Hummers disappeared??

[jemanner]

They are all here in rural Nevada! 4-5 at the feeder concurrently is not unusual. A quart feeder, needs refilling every other day.

[ardeekay]

Originally Posted by JHenley

We've noticed the same thing down here in Peru. They may have been nesting, however there's also been rumblings in the media here about us being due for El Niño, so I don't know if that would affect them...?

Oh no, it's worldwide.-lol Have started wondering due to that extremely mild winter we had(I'm in the Midwest) the crowd went further north this year. Don't know!?

[Stealther]

Originally Posted by ardeekay

Welcome to my world. Since my last post here about a week ago, nothing again. DANG! Is there such a thing as bad sugar!?! Refreshed again today and actually tasted it-like sweet water to me! Dumfounded!

I use a ratio of 4 parts water to 1 part sugar and try to err on the more dilute side. Maybe change up the ratios?

[jemanner]

Originally Posted by Stealther

I use a ratio of 4 parts water to 1 part sugar and try to err on the more dilute side. Maybe change up the ratios?

4:1 here also. No coloring. I read somwhere to use cane sugar, if that makes a difference? They seem to love it.

[ardeekay]

Originally Posted by Stealther

I use a ratio of 4 parts water to 1 part sugar and try to err on the more dilute side. Maybe change up the ratios?

Same as I do. And store in ref. Been doing this for a number of years-just can't get any good pictures. Have always had a moderate amount of activity, so this is something new.

[chubri777]

There is a possibility that they are busy feeding their young. This time of year I see more hummers out picking insects from tree canopies than hitting the sugar water. Gotta get protein to the youngsters you know

[Stealther]

Originally Posted by chubri777

There is a possibility that they are busy feeding their young. This time of year I see more hummers out picking insects from tree canopies than hitting the sugar water. Gotta get protein to the youngsters you know

Maybe the wonky temperatures have got them all messed up. I took this in early March of this year. The hummers were gobbling up lots of bugs!

[chubri777]

Originally Posted by Stealther

Maybe the wonky temperatures have got them all messed up. I took this in early March of this year. The hummers were gobbling up lots of bugs!

Our hummingbirds out here in California nest much earlier than the returning Ruby-throat migrants do back east. I had Anna's building nests in January. Pretty sure they were feeding nestlings in March. They are working their second broods right now and will probably attempt a third.

[ardeekay]

Update from the OP- noted a few visits yesterday and 1 so far this morning. Not the frequency I'm used to but after the last 6 wks. or so, I'll take it.

[kristin6]

Originally Posted by jemanner

They are all here in rural Nevada! 4-5 at the feeder concurrently is not unusual. A quart feeder, needs refilling every other day.

Haha...they all went to Vegas!

[ardeekay]

Another update from OP-Normal or near normal activity has returned! When I'm watching, there's a visit every 5-15 minutes which is the frequency I've come to expect. Don't know what has changed except maybe our long spell of high heat and the drought is killing off the natural sources. I know my flowers look pretty sick. Even managed a half decent pix of a hummer which I posted over in the photo section.

[AZGeorge]

Originally Posted by ardeekay

. . . Don't know what has changed except maybe our long spell of high heat and the drought is killing off the natural sources . . .

That does make a huge difference. When natural sources are scarce our local Hummingbird Monitoring Network feeders need frequent refills.

[ardeekay]

Hey, AZ, thanks for chiming in. It's about a week since my last post-heat and drought continues-UGH!! Hummer visits also continue which is good except it's too hot for me to sit outside and try for pics! "Ain't one thing it's another!" Seems like the whole world is topsy-turvy right now.

[terryger]

i happen to know a little about hummers and how to gather them .granted, i don't have ruby throat like most of you but a hummer is a hummer.

despite weather you can draw them over time by training them and habituation.

hummers are aggressive with food sources but not asbad as most think. put up 5-7 feeders spread out over a large space along the whole front of the house and he cannot guard them all .

habituation comes from always having them with food and always being there.

over several years they will come to expect food at your house, regardless of natural sources.

1to4 white sugar. no red color or brown sugar.

for every one you see you have 5-10 you don't. they just look the same.

i have 6 different breeds here.

you can search for some of my hummer shots on the photo page.

any time you have a question feel free to ask.

but hey,don't take my word for it.

[Stealther]

I'm jealous, thats a LOT of hummers terryger! How often are you filling that feeder?