Sass - Where are you in Lakeland? I live here too and seeing an Allen's is very rare. I don't know if you know Joe M who lives in Christina but he had one a couple winters ago. Our area usually gets hummers starting around now as migrants and then those that come in Jan. or so stay through till about April. A few of us here in Lakeland have had banders come and band and id the birds as part of a 10 year study to see where they migrate to in the summer. If you are interested, please let me know and I can get in touch with one of them. Rufous are similiar to Allens, and friend and I both had one last winter. Please contact me through GW. I also posted about recording sightings through Audubon. I am not doubting your id of your bird, just really excited cause I know it is unsual for them to be here. I know it is something that should be documented. Congrats on your hummers!

Oh man dont tell me that lol We just went out and bought a new patio table set.. all set to to sit outside and watch! got the feeders ready!! Its slowly warming up here but not fast enough! One day its in the 30s the next in the50s! It just makes me itch...... we want so badly to get the feeders up!! lol So.. all you sountherners.. send'em on up!!! :)

We do have a butterflygardener and a buttterfly(with three t's) gardener, I think. I always have to try to remember which is which, too. And congratulations, Nancy. The thing about hummers is, if you aren't standing RIGHT there, LOOKING, when they zip in and out again, you can miss them. Sometimes they feed for awhile in front of you, but many times they are moving from spot to spot VERY quickly, and then they swoop up into a tree so fast your eye can't follow them. I think often, until you get them coming to a certain plant or feeder regularly, you just aren't looking the right direction at the exact moment they pop in. It helps when you can hear them humming. Seriously...the wings aren't always loud enough to hear, but if you are working and hear a buzzing little hum close by, then it makes you look up and catch them. When they are more silent, it is even easier to miss them. Nancy, now that you know for sure they have found your firebush, check it every time you go out and frequenly while you are working, and you may begin to notice them more and more. Mine feed more on my russelia and firespike, and then they swoooooooop up into the bamboo to sit and preen. Dontcha just love 'em? Marcia

Went to Home Depot this am, bough a feeder, red geranium and pink penstemon. Then off to a local nursery and got some foxgloves and Indian pinks. Planted them all today and thought I saw the hummer flying away when I went outside.I made the sugar water, too. Hopefully it will come back!