Feeder Cleaning Time Question

[ray]

I currently own one multi-place dish-shaped feeder and try to clean it frequently. That means about every 5-6 days until the temps get into the 80s regularly, or if I look and it appears it needs cleaning earlier.

I've done this many times, but today was the first time that I've observed birds visit the feeder hanger and not have the feeder there. Three birds were there at one time and one of them took quite some time looking around before flying off.

Are they likely to come back to the feeder, or will they need to "discover" it again?

Ray

[Joe M]

Ray,
Tey will check back several times a day over a period of several days, from my observations in the past. I have 8 spots that I hang feeders in the winter but rarely use more than 4 at any one time. Primarily for photo purposes using natural light. Lighting changes as the sun either gets lower or higher as the days get shorter or longer.
You might try having a second feeder so that one is always up while the other is out of service for cleaning or refilling. The ones that don't need to be cleaned I just rinse and refill which only takes 3-4 minutes and the hummers are usuall waiting to feed as soon as I put it back up!
Joe M.
Lakeland

[Steve Backes]

Ray,

I would assume that if the birds recognized the hanger as food, then they are likely residents and will be back. If they are migrants that have been around just a few days, they may have been ready to leave anyway.

Steve