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tima9209

How much do YOURS eat?

tima9209
12 years ago

Mine are going through about 40 oz of solution a day between three 4-port bottle feeders and one 6-port Hummzinger. I'm refilling the bottles daily and the zinger every 2-3 days. I've never seen it like this so early in the season. I counted 14 chirpers (ruby-throats) at once the other day. I was happy to see some attention for the first time to the blue salvia I planted last year, which survived the winter and came back with a vengeance. I've also got some hosta which has come back and decimated the flowers I planted on top of it when it died back. I thought the hosta was history as it didn't do that great in the first place, but now it's overflowing its allotted area with these huge leaves.

Comments (8)

  • bandjzmom
    12 years ago

    WOWZA! You sure have got some feeding going on there tima! I only have 2 feeders up right now, and have for sure seen 2 male and 2 female RTHBs feeding here so far. My biggest influx comes in mid July when the babies have fledged. Then, from July-October, I do keep about 6-7 feeders going all the time. If interested, you can see the usual summer activity at my house in this little video that I shot last summer.~~Angie

    Here is a link that might be useful: Hummers at my house 2010

  • hummersteve
    12 years ago

    Angie--- Lots of nice hummer action at your house and your neighbors.

  • tima9209
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Phew, that's a lot of activity!

  • bandjzmom
    12 years ago

    Thanks guys. It IS a lot of action, and we are so blessed with it from about mid July-October 1st. The vast majority of the birds that are feeding here during that time are juvies and adult females. We figure that we must be on a migration path or something. There are scads of them. I think that the most I have ever counted at once was 54. It is a real thrill to be able to go and sit on my porch with them any time I want to. They are most active and frisky when it rains. A nice gentle rain gets em all fired up, and I shot the video during such a rain. We have been able to hand feed too. It is a challenge keeping all of the feeders filled with fresh nectar. Wish y'all could come by and see them too. :o) Angie

  • eigdeh
    12 years ago

    Usually not enough to see the levels go down. :c(

    At the end of August last year I did see the small 2.3 oz feeders drop, so I am hopeful this year will be better.

  • nanaboo
    12 years ago

    I have 5 feeders out right now, 2 window feeders. Some other birds have been feeding at one of the feeders, maybe finches. I have chased them away, but they kept coming back. So, I decided to move this one feeder to another location, not very far away. So far,the birds have not found it! I do think hummers are the smartest! From 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm tonight, I watched 3 hummers buzzing from one feeder to another. They are feeding a little longer now, and are not so frisky. I was able to get pretty close to a feeder, without chasing him away. I held a feeder in my hand, but he would not come near. I did notice for the first time, a hummer feeding from my Black and Blue Salvia. Thanks to friends on this website who have suggested this plant!

  • bandjzmom
    12 years ago

    I just purchased some Black and Blue Salvia for the first time. I am planting a barrel full of it in my back yard. Can't wait to see how my Hummers like it. Our ACE Hardware here has the nicest plants for Butterflies and Hummers. There is a vendor whose pots are square and yellow, and the plants are so nice. The prices are also reasonable. A lot of people wouldn't think to look at ACE for plants.

  • greenthumbzdude
    12 years ago

    If you are having problems, i would suggest getting more plants. Plant large patches of agastache and there other favorites. This should lower the amount of nectar they are consuming at the feeders.

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