I take down our bird feeders in early April. Don’t use Hummer sugar feeders, yet every year they arrive and nest within eyesight of our deck. This year Margo and I were seated one warm late April/early May day on the deck and suddenly a female came right up to us, three feet away, did a U-turn and abruptly departed. It was so gratuitous we knew it was her way of saying “we’re back.” Maybe two weeks later we saw the male, perched in the pin cherry over hanging our deck. He did a strange see-saw, looping back-and-forth repetitive flight pattern between the house and a clump of lillacs, for about one full minute, maybe less. Then gone. While working in our big garden on occasion we hear the hummer sound, transient, without seeing the bird itself. When the bee balm and other big wildflowers start to bloom in earnest in about a month we typically hear and see them every day, as they shift from their insect prey to nectar. From early July (or late June: this year I’ll mark it more carefully) they hang out right on the western edge of the vegetable garden where clusters of mixed flowers are, and stay well into October, a daily presence. On 6/8/14, 7:57 PM, "Lila Ollmann" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I found this info which I will paste instead of link, because I don't know > that you can link from the list... > > Where have all the hummingbirds gone? > What time of year is it? Ruby-throated Hummingbirds occur in the state from > about the second week of March through the second week of November. During > spring migration, especially April and May, you can expect dozens of > individuals at your feeder as they move north across the state. After spring > migration, a smaller number remain to breed. When females begin breeding they > turn to insects and spiders, not nectar, to provide the protein they need to > produce and raise young. They also turn to their preferred natural nectar > sources in the form of abundant wildflowers available in the summer. In July, > they finish nesting and once again begin regularly visiting feeders. In August > and September, fall migration brings an influx of birds from the north. The > stream eventually thins out and ends by November. > > > > On Sun, Jun 8, 2014 at 7:21 PM, Linda D. Thompson > <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> I still have some but the activity has decreased. I've had this happen every >> year and I also assumed that they were on nests and therefore not as active. >> Not sure if my theory is correct. >> >> Sent from my iPad >> >> On Jun 8, 2014, at 5:30 PM, "Connie Snyder" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> >>> Thanks to everyone who has offered theories to my query >>> regarding disappeared hummingbirds. This list is so helpful and >>> heart-warming for amateurs like me. >>> >>> However, today, while visiting a farm on Tucker Hill Road in Thetford, I >>> learned that they had half-a-dozen hummers zooming around their feeder until >>> about a week ago. Now, there are none there either. >>> >>> I have never had this happen before, nor had she. Troubling... >>> >>> Hope there is not a disease going around. >>> >>> Connie Snyder >>> **************************************************************** To post >>> messages, send e-mail to: [log in to unmask] Set your e-mail >>> application to PLAIN TEXT ONLY to post messages. 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