Last week, the hummingbirds crowded four feeders, which led to me filling them twice a day. I had the feeling some were only passing through, had been feeding at other feeders, and after replenishing their energy, were off with their migration.
Early this week, I noticed they were lasting more than a day, so I removed one, and only filled the others halfway. The feeders lasted through the day, and yesterday, I noticed they weren't completely empty at sunset.
This morning, I removed another one, and filled the other two, with one only a small feeder about the size of a jar of baby food. I haven't seen any hummingbirds this morning, so it's obvious most have gone toward South America, where they spend our winter.
It's a beautiful morning. Azure skies, with wispy cirrus to the east. Our first strong cold front passed through during the night, and the high temperature will only be in the low seventies. This will really start the leaves to turning, and it won't be long before most are on the ground; swirling in a stiff north wind.
I'll leave one feeder up. There may be stragglers, and a warm winter may bring some species that are native to the Mexico border area. I hope they come. I like hummingbirds. They brighten up a day.
Here on the Oregon coast (not to be confused with the Communallmette valley), the Rufus Hummers leave for Costa Rica or somewhere, and the Anna's hummers replace them at out our feeders, as they migrate to the coast from the higher elevations in the range. Hummers year round!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they like sugar, and not ribeye. When they're migrating, I can go through 2 pounds of sugar in a few days.
DeleteCarnivorous hummingbirds is horror movie material.
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