She's resting for a while. I like your perch, think I'll make one of those next year.

Hopfully she/he will stop by Rob's Hummer Rest Stop and Cafe on her way south. Chicken fried steak, mashed pot .... no wait, Pink Autumn Sage, Red Autumn Sage, Lipstick Salvia, B&B Salvia, Mexican Fire Bush, Trumpet Creeper, and Coral Honeysuckle are on the menu today.

Only one female here at the cafe today. She got gormet service. I hope she will stay for a few days.
Rob

Rob I learned a few years ago that these perches encouraged the hummingbirds to stay a bit longer at the feeders. A little wooden skewer works fine too.

Mimidi, I may have spoken a bit too soon in my "slowdown" post. The frenzy reappeared yesterday afternoon, so I'm assuming a new bunch flew in, quite unexpectedly! It seems to be an up and down thing each day which is a little puzzling.

Love your pic and the perch!

Donna

Donna I don't ahave an answer. Maybe the weather is causing a difference with the migration this year.

Thanks Mimi, I'm going to make a perch tomorrow. I hope it's not too late in the season. I had zero, nada, no hummers today! That hasn't happened here since March. It's sad because every blooming plant I have has exploded in new blooms.

Don't give up until the middle October on the hummingbird.s

I understand what you mean about the blooming plants this time of year. It seems the extreme heat is over for the summer and the plants seem to get a second breath. Mine are doing the same thing. It happens every year when the presssure of summer is gone. I don't know about your weather but we will not have a frost until maybe in late November. I always regret the the hummingbird are not here to enjoy all the good stuff.

I keep at least two feeders out during the winter. I keep hoping I will get one of those western hummingbirds to over winter here. I live about 96 miles from the gulf coast. More and more rufous are seen down at Orange Beach, Destin, and that area each year. I have seen them myself at Orange Beach in Feburary using a Mexican petunia.

I know you are going to be happy with that perch. I have them at all of my feeders. A good vantage point for picking a fight with another hummer.

My first ruby turns up about the second week of March each year. I am already getting my thought together about seeds to plant and new plants to try. I do take a break from Thanksgiving until Christmas. Then from January until March I am busy getting ready for the arrivals of the year.

My feeders will be up through October.

Day before yesterday I had one very skitish female. I couldn't even move inside my apartment without scaring her away. Yesterday, no hummers. Today again a single female, but this one belongs to one of you guys. She obviously spent her summer in someone's garden or close to a porch with feeders and blooms. She was fearless and flew right up to me after working on all the blooms as if to say thanks. She seemed very hungry. When I see the migrants this time of year, I always wonder where they spent the summer. I haven't seen her this afternoon.

Sounds like she could be one of mine. I am amazed how close some of them will get to me when I am outside. Especially when I am changing or filling feeders. The fuss at me so bad when I get in their way.

I saw a few this morning but they are not around now. I hope some show up before dark. I wonder too where the ones comeing in here now have been.

Rob,

A perch located above a feeder like that makes it way too easy for a little meanie to chase the others away.

Ctnchpr your post gave me a chuckle. I thought they were all little meanies.

Yeah, what IS it with the little boogers? I've watched them the past 3 days chasing each other continuously. For cryin out loud! I have 4 feeders out. My neighbor has 2. And they have a smorgasboard of stuff to eat in my yard, not to mention the small red morning glories they LOVE right behind the fence. Plenty for everyone to stake out their own little spot and feed to their hearts content and never get near each other. But NOOOO....they spend the whole day zooming all over at times with as many as 4 in a single chase! good grief it'd be scary to hear their thoughts
dell

Me too. At least we still have them for a few more days.

I posted on a different thread here, I still have a ruby throat here in ilinois. I'm watching her right now atthe feeder.

It's time for her to get going.

She so relies on my feeder, she was hovering a foot away from me watching, like telling me to HURRY UP. . . .

I told her "just a second hon I' pouring as fast as I can.

she needs to get going. Time for her to pack her bags and head for the warm areas. shes stayed awfully late up here.

It's in the 60s this past week, the 50s today. I told her stop paying attention to all the other fuzzballs out there. those featherbrains are ALWAYS here, they NEVER leave, but it's time for you to leave now. . . . .

Tech she will leave. It hit me earlier today that when the hummingbirds start their northern migration in the spring they are constantly running into cold and freezing weather. These little guys have been doing this for hundreds of years they know what they are doing. A higher power has given the the ablilty to take care of themselves.

She's still here. . . .it's time to leave hon. . .this is ILLINOIS, not MEXICO. . .it's not gonna get warmer, it's only going to get colder. . . all the others have left hon. . . .

Pack 'em up, move 'em out. See the dumb geese? THEY'RE leaving. . .comon hon. . .it's time. . .

Can't believe 44 degrees this morning, and she's still here. . .

Gotta go make her some more food. . .if she's gonna hang around for another week.

Let us know if she doesn't leave.

Ok, whew! I just found out, the neighbor of my parents, 4 doors down, still has a few. . . .not many, but a few. . .

Whew. . .she's not alone. . .

Man, you should hear me scolding her inside the kitchen window. . ."comon hon, you're missing the train! It's time to head south where it's WARMER. . ."

I made food for my mom, told her "keep an eye out and check with Bill. If he says his 4 leave, keep a close eye out, and keep putting the food out, just incase she's still here."

I made the food 3 to 1 ratio, super upped the sugar content for her. She likes the little feeders with the single yellow flower, but no perch. There's a big one there with a perch. hA! All that food out for one little bird. (grin)

Mom will keep filling them until I get back here next weekend to see if she's still here.

Boy, I hope she's not. I will be thrilled if she's gone (more like relieved) that she left for warmth.

She's really little, keep an eye open for her guys if she leaves during the week! I hope she'll be on her way to you!

I have heard of a hummingbird overwinterring but I really don't one to stay with me. Right now I can't remember who had one to stay the whole winter a few years back.

We're down to the occassional straggler. Two days..no hummers, then this morning a young male.

We had a RT stay from early November a few years back..until mid January. The research group came in December and trapped and tagged the tiny thing. We had to bring the feeder in at dark to keep it from freezing and he'd be waiting at the window, peeking in at daylight if we hadn't gotten it back up soon enough to suit him! I wonder each spring if he's among the ones that come back.