|
Post by Joe M on Sept 30, 2012 17:21:04 GMT -5
Great pictures young lady. The males get too much attention with their stunning gorget. Joe M. Lakeland
|
|
|
Post by marthaloul on Sept 30, 2012 20:52:01 GMT -5
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing photographs!!!
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on Oct 28, 2012 21:22:56 GMT -5
Still seeing hummers everyday...in the feeders and in the flowers
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on Dec 21, 2012 12:34:09 GMT -5
I have had an immature male and a female fighting over the feeder all morning. I have seen them tusseling on the ground about four times! It's not an ordinary fight where one chases the other away because they have been in close proximity all morning; even now they are both in the right far corner of the yard. Both have been on the feeder at the same time; more often one is on the feeder and the other is visiting flowers blooming around the feeder. (cuphea, passionvine, peavine, pentas)
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on Dec 21, 2012 12:35:19 GMT -5
The hummers are rubies.
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on Dec 28, 2012 13:29:22 GMT -5
Love the cold fronts! Added two more immature Ruby-throated males, to my group of hummers. 3 Adults, 3 Immature and one adult female. The immatures as expected have been arguing with the residents about feeder 'rights but are still getting in their sips. Joe M. Lakeland
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on Jan 6, 2013 14:25:15 GMT -5
Female Ruby-throat photo taken today, before the clouds settled in. Also confirmed that one of my males does have a band which would indicate he may probably be a return from last winter. Love the winters here in FL with at least a few hummers around to watch for and enjoy! Joe M. Lakeland Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by moboston on Jan 7, 2013 17:41:11 GMT -5
While the Rufous has the back yard to himself, this gal has found a feeder I hung in the front yard. I can't see it from inside so I wasn't sure anyone was using it, then today, she has been sitting in the orange tree then going down to the feeder hanging in the tree. I think she is the one that was using the feeder on the other side of the pool from where the Rufous is but she seems happy with her own part of the yard. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on Jan 24, 2013 14:38:13 GMT -5
The cooler temps have brought two new hummers to my yard, no pictures as yet! Both are immature males, one with about 1/4" of color in his gorget, the other is about 1/2 filled with his adult ruby feathers. Nice to see some new birds taking advantage of the feeders in spite of the worst bee problem I have had in years, probably the worst ever!! Joe M Lakeland
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on Jan 27, 2013 17:36:24 GMT -5
Have a photo of one of my new arrivals. A probable Rufous, in heavy molt, and not the way I think he will look in another month. If its not a Rufous I'll be "eating crow", but Im fairly certain! Joe M. Lakeland Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on Feb 2, 2013 20:20:41 GMT -5
I only saw one hummer yesterday and none today. VERY unusual. Did everyone else in Lakeland see normal hummer activity, or did you see less in the last several days? I wonder if it's just the change in the weather or did they leave? I'll be watching tomorrow and Monday to try and figure out what has happened.
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on Feb 3, 2013 9:37:45 GMT -5
'lilly, Still seeing the same regulars in my yard. Only missing bird the past 3-4 days is an immature male RT who has consistently been an irregular visitor! Joe M.
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on Feb 5, 2013 12:36:12 GMT -5
This morning I saw a male RT hummer in the feeder in the front yard; in the back yard I saw another hummer perched near the fence and heard a third one in the tree. I've seen the male several times today and once yesterday. Mostly I was gone from home yesterday, so he may have been there a lot more and I just wasn't here to see him.
I wonder if the dry weather is affecting the hummers.
Lilly
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on Feb 5, 2013 18:00:24 GMT -5
Looked up and there he was perched on a support rod for a feeder outside our “garden room”. An Adult Male Rufous! Grabbed the first camera I could find, not the best along with the lens that was not the best and hoped he would let me take a photo. Was nice enough to stay for about a minute so I could get a photo. Never know when a ‘nice one will show up! Joe M. Lakeland Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on Feb 6, 2013 18:38:33 GMT -5
Another photo: This guy comes around in the early morning and then again before sunset. Photo was taken a bit after 6PM and he was not even interested in chasing an immature RT that was feeding about 8" below him. Interesting! Joe M. Lakeland Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on Feb 7, 2013 15:49:31 GMT -5
Another photo taken today which shows a bit of his gorget coloration! Joe M. Lakeland, FL Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on Feb 11, 2013 14:22:08 GMT -5
Joe, the hummers are coming to the aspect feeder in the flowerbed next to the sunroom, and bluebirds are showing an interest in our birdbird house.
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on Feb 11, 2013 14:35:22 GMT -5
Glad to hear about the hummers and I suspect the bluebirds should find your mix of open space and tree cover very suitable for them. Joe M. Lakeland
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on Feb 16, 2013 11:08:39 GMT -5
Guess who has bluebirds AND hummers!! Me!!
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on Apr 21, 2013 12:50:53 GMT -5
It's April 21, 2013, at 1:49 PM. I still have hummers. I'm not sure how many, but there are more than one. And at least one is a very pretty mature male RT.
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on Apr 21, 2013 12:51:42 GMT -5
Update on the bluebirds. They are reworking their nest for a second brood!
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on Apr 21, 2013 15:41:02 GMT -5
Your a lucky gal, I have not seen but one in the past two weeks and that was only for the afternoon, no show since then! Still have a couple of feeders up but am about ready to take them down. Joe M. Lakeland
|
|
|
Post by sharonb on Apr 23, 2013 11:51:24 GMT -5
I'm seeing one FRT daily visiting feeder and red shrimp plant. saw two birds squabbling a few days ago and watched one hummer do a dance over the elms. haven't seen a male in a while at the feeder.
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on Apr 23, 2013 23:50:25 GMT -5
My friend who lives off Ewell has RT hummers in her feeders and flowers still. Yesterday she had two hummers drinking from a single feeder...one perched and one hovering to drink. This was late in the day near dark.
|
|
|
Post by sharonb on May 2, 2013 9:05:55 GMT -5
was happy to see activity at the feeder this morning around 7:30. saw 2 separate feedings, don't know if it's the same bird, probably a female couldn't see gorget. I've been seeing hummers at least once every day either at feeder or shrimp plant. certainly not as much traffic as a few weeks ago.
|
|
|
Post by ocalawatcher on May 2, 2013 18:20:18 GMT -5
So I just happened upon these posts about RT Hummers in your area. I live in Ocala, FL and will have Hummers all summer, but I do not have any from November until about the last week of March. I have a friend in the Clearwater area who just started putting up feeders a few weeks ago hoping to get Hummers this summer. But it sounds like they migrate out of that area for the summer? Can anyone shed some light on that area for me? My friend has had one sighting at a feeder last week and that is it. Will that be it fr this season? I just assumed that area would get them all year long.
|
|
|
Post by Joe M on May 3, 2013 11:40:20 GMT -5
'ocalawatcher, FYI, Just from my observations I would offer the following: I use I-4 or Orlando as the dividing line and north of the line one should expect to see more Ruby-throated year round, but fewer in the winter months. Since the frost line (freezing temps) occur more often with the loss of flowering plants the wintering hummers depend on our feeders in northern FL. South of the line we are more likely to have hummers in the winter months and very few in the summer although some folks do have a few. My yard normally hosts a half dozen during the winter months but during the summer I only see an occasional one or two but they never use my feeders, preferring the abundance of natural flowers flowers. Hope this helps, Joe M. Lakeland
|
|
|
Post by brenda on May 18, 2013 9:15:28 GMT -5
I have had my feeders up for seven years or so in south Lakeland and refill them every week. We have Hummers all year round, however as soon as the cold weather goes away and Spring hits they disappear for about four to six weeks then they always return. I have always assumed they were nesting somewhere nearby so I continue to keep the feeders fresh during that time just in case they need a drink. I did see two the other day hitting the shrimp plant but they have not yet made their big return yet. I have to say I feel so lucky that I am able to enjoy them all year on an all day basis other than their spring fling each year. It does seem like forever though during that time because I clean and refill the feeders every week and await their return and when they do it makes me soooooo happy to see them. Love my Hummers so much!
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on May 24, 2013 8:35:24 GMT -5
I still have hummers...at least one female who is feeding frequently on the firebush, shrimp plant, cuphea, firecracker and other plants.
|
|
|
Post by lilyopath on May 24, 2013 8:39:15 GMT -5
Nearly forgot to post two sightings on Ana Maria Island last week. One female RT hummer was spotted on Ave E, about a quarter mile from Walgreen's. The other, a male RT, was spotted in the trees on the bayside of southern most AMI.
|
|