I saw one yesterday too. It surprised me. I don't think I've seen them in October before. I don't have any feeders filled but I have lots of salvia blooming. I have only seen one tanager in my life several years ago when we were in Branson. I think it was a Summer Tanager. I thought it seemed as red as a cardinal but slightly smaller and no crest. There are also Scarlet Tanagers that are bright red with black wings. Could it have been one of those Ceresone? Here is a link that might be useful: Summer Tanager

I live in Washington State. I have two feeders and it is winter right now. It has been VERY cold, down in the teens. How often do I change the feeders? I have a little humming bird that is still here living in the big bush across the street. I see him every now and then and he is just sitting on a little branch in an opening in the bush. I have put White Christmas lights on the patio I leave on 24-7 to have a warm area at night if he knows to come and take advantage of it. I made a little cup nest out of Lab stone like the one I saw at my mother-in-laws house one year. I put it up as high as I could and made a few leaves to shield it from the wind He probably has a fine place over across the street. I put grass in it that grew from the bird seed feeder this fall. Guess I better clean that one out. Anyway. Is there anything I can put out to help this little guy make it through this cold time?? Thank you in advance anybody.

The one I have (blew down during a storm, many years ago) looks like the one IndianaKat posted, only it has many bits of lichen all over the outside. The spider web usage also allows the nest to expand as the babies need more room, they are wonders to behold! We found an egg under a feeder one day- about the size of a jellybelly jellybean, broken. We let the ants clean it up and it stayed glued to the rail all summer long. It was a great topic of conversation.

I second June's advice about feeders this time of year. I take mine down during the hot summer months. Mostly the hummer ignore them and it is a chore keeping them clean and not allowing the sugar-water to get mold or other undesirable stuff. Not sure where you live, although you do say zone 9a. There is a very rough line in Central Florida where hummers are seen mostly in the winter months or mostly in the summer. As a very broad generalization, areas south of Orlando tend to see hummers mostly in the winter months while those north of Orlando tend to see them in the spring and summer. There is much more to be said here, though. A saying that we use often is "plant for them and you will get them." If you put out enough plants that humming birds use they will eventually find them and you will see them. They are most active at dawn, dusk and right after thunderstorms. Those are the best times to look for them.