Naples Park Collier County

[sperki]

A Ruby Throat hummingbird showed up on the 13th. No feeders were out and most flowers had been stripped away by Irma. We had just driven back the day before and spotted her flying around where the butterfly garden used to be. I mixed up some sugar water and hung a few feeders. She's been at them every day since. She must have had a wild time in the storm.

Sep 24th update:  Another Ruby Throat showed up a couple days later and have been sharing, with minimal territorial struggles, the feeders I have spread throughout the yard.  Just now starting to see some flowers coming back on the Firebush plants.

OCT 5th update:  I was able to get a confirmed visual on at least 3 RTs all at the same time today.  Lots of action around the feeders today.  More flowers appearing each week.  My Red Fires Spike (consistently a favorite of theirs) has a bract with some color and a Popcorn Vine also shows some flowers.  Starting to notice more insect activity too since the hurricane (Irma).  It's been a while since I've walked through nats and the like.  Guessing my RT guests are glad to see that also.

MAR 23rd 2018 update:  Coming to the end of what I term this Southwestern Florida 2017/2018 season.  This is my fourth year of attempts to make my yard appealing to hummers and have been successful to some extent.  Only a single FRT hung around until now.  She has been recently joined by one confirmed MRT and today another FRT.  This has been typical of all past seasons as the migration North progresses.  If things go as in previous seasons, I expect to see these newcomers and maybe a couple others over the next 30 days or so.  By the middle of APRIL they are all usually gone.  I keep the feeders up and fresh for another month just in case but as the summer hits it will be late August before I expect to see activity again.  They hit the feeders all day long but are normally most active in the morning and late afternoon.  It is 3:30 now and as I sit here typing this I am watching them dart around my back yard.  They favor my two Firespike plants (one red and one purple), they also enjoy the dozen Firebush plants scattered around the yard,  I planted a Candycane Vine last year and they are at it all the time now that the Firespikes are past their bloom.  We see them at our front window nectaring at a Star Jasmine plant which also has Firebush plants on either side of it.  I really enjoy my efforts for and experiences with our hummers. 

I have been a little jealous since returning from a trip we took to Colombia in February.  There were so many hummingbirds it amazed me.  When I asked if they were there all year round I was told yes but that the population varied with Colombia's wet/dry season and normal migrations.  They also told me that at peak seasons (which February wasn't) it is common to hear people refer to the hummingbirds as "thick as flies" there are so many.   

[sperki]

Reply to my own post concerning this season (Aug 2017 to Mar 2018) down here in Naples, FL.

I've had a respectable number of Ruby Throat sightings this period in addition to my wintering over FRT.
Even in spite of Hurricane Irma wiping out lots of plants.  It definitely takes work and attention. 

Neighbors only blocks from me call with their frustrations in not
being able to have these wonderful visitors in their yards.  Just pulling a little information from them I
usually find that.
 
1.  Their feeders are not regularly filled and maintained for cleanliness.
2.  Very little or no plants in or near their yards or next to their yards that would attract hummers.

It's taken me four years to create my little slice of Hummingbird Paradise here in Naples Park, Naples FL
Keep trying everyone.  It is worth the effort.

[zeta7]

Well, it seems your doing everything right. I have one bird year round. He's a mean lil squirt an runs every other bird off. I don't understand why we don't have more birds year round, we have the plants...nobody will answer this question for me.

[sperki]

I have followed several other websites that provide seasonal migration maps and information as well as sites about banding of these little creatures.

I'd say we are just not in the primary migration path and what visitors we do get are some of natures wayward stragglers.
Over time some of these stragglers decided to winter over and maybe the same stragglers return to our area.

If this link works, take a look at good ole Florida. It looks like there is a definite line from Tampa to New Smyrna Beach (roughly) where sightings
north are more plentiful than south. Just the edge of the migration path I guess. www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/humm_ruby_spring2018.html

[zeta7]

Thanks for that link. It just seems to me with all the flowers we have they would be here in numbers year round. I'm wondering if maybe it's a little to hot for the little fellers.