Incredible Hummingbird Phenomena

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA

13 years ago

I had the most incredible thing happen in my yard last evening. I have lots of Annas in my yard (maybe 10 to 15 at any given time) as I've got tons of great plants for them here (many sages, penstemons, native California plants, etc.), plus several feeders. And, the Annas stay all year round. Or so I thought. Around 4:00 pm yesterday, I looked out my kitchen window, where I have 2 hummingbird feeders and an oriole feeder, plus 2 more feeders on the other side of my walkway, by our two-tier pond. So, lots of feeders. All around the feeder closest to the window (and very interestingly, the first feeder I ever hung), were about 50 hummingbirds. I looked past the feeder, and there had to be at least another 50 or so, buzzing all around, waiting to get at this feeder. There were so many hummers, they were sitting 2 to 3 on a perch, trading off using the little feeding flower port! Males sitting with males, many males at the feeder together. It looked a little like a swarm of gigantic green bumble bees! Some would venture over to other feeders, but they ALL wanted this one feeder. I hung this feeder in the fall of 2009, and it was the only feeder up for about maybe 4 to 6 months. I am wondering if these are all progeny of my original hummers that fall, and that they all went somewhere south, and are now returning!?! And their parents have communicated about THIS feeder?? I have never, ever seen anything like this! This evening, I still had quite a few, but not the 100+ I had yesterday evening. At least, not all at once! Anyone familiar with the migratory habits of Anna's? It was a sight to see!

Patty S.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

christie_sw_mo
13 years ago
We don't have Annas here but just wanted to say I'm jealous. I can't imagine! You need to keep a video camera handy.
bettyjean-2008
12 years ago
I live in southern Illinois and have had bunches of hummers at one feeder with others waiting to feed on that feeder, not hundreds tho, but maybe 10 or 12 just in the same manner you mentioned, this happened in the fall, I guess they were getting ready to migrate, they seem to know that they all need enough energy to get where they are going.
Related Discussions
Hummingbird Moths
Q
Comments (30)
Does anyone have any ideas on saving our tobacco hornworm moths? In November, indoors? We've been told by a butterfly expert that they WON'T eat indoors, and they don't seem to be eating, despite: * a hummingbird feeder, with official butterfly food, and we glued a fake petunia on the end of the tube, so it hopefully looked kinda like something they'd try to eat from. If they used it, we were asleep and didn't see it. They sleep all day. * I've brought in some petunias from the window box (amazingly, they're still blooming the day after Thanksgiving!) * I've put liquid official butterfly food in a clean washcloth, nudged one up to it, and it chose to climb further up on the washcloth, last night. (2/3 of his/her right wings are gone, so he'll never hover again.) * I bought them some Stargazer lilies, (probably not their proper food) * They're in the guest bedroom (so the cats don't get at them again) where there's a Mandevilla flower -- big pink flowers, petunia-shaped. I'm going to try mounting the hummingbird feeder so that they reach it from the Mandevilla pot, where they may feel comfortable, blending in with the soil. Don't know if being on soil is good for them, either. But what do I do with them? This is late November; they can't be active in the usually 40+ degree temperatures out there, and there's very little blooming out there for them to eat. (They came indoors because, as caterpillars, they were on a tomato plant that we brought inside when it was likely to frost overnight, and we let them and their 6 sibs eat it ALL up. Most of their sibs crawled away after we put the pot back outside when the weather warmed up, and the tomato was out of leaves). At least these 2 pupated in the pot and came out 3 days ago. They will probably die soon, since they're probably not getting anything to eat. Funny--as caterpillars, they ate all day -- except when they saw us watching. Eventually they lost their fear of us, and ate when we were looking at them. Now, they want out! Little do they know. Another interesting thing: wild moths do not let you pick them up. These don't seem to have the usual fear of me. BEFORE they lost their ability to fly, when their wings had had many hours or a whole day to dry, they let me pick them up -- maybe they remember something from their past lives. Anyway, we're going to crazy lengths to try to give them their normal (2-week?) adult lifespan. Can anyone propose other means to get them to eat? Thanks!
...See More
Hummingbird clearwings - good news / bad news
Q
Comments (19)
I was too late. I got home late last night so I decided to move them off the bush this morning. But they had already pupated! They were munching away last night when I went to bed but when I checked on them this morning, 3 of the 4 were gone. I always mulch my pots to help retain moisture and when I did some careful poking around, I found two of them in the mulch. I'm guessing the third is there too but I didn't want to disturb them too much. I did move the fourth one into a container but I'm guessing it will pupate soon, based on it's size. I'm thinking that after a few weeks, I can carefully pull the pupae out of the mulch before I plant the bush? Strange that you haven't seen many this year Elisabeth because I'm seeing more than I have ever seen before. I've also seen the snowberry but not as often. I thought you might find this amusing .... the potted nanny berry came from Cox! It was one of the free plants given to the members a few years ago. A friend has been growing it in the pot and decided she didn't have room for it and she knows my affinity for natives so she gave it to me.
...See More
Hummingbird Spring Migration 2010
Q
Comments (89)
Claire is correct - it's the timing. Excerpt from hummingbirds.net "Where did my hummers go? You watched the migration maps and hung your feeder in time to attract the first migrants. You kept the feeder clean and the syrup fresh, and were rewarded by lots of visits from migrants, then the activity settled down to regular appearances by the resident birds. Pretty cool hobby, eh? Then, perhaps in early May (depending on your latitude)... NO MORE HUMMERS! Where'd they all go? This didn't happen last year! Or did it? Welcome to the nesting season, folks. I'll discuss Ruby-throats in particular, but similar principles probably apply to most other species. Shortly after arriving, the females establish a nesting territory. Ruby-throats prefer secluded wetlands for nesting, if available, and proximity to your feeder is not an issue; in fact, females don't like to build nests in a male's feeding territory, and your feeder is probably part of one. Visits to distant feeders take too much time away from the eggs. When the chicks hatch, they need protein to grow, not sugar, so their mother spends most of her time catching small insects and spiders for them. During this period, I personally still see a male or two at my feeders, but typically only early or late in the day. I suspect that once their breeding duties are over, males tend to abandon territories and forage more widely to fatten up for migration. After the chicks fledge (leave the nest), expect the number of hummers at your feeder to be double what it was before the "disappearance." As summer progresses, there will be fewer natural hummingbird food sources available in many parts of the continent; feeders can have a real positive impact on the number of birds that survive, especially in the dry Midwestern U.S., so please keep them clean and fresh. And keep notes on your tiny visitors, if you like, so you can verify for yourself that this is a normal, annual process." I checked my photo library and all of my backyard hummers were photographed in July, August, and Sept. Been a long spring. Thank you, Claire. Kindly, Jane Here is a link that might be useful: hummingbirds.net
...See More
Behind the Scenes of 'Hummingbirds' on PBS ...
Q
Comments (3)
Have any of you been following Phoebe on the video cam? Lin posted it in Conversations. Her first egg hatched yesterday, and the second one should hatch tomorrow. I have enjoyed being able to see a baby hummingbird as I doubt I will ever have the opportunity locally.
...See More
hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author
12 years ago
Betty, I think what I see is the exact opposite of what I see :-) You see them going, and then I see some of my Anna's coming back from Central America. Many of my Anna's stay all year 'round here, because we have very warm summers, but still I think some of them do migrate further south. And, in the spring at this time is when I also see Rufous and Black-Chinned in the mix. It was amazing. I'm going to buy a camcorder so I can film it next spring!

Patty S.
seafire1
12 years ago
Maybe your cell phone takes video?
hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author
12 years ago
I do seafire, but 3 minutes and hand-held cell phone just didn't do a very good job. I think I need to be ready to set up a camcorder on a tripod, and then work it remotely, so I don't scare them away. I should be able to stand right inside my kitchen door, and then operate the camera. At least, that's my plan for next spring!

Patty S.
bettyjean-2008
12 years ago
hoosierquilt, you are so lucky to have them all year.
hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author
12 years ago
Yes we are :-) Anna's, Rufuous, Costa's, Broadbilled and Allen's are all seen pretty regularly in our area, and pretty much all year 'round. Our #1 hummer is the Anna, followed by the Costa, and they are both here all the time. I have 5 feeders up on my side yard, as well as many plants that support them as well. Pretty busy hummer place, here, lol!

Patty S.
dreamgarden
12 years ago
PLEASE post a pic of this special feeder!
zzackey
12 years ago
Wow! We only have two birds. I'd love to see that many! They really love the new feeders we bought at Ace hardware. They have huge red flowers and yellow bee guards. Is this feeder of yours alot different in some way than the others? Maybe it is closer to a tree or some place they feel safer?
hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author
12 years ago
No, actually. It's just a plain old jar feeder with 3 red flowers that have white perches. And yellow centers (best to avoid anything yellow on your feeders if possible, as this is what attracts bees and wasps). I just think it had to do with this feeder being the FIRST feeder I put up. I have 4 other feeders within a 25 foot radius of this one feeder. None of these migratory hummers were particularly interested in any of those. They did occasionally check them out, but it was this one silly feeder they all tried to get to, 2 and 3 to a little perch, with several hovering over each perch. It was pretty crazy. I will definitely get a video camera and get it set up on a tripod, and stand inside my slider door with a remote control to film this in January of next year. I'm sure I'll see something similar. I'll post a link to the video on You Tube if I can get good footage.

Patty S.

Incredible Hummingbird Phenomena

Comments (10)

christie_sw_mo

bettyjean-2008

Related Discussions

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author

seafire1

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author

bettyjean-2008

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author

dreamgarden

zzackey

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Incredible Hummingbird Phenomena

Comments (10)

christie_sw_mo

bettyjean-2008

Related Discussions

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CAOriginal Author

seafire1

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CAOriginal Author

bettyjean-2008

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CAOriginal Author

dreamgarden

zzackey

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CAOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author