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anneliese2978

still no hummingbirds!!

anneliese2978
10 years ago

Good morning! I am hoping for some help! I have been trying for the last three years to attract hummers o my yard, but to no avail. Ever year I plant more and more flowers and vines just for them and have read every article, it seems, on how to make my yard this perfect place for hummingbirds. However, there is something missing or something that they do not like about my yard! I might get one for a day or two in early spring and then they are gone! This year I've made an extra concentrated effort with changing their sugar water every two days, and planting early red flowering plants in my planters. I even have a red umbrella for my deck table and red ribbon tied to my feeder hook. I have seen no activity this year!! My girlfriend teases me that I have a no fly zone over my house ;) She doesn't even try and gets hummers that come right to her window, even with a noisy air conditioner inches away. I do have a very busy yard otherwise, with many types of birds from sparrows, to cardinals, to finches, to crows and wrens. I live in a suburban development , but have a yard full of trees and have many in varying heights which provide great shelter and shade. I also have a bird bath with dripper that everyone else loves, esp the new robin fledglings. Am I trying to hard? Is my yard too busy with bigger birds? Should I just be content with all my other feathered friends? Please help!!
Thanks!!!!

Comments (9)

  • salliestarr
    10 years ago

    I sympathize. I don't have hummers either. I had a few in May that only stayed around for a day or two. Now I haven't seen one in 4 weeks....very odd. I don't understand as I have been changing my feeder every 4 days, even though it hasn't been touched....no ants or bees either. I am in southwest VA. Hummersteve are you getting them? SallieStarr

  • spaceman13
    10 years ago

    I'm in PA as well (Harrisburg suburbs) and I haven't seen one yet either! I guess they don't like the smell of all the BULL S**T coming from the politicians in the Capitol!!!

    I started a bit late this year, and with all the cold weather this spring, Mother Nature got a late start as well (musta hit the snooze button a few times)

    All my plants are about 3 weeks to a month behind where they usually are. I still haven't even installed my air conditioner yet! I don't recall EVER making it anywhere close to June without having to do, mush less than almost to July!

    Global Warming! err, wait...Global...umm...Change?...whatever.

    I added a bunch more Hummingbird attractor plants, and a few feeders, which I've never had before. I got more hummers last year with just the butterfly plants.

    Today I added a mister I got from Home Despot. Hummers should love that if they ever do arrive, and a red azalea to replace the one that died a few years ago for half price (only $3.50) I hope to be able to pick up a flowering crab apple later this year.

    Hang in there, Anneliese, they will get here some day soon!

    Spaceman

  • michelliot
    10 years ago

    Been living in my home in Whitestone, NY for 30 years and never saw a hummer on my premises till the fall of last year. He was sampling some leftover impatiens on the deck's flower box. Soooooo, this year I bought a feeder and enhanced my usual plantings with Salvias, Bee Baum, and Agastache. I will add more as time goes on to attract these fascinating little creatures. Hopefully, in time, I'd love to get some of them residing locally. NYC isn't the ideal home for any wild species, but even if I get a few in transit it'll be a thrill.

    Enjoy, be well..............elliot

  • spaceman13
    10 years ago

    I got my first on Wednesday, and again Friday (I wasn't around Thursday)

    A female Ruby Throated, she sampled a few flowers, and had a quick sip from the feeder. She was more interested in the bugs in my hackberry tree than nectar, and was here and gone quickly. This leads me to assume she was gathering food for her hatchlings.

    Hopefully when they fledge the whole family will stop in for an extensive visit!

  • tamela_star
    10 years ago

    I tried several years ago to attract hummingbirds to my yard, and gave up because I didn't see any visit and neither did anyone else. I live in Baltimore MD, and I've only seen hummers when visiting places out of state. I have asked on facebook of anyone has seen a hummingbird in my area. A friend down the street said she saw one in the evening fly right by her, and another friend said he had to guide one out of his school in the middle of class. I'm not as lucky to come across one.
    Well, on Father's day we were at the store looking around and my 4 (almost 5) year old daughter saw the hummingbird feeders and asked if we could get one for our yard. It was cheap so I got it for her and I make my own sugar water for them. I use 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. I hung it on the porch and I asked my neighbor to keep look out to see if we get any "visitors" since he's always outside. Earlier this week he said he saw one in the morning come and took a few sips from it and left as quick as it came. Even though my daughter and I didn't see it, it's nice to know we had at least one visit. We got another feeder with perches so they can sit at the feeder instead of hovering over it. Now we can enjoy having two feeders. I also have columbine, lilies, petunias, a big butterly bush and a few other plants they can choose from. I also clean out the feeders everyday when it's hot, because depending on how hot it gets the nectar will go bad and they won't come back if it goes bad. I don't use bleach and I don't like the idea of using bleach, so I use a mild soap detergent and a good rinse after it. So in my area they are around but I have yet to see one myself. They probably are in your area too but you just haven't had the opportunity to see one pay a visit. They probably do visit your yard when you're not looking. My neighborhood is a busy place too. Good luck and I hope you see them soon.

  • maclee47
    10 years ago

    We live in SE Michigan and have been getting Humming Birds for years. They would come all the time. From May till September. This year however, we've only had 3 sightings. That was in late May. We don't know what's going on. Same feeders, same mixture of water and sugar.
    It's a shame because our feeder is a place where we see it all the time. Like now, I'm on the lap top sitting on the couch looking into our yard. Lots of bird action but no Hummingbirds. Oh well, all we can do is wait.

  • nursery
    10 years ago

    Hummingbird's love RED,RED,RED.. The are scared of noise, never put your feeders near wind chimes or near water. Hang red feeder jars and put the red nectar in them and sit and watch.

    Also the Hummingbird Vines and Bee Balms They enjoy. I found a you tube video of them fighting over bee balms. I am including the link below for you to watch them fight.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bee Balms Make Hummingbirds Fight Over Them

  • ctnchpr
    10 years ago

    Where did you get your info on hummers being afraid of noise? That hasn't been my experience at all. This young male RTHB pays no attention to wind chimes - or a hawk.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Turn speakers on

  • spaceman13
    10 years ago

    I'd avoid the red premixed nectar. The chemical they use to make red dye are banned in many countries as a carcinogen. Hummers can eat 8 times their weight per day, so that is A LOT of red dye. That would be the equivalent of a person drinking about 100 gallons of red dye per day.

    Also please do not use honey - It is very difficult to digest and could harbor mold spores that could kill them. Do not use Brown sugar, demerara sugar or turbinado sugar, as they have too much iron, which Hummers can't eliminate iron very well And it could kill them as well.

    Use plain old dominos granulated sugar. It's the BEST and CHEAPEST way to make nectar.
    1 cup sugar
    4 cups water (no powdered confectioners sugar either, please)

    If your water contains a lot of iron, use bottled water.

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