Hummies are here!

in another group there's someone who was talking about how her hummingbirds were feuding over the feeder!

They do that. They are very territorial little birds. Ours seem to have groups. It's like hummingbird gang warfare sometimes.

Yeah, Brad's hummies are almost constantly at the feeder, one after the other. He's having to put more in the feeder to last the day than he did before, yet it's only the same 4 lil hummies. I told him they're fattening up for that long flight to So. America for the winter. The hummie/wasp feud is still going strong though.

hummingbird gangs....i wonder if they wear little tiny scarves on their heads in their colors!

They definitely wear their colors. I don't know how they tell the gangs apart though. They are all in green and some have red bandannas on their necks. Boys vs. girls? Not sure, but whatever it is, they are definitely going nuts at the feeder. I wonder if there are migrating flocks coming through and the residents are defending THEIR feeder.

Haven't seen any migrators here yet. Brad's hummies are starting to show weight gain. And the wasps are still trying to take over the feeder, but the hummies will not stand for it. It's almost like a swordfight the way they go after them beak-first, sparring with them and chasing them off.

well, the migrating ones will certainly need more of the sugar to keep them going....maybe there needs to be two feeders and one has a stronger liquid and see if they still fight over one or the other?

We have 2 feeders and they seem to fight over the one closer to the house. The "losers" go to the one near the barn. We are keeping the sugar content a little higher in both feeders since I know the birds are starting to go back to their winter homes. It seems like we have extras when the parents and kids start flying south.

Maybe they feel safer nearer the house? Brad's hummers keep looking at us through the windows whenever they approach or leave the feeder. Maybe next spring one of them will recognize me and fly over to me?

I SAW BABY HUMMERS! The babies from Brad's lil hummer family finally came to the feeder while I was there to see them. Half the size of mom and dad...............so adorable! And so fast!!! They prefer to hover like dad. The wasps gave them a break so no sparring needed for mom and dad to eat at the feeder either.

I saw something completely new to me today. A hummingbird was sitting on the shepherd's hook where I hang the feeder. She was scratching her "armpit" with her little bird foot. I have never seen a bird scratch like that before.

The hummies are going crazy as the hurricane goes up the ocean. It's windy and rainy here, but they're having a great time swarming the feeder and chasing each other around. The wind and rain don't bother them at all.

Brads' lil hummies are definitely filling the tank to the top in preparation for migration. Hard to believe in less than a month they'll be gone from here. The baby hummers are soooooo adorable. They look at us through the window all the time now.

Brad's lil hummers were nowhere to be seen Saturday and Sunday. I saw lots of little feathers under Bijoux's birdfeeder and no blood or body, so I know a hawk got one of our wrens. Probably scared the lil hummers half to death witnessing that, not that I could blame them. Even Bij's lil regulars were in hiding for a long time before they came back to eat.

Ours are gone too, I think. We had a few this past weekend, but I didn't see anybody today. It's amazing how quickly they get out of town. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more, but I think they are on the wing.

I only saw one or two this entire summer. My cousin's wife
had dozens of them in their backyard.

The only reason I saw any at all is the new feeders at Brad's, my neighbor out front, and the guy who has a feeder in front of my mom's building by the front door.

I told Brad to leave his feeder up for a while yet. We might get northern migrators stopping over for the night needing a good meal.

I think our guys are officially gone. Haven't seen one for a week. I'm leaving the feeder out until October, but I doubt we'll see anybody. Bye bye, hummies! I'm glad the tropics cooperated this year.

I saw two in front of my building just this morning about 8am, visiting the upstairs feeder in the attached building next door. So they are still here in No. Illinois yet. I just think Brad's moved on because the hawk scared the bejesus out of them but good!