return of the hummies

I had about 10 zooming around the feeder this morning. The parents came later and were slower. The kids seem to be practicing fighting and feeder hogging. Fortunately, everyone got a turn.

The swarms have arrived. They drank 2 feeders of syrup today. I know I saw 10 flying around this morning, and I heard others nearby. I guess the babies are all out if the nest and are getting ready for the big migration. Hard to believe that they'll be flying south in a couple months.

I know, I'll miss them. I have just the one coming to my feeder (that I've seen anyway). Mom spotted it at my feeder as we were leaving the parking lot in the car.....definitely an adult from the size.
No swarms to report here so the ones further north aren't on the move yet.

If you have one, you probably have at least two.

Then I'm just not seeing them at the right time. I hope I get this years babies at my feeder next year. I know the one I keep seeing will definitely look for it when they come back next spring.
Now to keep that pesky squirrel from draining it on me.....I need a much taller hook and a baffle.

EARLY morning and right before it gets totally dark are when we see the most.

At Brads' and moms' feeders we see them nearly all day long! Lots of the babies are zooming around now....we watched several last Saturday practicing hogging the feeder. Fun to watch!

I think most of the ones zooming around are babies. They're getting big and tanking up for the upcoming migration. I think they'll start heading out in about a month. They're eating a ton now.

I've noticed...they're eating a lot more here too. And I know they'll be leaving by Oct 1st if this years' weather is like last years.

I've heard that this winter is supposed to be snowier and colder for us. Ugh! It's an El Nino year, so I expect yucky weather. But, for now, the hummies are in bird heaven. The weather isn't too bad, the storms have been staying away, and the sugar water keeps coming. Let's hope August, September, and October stay hurricane free!

The Rose of Sharon bushes have a lot of flowers right now, and the birds are crazy for them. I need to relocate some of the volunteer bushes, and I'm trying to find a place we can see from the house or pasture. I'm not sure... We're pretty wooded around the house.

It's hummie insanity here. I swear there must be 100 flying all over the place. Many of them are kids, but they're growing fast. I'm sure we see so many because they are getting ready for their trip. I already know I'll miss them. It's so neat to hear them squeaking at me when it's time to fill the feeders.

Wish I could hear that!!! I envy you your hummie swarms!

We still have our few hummers here, but they are hungrier. I know they're getting all beefed up for their long flight south. I will miss them.

This is the only place I've ever been where we have swarms. They love the crepe myrtle trees, and I think they build their nests in them. I have a great volunteer tree from one that fell over in Hurricane Isabel. The one that fell had pink flowers, and its baby has white ones that come out really early.

I think they're on the move. Today was the first day the bottles weren't emptied. We still have some chirping around the windows, and I see them in almost all the trees. But, I'm pretty sure they're packing up for warmer climes.

Ours are coming in the early morning and late dusk, when it's cooler out. Any other trips are fast and furious, and it's back into the shade tree!

Ours are usually gone by October. We keep a feeder out for a couple weeks after we see the last one just in case any stop by on their travels.

The moms and kids are still around, but I think the dads have flown. The young males are starting to show some red on their throats. The kids are getting bigger, and slowly, the crowds are leaving. I actually need to empty feeders tomorrow. I think I'll put one away and leave only two out for a while.

There was a tiny swarm tonight. Three of the kids were having fake fights over the feeder. The one boy who is biggest chased the others off. They sat in the Rose of Sharon bushes and ate from those flowers until he wasn't looking, and then ZOOM! They flew in for a drink from the feeder.

hehehehehe..........

Ours are still here, fattening up for their long journey. We leave our feeders out until at least mid October, in case any stragglers from up north are passing through on their way south.

Just a few here and there. The migration has begun.

Seems so....we see less of them too.

One traveller came to squeak at the window today. I don't know what she wanted. The feeder is full. I guess she was just saying hello.

Could be.....maybe saying "Thanks for the meal. I'll see you in the spring on my way up north, have a good winter!"