ditch the feeder, look up plants that attract them in your area....no feeders here and we have a bunch.....

I've had a female on the firebush for the past couple weeks. (Bradenton)

Yes , in Jupiter on 9/2

In Deland this week.

I saw a male last weekend on a firebush in my yard here in St Pete. First time I've ever seen one here.

John

I have had a female hummer in my front garden all summer, in fact I see her now from my desk! She appears to be feeding from the Mexican Petunias at the moment but it may be that she is actually on the Coral Honeysuckle behind the Petunias! Last night at dusk she was attempting to fly in through our pool screen! It may be wishful thinking but I think I have spotted a tiny hummer once or twice in my garden too - is this the right time for babies?

WhooHoo!
I hung up the feeder this morning and a female Ruby-Throated has appeared three times, the latest visit just a few seconds ago.
Let the season begin!

Yes - I have them, but only from Mid-august to late September. I am in Tampa, FL. Snapped a photo of one on my red fire spiker in link below. Great shot, very lucky. Big file, might take a minute or two to load. Enjoy!!

Here is a link that might be useful:

I have lived in Naples for 15 years, and I saw my very first hummer today. It was feeding on my firecracker plant!!!!

BusyBeeSuz,
I was in the same boat. We lived here for 8 years and I never saw one. I tried a feeder but as Brute said the feeder got to be a mess. Three years ago I saw one on my firebush. Now I see them on there for months at a time. I only see one at a time though. I'm not sure if it is the same one or different ones. A friend in NY had 3 feeders out and would have several feeding at once.

I have hummers this fall. Only once before have I saw one in the 10 years I have been here. They are fun to watch but I only see them at dusk when it is harder to see them.

I saw my first one ever a month or two ago, then saw another last weekend. In north Florida saw lots but never south. Till now. Heck I never knew they actually existed growing up in S Florida! Thought they were like unicorns!

I'm in Lakeland and presently I have three - one is a returning female Rufous. She first came in Jan. 2010 and stayed till April. She was caught and banded in Feb. of that year. She returned in Dec. 2010 and stayed till March. She was caught again in Jan. and found to be healthy. She came back for a third time a week ago last Friday. You can see the band in the picture.

The other two are male Ruby-throated. One is an adult and the other is an immature male I think. He may stay the winter - he seems comfortable with us being out in the yard and will fly down near us to feed. I think I have had about 10 different ones come into the yard since Aug.29th when the first migrating one came thru. Each stayed about a week to 10 days then moved on.

Wow Mboston, I'm so impressed with your detail and the photos that capture so aptly these illusive creatures. Good job.

Yes. This picture was taken in Snapper Village, Miami at 117th. ave and Sunset Dr. The picture was taken by my friend Diana about 2 days after I installed the feeder.

I'm so very excited, I just saw my very first hummingbird at my home. We've been in SW Florida, for 6 years and today, while sitting on the front lanai at 2:45 pm, I heard a sound....."that sounds like a hummingbir" OMG it is, it is!! It only stayed a few seconds, while eyeing our Zinnia blossoms, mainly the Orange color one!!

Very cool Kristin. I have had painted buntings all winter at my feeder. It is so exciting.

I have 3 feeders out and a firecracker bush, and I have had all females at my house. So far, 5 at once, all fighting over the feeders. They sure are fun to watch!

.

Where are you located, Rebecca? You are motivating me to put out my feeders again.

I am on the Westside of Jacksonville FL, between Jacksonville and Lake City.

You might be getting some of the southern migration. Do you have this many hummers throughout the summer?

I don't know Tom, this is the first time I've put out feeders as we just bought this house and moved to the area not long ago.

2 sightings, what looked like a very small female rubythroat, on my (orange flowered ) Fl native Geiger tree on September 03, 2015, at dusk (6:19 PM) She remained feeding and resting in the Geiger tree for about 45 minutes, then flew off. I have several other Florida natives to encourage Hummers to the garden, including 1/2 dozen Firebush shrubs, Coral Honeysuckle and Cross Vine , Scarlet Sage as well as various other natives that attracts butterflies and perhaps hummers. Last night, September 10, ironically exact same time -6:19 PM, I saw what appeared to be a much larger hummer, but it flew off before I could get a good look. Am hoping it is a mate to the smaller hummer I saw last week. Several years ago, we did have a nesting pair and 3 tiny babies , seeing the tiny babies , the size of small bees, was a real treat. Pix of Coral Honeysuckle that covers chain link behind Geiger tree.

Spotted a Ruby Throat around my yard this morning in coastal East central Florida. I have some that over Winter around my yard, but none during the Summer. This was the first one I've seen since they left. So it was either passing thru on the Southern migration or reached it's destination. Either way, glad to see them back in the yard.

ty Tom, it wasn't a hummingbird moth. I did get a good enough look. I do get hummingbird moths, mostly at night when my Silk Floss tree blooms, around October.

I did think the same at first, till I got a better look.

This hummer was smaller than others Ive seen, but larger than babies . The one year we had the 3 babies for a few weeks. So tiny, I thought they were bees at first :)

The hummer I saw on Sept 03, was larger than the babies when they left, but smaller than other female Rubythroats Id seen n the garden before.

I almost thought it was a different type of Hummingbird, the head looked very black, but I could see the distinctive white around the neck and belly area. I chauked up the dark appearing head to lack of sunlight.

In the past, Ive had large male Rubythroats come through the garden around November, then a pair return in March. One year, the 3 babies. We later found the nest on the groud, so they def nested here that one year.

Im wondering if the earlier arrival/sightings in my garden this year, is thanks to the clearing of some of the exotic invasives growing throughout the County/State, and the increased number of native trees and shrubs being planted the City of Punta Gorda parks and gardens, and in general , the State of Florida.

It sure would be nice to see increased numbers of hummingbirds here :)

Thanks again for your input, appreciate it.

well I figured out how to upload pix :) I wish I had as much luck attracting hummingbirds as I do butterflies !

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Well it's been 3 days since I've seen any hummers....none... :( North West Jacksonville, FL.

Rebecca, Ive never had luck with feeders here in FLA either :( Apparently one of the problems with feeders here, the sugar water ferments quickly in the high heat and humidity. Perhaps they learn to avoid feeders for this reason. Hummingbird attracting plants are a must.

Carol, your picture is awesome!

Very pretty picture, Carol. The Monarch is on a Hamelia Patens?

Hummingbirds have to learn to use feeders. If they see one feeding from one they will investigate and learn. I put out feeders mostly in the fall, winter and early spring. The hummers that come here during the winter often know to use them. In the summer there are so many flowers and one has to change out the sugar water every three days or so to prevent it from going bad. At least now I can wait four days before I need to change it.

TY! Yes, one of the Hamelias . A Monarch and a Gulf Fritillary nectaring side by side. I have several different firebush plants through-out the garden. As for feeders, I keep feeders on hand and only put them out when after I see a hummer. I keep them clean , replacing small amount of sugar syrup every other day in hopes it may be just the extra encouragement too keep hummers in the garden. The one year we did have hummers nesting, they were so illusive, we only saw the male once, the female once, then suddenly there were babies :) I never did see any of them use the feeders :( Luckily, the babies followed a schedule, feeding on flowers every few hours. :) We found the nest months later blown onto the ground in a storm. As soon as the male babies started to develop their ruby colouring, they all departed. I wish I had videoed them, but at the time, had my hands full with my own babies :)

I'm in Venice, FL and have planted firebush, fire spikes and firecrackers and hummingbirds visit all of them! Also planted 1/2 dozen milkweeds and am inundated with monarchs and many other butterflies. Monarchs have laid their eggs and there are lots of monarch caterpillars. Am watching for emerging chrysalis :)

Saw one today! I have lived in my house in Fort Myers since 2003 and this is the second time I've seen one in my yard. I wish we had lots of them! I was in the back yard this morning admiring the crowd of butterflies around my firebush and suddenly saw something moving very fast which at first I thought to be a Polydamus, then thought for a sec maybe a moth, then realized it was a hummingbird! Only stayed for a minute though. I wish we had them all the time! Anyone else seen them yet this fall?

not me :( but thanks for heads-up! All my native firebush, cross vine , coral honey-suckle and scarlet sage are bursting with blossoms and my gieger tree (native to the Keys) blooms on and off most of the year . Hummers LOVE geiger tree's brilliant orange blossoms.

I havent seen any hummingbirds here lately. I usually see some. I have lots of butterflies and hummingbird moths but no little hummer birdies.

Saw my first hummer for fall 2016 this a.m. Blue and grey? It made a pass near the oak trunk above squirrels having their daily breakfast of seeds put out for birds (last week the seeds brought in the 1st titmouse of fall and sometimes a cardinal, plus the usual doves and jays). Perhaps was drawn by the activity of a mockingbird nearby who was, for 10 minutes, flitting up and down and around a mirrored obelisk on a table -- its actions so repetitive that I was afraid that either my old cat would be enticed to pursue it, or the bird would shorten its life through exhaustion, so I went out there.

Probably mostly green, and grey, Irma. We mostly see Ruby-throateds and the males have the ruby throats. The females and the young are mostly green and grey and sometimes a bit of brown.

Congratulations. I hope she sticks around.

Tom, do we get the Black-chinned hummingbirds as well? (If not, that will make it easier to know she is a Ruby-throated.)

Yes, we do get some Black-chinned, but they are rare. I have only seen one on my property--at least that I could clearly identify. The males are quite distinctive, with a head that appears black and a gorget that is a kind of bright purple (being male I'm color challenged.) The females don't seem to be very different to me than the female Ruby-throateds. Although I"m sure real experts are able to distinguish them easily.

Rufous are much more common in fall and winter months in Florida. They are easier to identify, since they have brown coloring and they are larger and louder than the Ruby-throateds.