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Post by seanpensacola on Mar 18, 2014 19:17:15 GMT -5
Hello all, I'm Sean in Pensacola, Fl. I found this site on my first search for information on Hummingbirds. My wife and I are new to this subject and I felt the best place to start is here with you enthusiasts.
Many years ago I put feeders out occasionally at our last house which was also here in Pensacola but I do not remember what seasons or months they were active. Last Fall, I think it was October or thereabout I noticed activity in our yard so I immediately ran out and picked up a couple of feeders. Before we knew it we had a lot of activity. Back to the store, more feeders, and by the time the birds moved on we had 6 around the property and all were extremely busy. It was awesome to watch and I felt good about the luck I had.
My main question for now is this: Don't these birds come through our area more than once a year? I'm wondering if and when I should start putting the feeders out. Is there a chance of having any show up in the near future?
Thank you in advance for any help.
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Post by Steve Backes on Mar 18, 2014 19:50:21 GMT -5
Hi Sean,
They are migrating through now. They begin moving north in late February or early March.
You have the opportunity to attract hummingbirds all year in Pensacola. They can be very local, breeding in some areas but not others and wintering in select areas. Many of the wintering birds are species other than Ruby-throteds.
Steve
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Post by seanpensacola on Mar 19, 2014 9:10:48 GMT -5
OK, thank you!I'll get started today.
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Post by Deb on Mar 29, 2014 18:13:58 GMT -5
Just bought a feeder today, forgetting that I don't live in Ohio any more! Maybe I can see a few straggelers.
Steve, what could I do to attract them through the summer?
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Post by Steve Backes on Mar 29, 2014 20:32:35 GMT -5
Deb, a lot depends on where you are. In general, south of Tampa is not likely to have "summering/breeding" hummingbirds (but may still be possible). Local habitat depends on if you will see summering birds.
Hang a feeder and add hummingbird friendly plants is the best short term advise for anywhere, especially during migration.
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Post by Deb on Mar 30, 2014 14:35:02 GMT -5
Thanks Steve-
I live in Pensacola. I bought some red flowering plants (verbena and salvia) to plant under the tree that the feeder is in. We'll see!
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Post by Joe M on Mar 31, 2014 16:52:46 GMT -5
Thanks Steve- I live in Pensacola. I bought some red flowering plants (verbena and salvia) to plant under the tree that the feeder is in. We'll see! Deb, I envy you for living in the Pensacola area, since you have the opportunity to observe western hummingbirds during the winter months. Upwards of 9 species or more hewv been observed and doctumented during the winter in the Panhandle of Fl, and that includes the Pensacola area! You may have a couple or two Ruby-throated that may be around during the summer but most are further north in places like Ohio. You need to readjust your thinking and realize that you will probably have more hummingbird activity in the winter months in Pensacola. But if you consider that you have probably not seen Rufous, Black-chinned, Caliope, Anna's, Buff-bellied or a few others in Ohio you might be patient and be on the lookout for them in the winter months. Don't be disappointed during the summer months but look forward to the winter months and ensure you have at least a couple feeders up from Nov.through Feb., your patience may be very rewarding. You will not be disappointed! Joe M. Lakeland, Fl |
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Post by Polly on Apr 3, 2014 19:27:33 GMT -5
Hi Sean,
We have lived in Panama City, FL for the past 21 years and have enjoyed a very active and beautiful display of hummingbirds beginning in mid-April through late September. Our feeders are already out but have not seen any activity yet.
We may not experience the beautifully colored ones, but the ones we do are fascinating to watch.
Best of luck “neighbor”!
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Post by Dixie on Apr 13, 2014 12:53:24 GMT -5
Hi Sean
We live in Noma, Fl. It's about 50 miles north of Panama City and about a mile south of the Alabama state line. I put out a feeder in mid March. First there was one.....then two....Went and bought more feeders and put them up. At the moment we have about 4 that we see buzzing around. Most are the Ruby Throated, but I saw one a few minutes ago that has the greenish grey back, and white chest. No red throat. We sit on the porch swing and watch one of them chase the others away from the feeders. Doesn't matter how many feeders we put up. There is one that is really aggressive and chases the others away.
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Post by Deb again on Apr 17, 2014 21:21:57 GMT -5
Success! Maybe the red flowers in the bed under the feeder helped (I added geraniums and petunias to the verbena and salvia), but I have at least one regular visitor to the feeder. I think it's a female ruby throated, but I'm not positive.
Polly, do you also have winter hummingbirds?
Joe, thanks for your post. I'm hoping the ruby-throated sticks around, and I've got my binoculars handy so I can confirm the species. I have a thick stand of bamboo across the back yard with honeysuckle vines climbing in it, which I think the hummingbird likes as well. Looking forward to the winter birds!
Deb
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Post by bayoulife10 on Apr 18, 2014 13:08:05 GMT -5
Hello all, I'm Sean in Pensacola, Fl. I found this site on my first search for information on Hummingbirds. My wife and I are new to this subject and I felt the best place to start is here with you enthusiasts. Many years ago I put feeders out occasionally at our last house which was also here in Pensacola but I do not remember what seasons or months they were active. Last Fall, I think it was October or thereabout I noticed activity in our yard so I immediately ran out and picked up a couple of feeders. Before we knew it we had a lot of activity. Back to the store, more feeders, and by the time the birds moved on we had 6 around the property and all were extremely busy. It was awesome to watch and I felt good about the luck I had. My main question for now is this: Don't these birds come through our area more than once a year? I'm wondering if and when I should start putting the feeders out. Is there a chance of having any show up in the near future? Thank you in advance for any help. Sean, like you I'm somewhat of a novice at feeding hummingbirds and understanding their feeding habits and their migratory patterns. I know this. They will move north through our area in late March into April and May. We have a good number of birds coming through our area now. I live in Santa Rosa Beach, FL just east of Sandestin Resort. The Rufous will head to the northwest and into western Canada and Alaska around the end of February and into March. Rubys will move south starting in late July and continue heading south through September. But, keep your feeders up year-round because we do have birds that winter here. |
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Post by Polly on Apr 19, 2014 17:41:05 GMT -5
The red saliva is always a winner for attracting hummingbirds. I am now seeing four to six hummers each day. I swear two are returns from last year.
Deb, I usually don't see any after late September or mid October and they return in April or a little earlier.
Good luck!
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Post by Joe M on Apr 22, 2014 16:01:15 GMT -5
The red saliva is always a winner for attracting hummingbirds. I am now seeing four to six hummers each day. I swear two are returns from last year. Deb, I usually don't see any after late September or mid October and they return in April or a little earlier. Good luck! Polly, If you spend the winters in Panama City I am very surprised that you don't see hummers during the FL winter months. You may be one of the few that don't. Keep your feeders up during the winter months and I'm sure you'll see them! Joe M. Lakeland, FL |
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Post by bayoulife10 on Apr 23, 2014 10:19:31 GMT -5
The red saliva is always a winner for attracting hummingbirds. I am now seeing four to six hummers each day. I swear two are returns from last year. Deb, I usually don't see any after late September or mid October and they return in April or a little earlier. Good luck! Polly, If you spend the winters in Panama City I am very surprised that you don't see hummers during the FL winter months. You may be one of the few that don't. Keep your feeders up during the winter months and I'm sure you'll see them! Joe M. Lakeland, FL I had several rufous at my feeders this past winter. I live next to Sandestin Resort in Santa Rosa Beach. |
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Post by Glenn S. on Jun 6, 2014 15:44:25 GMT -5
We put our feeder up in mid March-Oct and have for about 5 years. Here in western Tallahassee Fl. several fighting over who gets to eat and when. It is placed just inches from the window that we look out every day (sometimes I put my nose on the window just inches from the birds for a very close look), it is a joy watching them. Sometimes on will hover close to the feeder just guarding it not letting others feed. The only problem we have encountered is wasps running them away or trying to, the wasp will sit on the feeder and the humming bird will feed on the other side by the time the wasp gets to him he moves back to the far side from the wasp and continues feeding. A wonder to watch and very hard to find their nests (about the size of a quarter sometimes built in the Spanish Moss that hangs from the Oaks that are in our area.
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Post by Linda in Pensacola on Sept 26, 2014 0:34:20 GMT -5
Hello,
My husband and I purchased and hung feeders, but until my butterfly plants began blooming, we saw no activity. I've seen green ones recently feeding on our hummingbird plant, but our butterfly plants are attracting little red ones. We've also seen tiny little ones the size of a thumbnail and most of the activity is at sunset. I wish the green ones would come back...they're so pretty!
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Post by Steve Backes on Sept 27, 2014 17:42:39 GMT -5
Linda.
"Little hummingbirds" smaller than a Ruby-throated are most likely sphinx moths (aka Hummingbird moths). Sphinx moths typically fly at dusk and dawn when light is low and you're not able to get a really good look at them. They hover at flowers like a hummingbird so they are often mistaken for one.
The "green ones" are most likely Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Adult males have the red throat (gorget). Using a feeder is not instinctual and needs to be learned by observing other birds using them or just by a chance encounter where the bird pokes its tongue in it to see what's there. Young birds and females lack the red throat. If your bird doesn't have a red throat, it may be a young bird who doesn't understand the feeder. It will with time. Make sure the solution is kept fresh. If the solution has soured when it decides to try the feeder, it will learn that it is not a good source for food.
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suzz
New Member
Posts: 4 
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Post by suzz on Jun 11, 2015 14:28:50 GMT -5
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