Maybe hurstdebbie is in a region far west of New England, where other species of hummingbirds roam (not rubythroats).

I'm seeing very few hummers here in southeast MA, much fewer than in other years.

Claire

If I remember, it might also be around this time that I see the the females a lot less as they might be staying more near there nests. I looked at my old photos of when we had a nest and they were from mid to late July before the young ones left the nest.

Wow! You were lucky to have that opportunity. Lovely shots.

We have two, possibly three. At least Buddy and the Mrs. are regulars.

Jane

We put up feeders this year and something that I learned is that Hummingbirds are aggressive! Lol. We have this one that just sits in a tree and watches the feeder and then swoops down and scares off any other Hummer that comes along, sometimes it's like little fighter jets fighting. I think the one that wins the most has also started to try to scare me off as well. Lately when I'm sitting on my porch a few feet from the feeder or tending my plants right underneath it I hear one of them fly right by my face. I put up an extra feeder on the other side of the house so the beta hummers don't starve, but it's just kind of sad that they can't share!

I don't have any feeders (yet!) but today I had two sightings of a hummer on my bee balm. It was so exciting! I'll be getting some feeders now that I know they are definitely here...

Oh they've been here, since May at least. We have a red buckeye tree that blooms really early and that is when I first see them. I was checking this thread and the website this year and I pretty much saw them at my red buckeye as soon as they got to my area. I think if you plant one of these you are pretty much guaranteed to see them early. You should definitely get a feeder. They've been visiting our feeder since June I think, around the same time the buckeye finished blooming. I have my feeder hanging on a tall shepherds hook, right outside my deck. On a sunny day, even on a drizzly day like today, I see one at the feeder every 5 minutes or so.

I getting lots of hummingbird at my feeders. But nectar doesn't go down much so should I just up one feeder or just all 3 feeders? I know the are starting to head south and I Usually see them up September or October.

I would keep all 3 feeders up as long as you're seeing lots of hummingbirds. If there's only one feeder it will be hogged by a territorial male and the others won't have any nectar (besides what's available from the flowers).

Claire

I keep my feeders up until I am sure that the Hummers have left for warmer weather. I remember Vern Laux saying that during the nesting season the females will come for quick energy sips but they will concentrate more on bugs and insects for protein for feeding their babies. After the babies fledge, they will be back more often. Since hearing that I keep my feeders up until I know they have left. I try to keep my feeders fresh but I still do not get a lot of Hummers. I might have one female who visits on a regular basis but I have not had more than one at a time in a very long time. I have not seen a male since spring.

Man, I miss Vern Laux. I learned so much from him.

Sooey

Hi, Sooey! Vern Laux was a treasure - a very hard act to follow for WCAI.

I have two feeders up and a hummer just buzzed me on the deck a few minutes ago. I'm seeing both males and females.

Last year I had my last hummer stop by just before Halloween so I kept a feeder up until freezing weather. I'll do the same this year.

Claire

Thanks, Claire, that is a good time frame to keep in mind. I'm not sure why my feeders are not in more demand but they really never have been. My location must not be a hot spot. I am happy for the few Hummers that I do get. Hard to think of the fall and end of the season. I know that today is only the 11th of August and we have lots of time left but we have noticed that some of the leaves on our River Birch are starting to turn yellow. Yikes...

Sooey

I just noticed a hummer visiting the tiger lilies - it might be a juvenile male but it was too far away to be sure.

I got a close-up but just of its back.

Claire

I usually see a hummer once a season, toward the end when they are migrating South again. But this year, I've seen one single hummingbird at least a dozen times. I intentionally planted two Cuphea plants in pots, to attract them, and very surprised it did. I've planted various things at one point or another for that intention, but they just haven't had any visitors. Scarlet Runner Bean one season got some interest toward the end of the summer, but only a couple of times.

So, I wonder, why only ONE hummer? I would have thought they would be in pairs?

I will make more of an effort to attract them next year. I'm thinking there must be a garden nearby that they are visiting, because my garden certainly has not got enough to be helpful to them. And I don't have a feeder up.

PM2: Hummingbirds don't form pair bonds; they just mate and go on their way separately. The females build the nest and feed the babies while the males are off looking for more chances to mate.

About the only time you'll see more than one hummer is when they get territorial and one will chase another away from the feeder/food source. You may be seeing different hummers; just one at q time.

There's a lot of good information on hummingbirds.net - About Hummingbirds

Claire

Buddy is molting. He'll have a new suit by the time he leaves next month. I'll miss him - and the girls.

Jane

Thanks Claire, I really know nothing about Hummers, apparently. [g]. I do feel bad for a solitary hummer, flying around all on their own. But I guess that I'm misinterpreting. I imagine they are pretty independent.

Great photos, Jane!

Jane, is that his tongue in the first photo? Such fantastic pictures!

deanna - yes, that's his tongue. He's an excellent bug catcher.

I saw a lot of hummers last weekend up in orleans ma. I have not seen any since I been back home. The three feeders are and I been put fresh nectar in them. Is anyone else seeing a lot of hummers. I know there's a lot that still haven't migrated yet . Should I keep all three feeders up or leave one up.

I'm still seeing hummers here in Plymouth, MA, but not as often. I think some (or maybe all) of them are migrants - one of them spent a while investigating the feeder with a dome on it, flying up and down and checking it out as if the hummer had never seen this feeder before.

How many feeders to keep up is up to you, as long as you keep at least one up for the late-comers and that feeder is easily visible to a migrant flying into your yard.

I'll keep two feeders up for a while longer until it becomes a nuisance to fill the one farthest away from the door. Then I'll keep the easy one up until frost - this one is visible from the kitchen window so I'll notice if a hummer is there.

Last year I had a migrant visit for about a week just before Halloween and I'm hoping he stops by again.

Claire

Buddy and all the ladies are still here as of Sept. 8th.

Buddy is still molting.

Jane

My hummers are still here in NH. I'm still seeing a few so assume it is the same group that has been around all season.

Me too, just a few minutes ago in southeast NH!

Mine ars still here too in NWCt. They looove the Joe Pye weed -- but they usually leave around Sept 7 .

9/11/17 in central CT - 2 females, haven't seen Buddy this morning.

They're gone. The girls had left by this morning, Sept. 14th. and the male left Sept. 10th. I had a nice chat with each of them and told them to come back when they are ready. Their sweet red plastic flower will be ready and waiting for them.

My Buddy - recorded every year since 2008.

Jane

I saw a female sept 11 and have not see anymore. Last year I saw the last one up Sept 26. So I am going to leave one feeder up and take the others down just in case there's any hummers coming by. I think it's time to change over to get ready to get my seed feeders up.

I think mine are all gone. I'm debating making one final partial batch of nectar, enough to fill the feeder one last time.

On edit: and I did, in fact, do this. No takers though that I've seen. I'll probably leave it up for a few more days and then call it quits for this year. There is still some jewelweed, along with petunias and nasturtiums, blooming, so a very late straggler would have a few dinner options.

I still have a few coming through in NE CT. I had 7 feeders up this season and just took 3 down. I always leave one or two up till late in fall, just in case someone passes through.

Love, love the hummingbirds. Last saw "ours" Thursday. So hope they travel safe and make it back for another year. I'm so impressed how tiny they are and how far they go. Lots of spunk in them!

Have seen a female here in Boston area, last 2 days. They arrived late this summer, maybe will leave a little later too?

@ Arlene - You have 7 feeders? Wow - how do you have that many hummingbirds to need that many feeders? Do you have a garden full of hummingbird plants that attract them too?

Prairiemoon2 - The year before last I had 13 feeders out; many of them are on my deck. I have one hanging by the front window; a window feeder which they love, and the rest are on shepherd hooks around my deck. Some feeders I will fill every day, the window feeder is their favorite so that one 2x day and the rest I fill every few days or so if needed or not. I also have lots of flowers planted on my deck and around the yard. I think my red car out front attracts them; anyway, that is what my neighbor thinks :). I will post some photos when I have a moment.

I think they read my Hummingbird Haven sign when they are flying by, lol.

Look close (above), there are 2 in this photo. You probably will need to double-click. I also think the same ones return each year and also any babies they have will come in the area and breed. All my feeders are in pretty close proximity to each other. Easier to me to take care of them.
I don't have a good photo, but there are hooks all around my deck and I also put shepherd hooks in the middle of the bigger flower pots. This is Henry's swing and feeder :)

The window feeder seems to be their favorite. I use to have 2 window feeders up, but believe it or not, hummie traffic has been a bit less the past 2 years.One of my favorite photos from this year.I also start putting one or two feeders out pretty early before people say they see any in the area (I follow the migration maps every day); also as soon as any garden centers have any hanging plants I will get one; just in case any migrate through. I don't think I really do anything that special, they know I love them.♥

Arlene - I love your Hummingbird Haven. lol. And the fact you have a red car that draws them in. Gee, I'm going to have to trade my car in. [g] Sounds like you are having a lot of fun with them. Love your pics. Thanks! :-)

Hubby saw a female on scarlet runner beans yesterday.

Arlene, your Haven is magnificent!

The last female hummer was seen at my feeder on Tuesday, September 18 here at Apex, NC. I already can't wait until next summer to see them back!

Butterflyer, where are you located?

I saw one hummer yesterday at a feeder and one this morning here in Plymouth, MA - I don't know if it was the same one. We've had strong north northeast winds for a while and this may have given them a strong tailwind to help them fly south.

Claire

The last hummer I saw was a female on September 11 and have not seen one since then. I taken all my feeders in for this season.

I'm in Arlington MA

Haven't seen any for 10 days or so. I did take my feeders down, but I still have some Hbird friendly flowers blooming away.

I haven't seen the hummer that was visiting here for probably 3 weeks at least. I still have Cuphea blooming and Cardinal Flower Vine that I wish had bloomed a lot earlier, but I've seen hummers fly through the yard, in the fall, on their way somewhere South, but I don't remember the latest I've seen them. Guess the season is over.

Getting home from work, I am pretty sure I saw a hummer flying over to the section where the Verbena bonariensis with cardinal vine growing messily all through it is. Hopefully can get home earlier tomorrow to see if it will show up again.

Had just taken the feeder down--not that it ever gets used anyway...

Saw one both yesterday and today, after nearly a week of absence. South Weymouth

Yes that was definitely a hummer, back today in the messy area, feeding on the cardinal climber and vying with painted lady butterflies for zinnia.

I am in Burlington CT and I hadn't seen a hummingbird for a couple of weeks and then I saw two go flying by my kitchen window at top speed! Refilled a few of my feeders with fresh food to keep the stragglers happy.

Just saw a hummer at the feeder a few minutes ago, so they're still working their way south. Maybe this is one of richdelmo's hummers - he's about 40 miles north of me along the coast.

Ah, she just came back after checking out a rose. I do have a few phlox still blooming too.

Claire

Saw the hummer yesterday, and day before- came home too late to check today but will see if she is still there tomorrow...

Another hummer this morning. Since corunum AKA Jane discovered that links to videos were still being posted while jpg pics were not, I took a video - you can see the urgency with which she fills up with the nectar solution.

The migrants are still coming through the pipeline - a good reason to keep feeders up.

Claire (sounding like a broken record)