hummersteve,
My numbers are dwindling, too. I'm seeing only 10-12 at any given time during the day, and 20-25 at dawn and dusk, which is roughly the pre-migration level. I'm not sure if the migrators have moved on and left my residents behind, or vice versa. I would love to know.

ctnchpr-- This morning sept 25. I had only 5 at the peak, but mainly just 2 or 3 . I suspect by the end of the week I will be seeing none, such a bitter/sweet time of year. Such a long winter here in the mid-west . You will most likely get them a couple of wks earlier than I will next spring. Didnt get my first till the first week in may , the fourth , I think.

Ok I'am a little worried about one hummer I have left. He does not seem to be feeding like he's going to go on a long journey. I see him like 5-6 times a day and I'am out on the deck alot. I have seen him twice this am already and when he leaves he flys up over the house to some tree's. I'am an hour NE Grand rapids MI. Is this unusual??? It is a female and is not big.

It seems that is pretty normal for this time of year. I also have birds that seem to just be resting and guarding and will take an occasional drink. I also have birds that dont look ready for the trip , but its nothing for you to worry about for they will fatten up before they get serious about migration. It has in fact been mentioned they dont really get fat till they get to texas, but I have seen many fat ones here, so fat in fact they actually stop to rest on flower branch while trying to feed from a flower.

I still have Hummers passing thru here in Central IL, though I do believe the numbers are dwindling. I see them every day at my feeders, in my trees, and hear their beautiful little voices.

Yes, now is a great time for planning next year. I have no plantings, so I will be having a fun time designing a little hummer garden this winter (on paper of course).

Well this am its 45 out and i saw not only the one i have been seeing but a second one. It flew up to the feeder where the one i have been seeing and it ran it right off. It went to another feeder was there for a bit then flew off. Have not seen it again. Still have the one i have had and it does look fatter. This is the longest i have had one this late in the season. Usually by sept 15th they are all gone.

It should be coming to the end here too; I normally see my last one the last week of September; last year was Sept. 29th, I believe (then again, I'm braindead). I did see one on Tuesday am, but nothing yesterday or today. And it's been drop dead gorgeous weather wise here! Weep, weep...

Tracey-- I know the feeling , for the most part they left me in august last year aside from two separate sightings in sept, the final one on the 16th. I have had hummers on consistant daily rate only much lower amounts than they were. Yesterday was 4 and today was 5, I get up at daylight with my coffee and go outside and wait and see. I feel that is the best time and the truest test for my area. I have hopes for an oct. hummer if they dont leave before then, it would be a first for me.

As soon as I start thinking about moving plants indoors one shows up!

I have two left in Southern Indiana - down from 6. They are both FAT. It's funny to see how much slower they fly around now - almost as if they are struggling to keep aloft. :) My mom had one at her house this morning hanging upside down in a state of torpor. It looked like it was hanging by one toe.

I just wish I could vacation down to Southern Mexico/Central America with them. :)

Question for you guys - do you think that a Rubythroat's "home" is down south, or up North where they have their babies? My thinking is the latter.

-Chad

Im still having 4 or 5 and most of these are fat, in fact more than once I have one rest on a black and blue branch while trying to feed from a flower.

As far as the home question goes, I would like to think it was up north, but considering we only get them 5/6 mo and the rest of time down south its up in the air. Im going to cop out and say the hummers home is where it is at the time.

Hey hummersteve,

I'm afraid the last of ours left this morning... (from St.Louis). Maybe they'll stop by your place on the way to wherever they're going for the winter.

I miss them already... :[

Kenn

I look out my window every morning about 6AM thinking they won't be here anymore. I peer out again & there they are. Still about 4 left here. Going out in the yard early tomorrow with the binocs & see if these are still part of the regulars or if a new bunch. Seems like my regulars always sat on the same couple branches & a couple got used to me moving around. The last 3 weeks or so, they still sit in the same general locations but not as habitual as before, leading me to believe they are different ones. Noticed & recorded some with pretty good identifying marks so I'll be interesting to see if my same one's come back like I hear they do. Some are very fat; others pretty slim but the skinny's appear like young ones. Sister across street said she still saw about 6 this morning. Figures too, the sages & agastaches are still growing & beautiful.

I hope they are on the way to Texas. My 3 regulars plus several new ones from a couple of weeks ago have vanished for no apparent reason other than early flight plans. I was expecting them to hang around here a little longer. For at least 3 weeks we had some serious aerial battles going. I miss them. I am keeping my 5 feeders full of fresh nectar in hopes that the northeners pass through.
Sherry

Kenn--- IM afraid Im about 5hrs north of you so Im sure someone else will get the benefit of your hummers. But Im hearing there are still hummers north of me.

The one I was so worried about is now gone ...saw him last yesterday around noon. This am I had one but it was a passerby....I could tell it was not the same one i had..........and when he flew off he flew way up and headed south........I will so dearly miss them and pray they all make it down south ok.