the hummers at my house, and he sees three!!! And one came in close to him, so he did get a good look too! I could just scream! lol.
Remy

Congratulations Remy! That is awsome. The one with the red throat is a mature male. Sometimes they are few and far between. Hope you have a feeder out to supplement the flowers and ti keep them until everything in the garden kicks into high gear. Your yard would be a perfect nesting place for them.

Penny

Penny,
I did see one yesterday! I think the big Weigela and maybe the Wisteria that just finished blooming drew them in to the yard.
Well my husband excited over getting hummingbirds told me I had to get a feeder, lol. So I picked one up at Target today. It is a cheap plastic one but the ant trap is already part of it. I would of never known about that if not for this thread.
Remy

I got one finally, was in the yard enough this weekend to see him or her, and Remy like you, husband was sitting and just casually said oh look there's a hummingbird lol damn men.

damn men!!! I take offence to that!...not really but. I have three humming bird feeders ,plenty of flowers, and a big red buckeye tree...and still no hummers. If I did I would casually.... be doing cartwheels!

Ok here is what I think!! I have a downstairs neighbor with a big Dog...he's a chow..he chases squirrels and kills bees in mid air! I think they might be scared of him. Also I have 2 regular bird feeders and 3 finch feeders...all these birds might be scaring them away too!

I might try tossin some feeders and shooting the downstairs dog.... cause I really want some Hummerz!...Wayne

I wouldn't be too concerned about the other birds Wayne. I have Cardinals, Blue Jays, a Downy Woodpecker, oodles of robins, goldfinces, etc. etc. and the hummers aren't the least bit concerned about the other birds. I have had a chicadee fly over to the bird bath in conjunction to a hummer flying over to the feeder abouve the bird bath.

Now the chow is a different story. I think I would send him to live somewhere else for the summer. My hummers aren't too concerned with my black lab as long as he is laying down quietly LOL!

Husky and Remy,

Congrats to you both! Mine are a little obscure right now I think my females are in nesting mode as I only see them at dawn, once or twice during the day and again just before sunset.

Penny

Hi Penny and All you Hummer Lovers.

Have you experienced the same slowness that I and a few of my friends have been having? So slow I took one of my feeders down and putting in a couple of ounces in 2 others rather than wasting.

I have 2 males coming in the morning and late evening. I rarely see them during the day. That's not exactly true as I haven't seen them at the feeder during the day at all. Even on the 80 degree days.

There is one solitary lone and very skittish female who hasn't as of yet perched at the feeder.

1 Male must be a regular as he's as comfortable as can be when I'm the deck. The other Male (which of course is difficult for me to tell apart) scoots every-time he sees me at the side-door or kitchen window.

When he sees me on the deck in the evening he comes looks at me and the feeder then flies away.

Last year I had a minimum of at least 7 or more and I'm sure that some of the regulars from last year or before haven't returned.

My one friend who is an avid Hummer watcher and caretaker says he thinks Katrina and the aftermath may have had an tremendous effect on the overall northerly population.

Penny what's your feedback on that? Are you questioning some of the activity too? Have you had the same reaction from other watcher's?

Jim

Jim,
They are in nest building or nesting mode depending on how lowg they have been there. When the females start nesting they go for much longer periods of time before feeding and when they do come to the feeders it is very quick and then straight back to the nest. This will continue until the eggs hatch and she can leave them a little more often. I keep my feeders up but only use 3 to 4 ounces of nectar to a feeder. Today I was gone to our area plant swap and they must have been a little more active this afternoon now that the weather has turned nice again as the nectar level in all the feeders is noticably a bit lower.

Penny

Saw my first hummingbird at my solomon seal plant. Just another plant to consider. They love my hosta and the wild jewelweed too, but the red monarda always brings them back.
Think she must be pregnant. She's a fat little girl.

Congratulations Aurore! Maybe you will have juvies later in the summer!

Penny

Whoo Hoo! Finally its about time.....Saw my first hummer in my yard! I hope I get about ten more! Thanks for all the tips everyone!...Wayne

I saw the first one in my front yard!!!! It was feeding on the calibrachoa in a hanging basket. I've moved my feeder to the front but I haven't seen another hummer since. It was only there for a split second but it was so exciting. First one in 3 years!!!

hang in their Julie. If she found you once she will find you again. Do you have any Gartenmeister Bonstedt Fuchsias? They really do go for those. It is the single flowered fuchsia with flowers that look very similar in shape and color to coral honeysuckle.

Penny

I don't have any fuschia this year, it did poorly last year. DH saw her again. He casually says "the hummingbird was just here but you missed it". Ugh!

Penny, my hummer is visiting everyday, a very little guy but Im a happy camper...stayed for quite awhile last nite just perched on the feeder.

Hello everyone! I caught my first Hummer on video..Shes a keeper! Her name is Faith!
Click here to watch it.

I saw my first hummer yesterday- a male. He was at my nepeta walker's low. I haven't seen many at the house, so this was a treat.

Tracy