Hi Gary, Unfortunately I don't have any vireyas at the moment, but I did grow them when we lived in Miami. Unfortunately I gave them away when we moved, but I do plan on growing them again as soon as I get some sort of a shade house where I can give them some winter protection as I am not too sure about the cold snaps we get here - although if coconut palms grow you are supposed to be able to grow vireyas. When I grew them I had all hybrids except for a macgregoriae, as I think they are much easier in all this heat than the species and of course I stuck to low altitude crosses. I bought all my plants by mail-order from Bovees in Portland, Oregon. Very good quality plants and service etc. Another good source is Pacific Island Nursery in Hawaii - I have not bought from them, but a friend has and again excellent plants and service and prices not bad. I just love the flowers and the colors and really want to try some leucogigas hybrids as this flower is so big and beautiful. Although it is a high altitude plant I am hoping that when hybridized with something low altitude, the progeny might be more heat tolerant. Do you have any? I am really looking forward to getting some more and trying Pacific Island Nursery, although Bovees have some on sale at various times of the year. Pacific Island Nursery is also the seed bank for vireyas, so you can buy seed from them very cheaply. I grew some from seed once with no problems. I had them covered with glad rap to create a mini green-house in bright light but not direct sun. I forgot that the sun had moved lower in the sky and ended up cooking all my little seedlings.

I just moved to SE Alabama from Orlando a few weeks ago. I put out a feeder Monday night and 5 minutes later a hummingbird came to it!!! Couldn't believe it! I think I scared him away because I got so excited. Do you know of any nurseries in area that carry a lot of hummingbird and butterfly garden plants. I am a big gardener for both and haven't found much plant wise so far. Thanks, Tarilyn

Ann, The males head out first because they're done first. They do not help with the young at all. Their sole job in the summer is to fertilize eggs and chase off all who aren't in that picture. Once the females are on the nest with eggs, the males begin fattening up for migration. The females are left to incubate the eggs and then raise them to fledge on their own. With all of the time and effort going into creating the eggs and protecting them until the young fledge, they don't have to time to build their own reserves up for migration. Often times, a female will raise more then one brood of eggs. The young from the first brood will be ready to migrate when the adult males begin migration and the final brood should be ready to migrate by the time the females migrate. The females are likely to be at a deficit in body fat by the time they've created eggs and then cared for the young, so it will take a while to build enough fat to begin migration. They will nearly double their weight before departing. Banding data shows that they will go from between 2.5 and 3 grams to almost 6 grams. This also accounts for why sometimes there is quite a difference in size of two birds of the same species. Hope this answers your question. The hummer activity in my yard has picked up over the past couple of weeks. The banded female Rufous arrived for her 6th year on August 15th. I'm seeing at least 3 adult males and one young male Ruby-throat who appear to be claiming territories for the winter. We're going to attempt to trap the Rufous on Saturday to verify the number on her band. Click on the link below to visit my webpage. Follow the links to view a blog on the activity in my yard, and various photos of my yard and past balcony, birds, and a hummingbird banding session. Steve in Valrico, FL Here is a link that might be useful: Blog of Hummingbird Activity in my Yard

Finally saw my first one at the feeder. Southern Conn here.