They're back

I saw the first hummingbirds of the season at the feeder this morning. And, the first indigo bunting visited yesterday. The summer residents are back.

We have a new hummingbird feeder that is like a bowl with a perch/feeder on top. It's easy to fill and easy to clean. Looking forward to the show now that we have more feeders. We're going to try a new setup to see if we can keep the squabbling to a minimum.

I think they must be watching eggs. I see one or two a day. I know that they usually aren't real active until the babies hatch. It always makes me worry that I don't have my usual swarm, but I'm back to wondering where my little birds have gone. I'll refresh the feeders today and see if more visit, but I know they won't. They're busy being families.

I hope you see more. I just refilled my feeders. I've decided that I'm only going fill it once a week. The doves are eating me out of house and home.

One was on the feeder this morning. I must not be looking at the right times. I know they are very active at dawn and dusk because they like eating the small bugs that swarm at those times. I am usually not near the feeders at those times. But... Seeing the one means that they are here and drinking. July is normally fledging season, so we should see many more. I think each nest has two babies.

My parents and I have been watching humming birds for a few weeks. It's hard to get a picture of humming birds and I have managed a few times.

They are hard. Keep trying.

I usually take videos and snip still images from them. It isn't classic photography, but I'm not good at that, so video is best for me.

Whatever works the best. Since I had cateract surgery I'm a lot more active with my rebel.

I put a new feeder up on the front porch. I haven't seen many birds, but they're sitting on eggs/new babies. They are not very active when that is going on. I wanted to set up the new feeder so it's ready when the babies fledge and the moms know where it is.

I refilled my feeder today.

I did the same here. They weren't empty, but I think fresh is best. It's getting warm, so I figure sugar water will start to turn quickly. I heard a bird at the feeder on the porch, but I wasn't paying attention, so I didn't see it.

I haven't seen as many hummers around here this summer but I did see one in my yard checking out the hibiscus (?) about to flower next to my house just a few days ago so I know they're around.

I saw 2 today. The day lilies are in bloom, which seems to be the same time as the babies fledge. Maybe they've been acting a bit different because of all the rain. We'll see as time goes I guess.

My hibiscus isn't flowering. I just transplanted it, so I might not get blooms this year. It seems happy though. I hope it decides to put out some of its pretty orange flowers, but if it doesn't, I'll mulch it really well for the winter and hope things go better next year.

My butterfly bush drowned, so one of my hummingbird bushes is gone. The weather's been rough on everything. Sigh...

The plant is starting to bloom, and the flowers are a white/green color. Haven't spotted that hummer lately and Brad hasn't seen any this year either.

I'm confused by my hibiscus, but it's getting huge, so maybe it will bloom next year. It did have a stressful spring. I saw one hummingbird today, and one feeder is almost empty. I need to make more syrup tomorrow. the crowds should be out soon. The rose of Sharon bushes are blooming.

Not a hibiscus, it's a yucca plant. Still haven't seen the hibiscus....maybe the neighbor thought the yucca was it.

No more hummer sightings here lately. Maybe hiding from the heat? Bet if we had a sprinkler going they'd be buzzing through the mist to stay cool.

I didn't see any during the heat of the day. A couple visited the feeder at dusk when it started cooling down. It was a chilly 80 at 8 PM.

Finally, I'm seeing a little more activity. Two males were fighting and zooming around the feeders. Maybe the babies are getting out of the nests. I hope I see more as July goes. It's been lonely at the feeders.

Yup... Definitely more activity. Not the usual swarms, but at least some are coming to eat. There are a lot of day lilies out near the feeders, so maybe they're going to the flowers instead.

I have orange day lilies blooming next to the house. Haven't spotted any hummers coming to check them out though, maybe I'm not looking at the right time of day....

Mine are most active at dawn and dusk. They do like shade, so the heat of the day usually finds them in the trees.

That's another problem for me: the only tree I have is a waist-high redbud. Not much shade to be found there.

Put it on the shadiest side of your house - usually north is best, but where ever gets the early morning and late afternoon shade will do. Sounds like you need a river birch. They get tall quickly, and stand up to storms. We planted a couple about 5 years ago, and they've got to be 20 feet tall, and nicely wide. They throw great shade and have really cool bark.

River Birch

The swarms are here. I see the little birds going everywhere in the yard. They're drinking the feeders quickly and visiting the Rose of Sharon bushes. They perch in the crepe myrtles and cedars. I sadly found a dead one on my porch. I don't know what happened to it, but there was a suspicious wound on its neck. I don't know if other birds hunt them or if it crashed into something. I buried him under the Hawaiian ginger plants near the porch. They're just starting to bloom, so he will have some sweet flowers on his trip to the bridge.

I'm sorry to hear that. I've heard that hummingbirds can be very territorial.