We don't usually see them here but had a few this past winter. They are always a welcome guest.

We stopped by a quilt ladies house in the Soddy Daisy area of Tenn a few year back. She had a few hummingbird feeders & plants. She must have had a dozen hummingbirds in her yard. It was quite a sight!

I don't usually see humming birds until around Oct through to Mar or so. They aren't here in the hotter months. This seems to be the mocking birds time. And I love the antics of those little guys, they chase the crows twice their size all over the place.

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.

Red tubular flowers planted in a group will bring the hummers in. I have three hummers that aggressively fight over my little yard and they always zero in on the larger plants first, such as my bed of Tropical Salvia, Pentas or Firebush. Once in the beds, they will move to the smaller, more isolated flowers, like the crocosmia. I have also seen them go to my Mexican Sunflower, but it is always the reds that get visited first.

Great advise on the feeders in the heat. I have seen this humming bird around my red canna's. Been out of pocket for a few days and haven't had a chance to see if it's back. Will keep checking.

juneroses Z9a Cntrl Fl

He/she stopped by the canna and then whizzed by. Didn't stay long either day.

Cannas are very good hummingbird plants, and red is their favorite color. The more hummer-plants you have the longer they will stay and the more hummers will come to visit you. If you would like more suggestions on the best plants to attract them let us know the space you have available and the soil/sun conditions.

Glad to see that you are enjoying the hummingbird. They are spectacular little birds. The more we plant for them the more likely it is that they will return and multiply here in Florida.

I saw a hummer in my north tampa yard 2 days ago on the fire bush.

First hummers I've seen in my Sarasota yard all year for some reason. I've seen two with their posturing antics two days this last week. They were fighting over the red ruellias and the justicia 'orange flame'. Lots of red firespike in another part of my yard right now. That may have been what's attracted them. In the past I would see them in March-May, and again in August-October. Frequently on the tall pink pentas. This year was different. Could also be I didn't notice them.

Want to put up a hummer feeder here is the formula:

1. The formula is one part sugar ( not honey) to four parts hot water. You don't need to add food color.

2. The formula must be replaced every 3-4 days if the temperature is above 80 degrees. That's because at higher temps the formula can ferment.

3. Before refilling the feeder wash it with hot water and soap and rinse it well. The feeder can be soaked in a 10% bleach solution if molds grows on it. Be sure to rinse well.

4. The feeders can stay up until all hummers have left the area in the fall. It's not true that leaving the feeders up will stop them from migrating.