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Hometalk is where people share and help with everything home & garden

1
Sharron W
Sharron W Memphis, TN on Sep 11, 2012
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Hummingbird Visitors

We watched Hummingbird Wars last night as eight hummingbirds chashed each other around and around the dead tree that hold my feeders. It was hysterical and the hubby got some photo's and a video....but I'm going to try and get a better video because by the time he started filming it was getting dark and several of them had left.
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    Double drinking
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    Baby's close-up
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    1
    Dueling Hummingbirds
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    Hovering
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    Take-off
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    Landing
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    acrobats
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28 Comments Displaying 25 of 28 comments | See Previous
  • Sharron W Memphis, TN
    @Acorn, it REALLY was....the video he took was so funny, you could barely see them zip in and out of frame...LOL it was like watching a movie on fast forward....
    on Sep 11, 2012 · Like 0
  • Susan S Fredericksburg, VA
    Just making sure so hope I didn't offend!!! I think you were in on the lengthy discussions about hummers fairly recently, right??? You're a very smart Lady so I was pretty sure you didn't break the rules!! LOL The blue is very pretty!!
    on Sep 11, 2012 · Like 0
  • Sharron W Memphis, TN
    @Susan, No offense...I know how important it is not to expose them to any foriegn substances...in fact I've actually started making smaller batches of nector and not filling any of the feeders "full" because alot was going to waste as they never drank down even halfway before it was time to wash and refill them...so today I noticed a lot more is gone than usual and FINALLY i'm going to be making and refilling because it was all drank instead of, "in case it was going bad"...Now that makes ...»
    me thrilled...plus I'm up to eight Hummingbirds...I never dreamed all these years I've had feeders up that eventually so many would come...

    on Sep 11, 2012 · Like 1
  • Susan S Fredericksburg, VA
    I think we've already had our "flurry" of passers by! For about 3 weeks our feeders were like grand central station and it kept me hopping to make sure the feeders were filled. I'm like you, I only fill them about half because invairably (before the tips about using Vicks salve) these enormous red ants would get in and eventually be floating all over the place. This one feeder was more out of the direct path of the other two and for whatever reason it generated unbelievable activity. ...»
    We've seen more hummers on a regular basis this year than any year before!! We were sooo excited to finally have a big batch of hummers regularly!! They've dwindled down now but it sure was fun while it lasted. We have about 3 or 4 left now.

    on Sep 11, 2012 · Like 1
  • Sharron W Memphis, TN
    Well, up until this year I only had one or maybe two on a regualr basis and occassionally three....even with two feeders up I just never had many....so it tickles me to no end that they are here....I did wonder if the sudden dramatic increase was migration....
    on Sep 11, 2012 · Like 1
  • Susan S Fredericksburg, VA
    I know what you mean. I figure thats probably what our population increase was due to but they hung around for about 3 weeks so we were tickled pink!! Maybe they'll remember how good it was at our two respective places and come back to stay earlier & longer next year!!
    on Sep 11, 2012 · Like 1
  • Sharron W Memphis, TN
    Well we can hope! i was told they leave here in late Sept-early Oct. so I'm hoping for some prolonged time....
    on Sep 12, 2012 · Like 1
  • Douglas Hunt New Smyrna Beach, FL
    You sure got some great action shots, Sharron.
    on Sep 12, 2012 · Like 0
  • Sharron W Memphis, TN
    Thanks Douglas!
    on Sep 12, 2012 · Like 0
  • Flijenny Minneapolis, MN
    What beautiful creatures! Love!
    on Sep 13, 2012 · Like 0
  • Cindy R Quitman, MS
    Hi Sharron - you're right up the road! I'm in the Meridian, MS area. My parents got me hooked on hummers years ago. I actually had 3 get inside my screened porch and had to catch them to get them out. One was so exhausted from zipping around, she sat in my hand and let me gently stroke her head before flying away. Such a wonderful experience!!!
    on Sep 13, 2012 · Like 2
  • Sharron W Memphis, TN
    @Cindy, Wow Nice to meet you Cindy! I've kept feeders up for years, but never have had the success that we've seen this year.... I actually wondered if last's year's warm "winter" caused a extra birthing of young, It's been my understanding that although the distance from MS to our area, (NE of Memphis) is not that far, we are just outside the "traditional" flight path they use for migration etc, and as such we are just never going to have the numbers you see in your area....so I have felt ...»
    blessed that we've had such a great year for them. I Literally could be entertained for hours by their antics...and hope they remember me next year...LOL

    on Sep 13, 2012 · Like 1
  • Tina @ Repurposed Life Roff, OK
    Nice shots!
    on Sep 13, 2012 · Like 1
  • Liz Holland
    I live in North central Florida and we have the hummers chasing each other around our porch where the feeders are. I didn't realize how loud they are, until a few years ago I thought the only noise they made was the "hum". They are really territorial and so much fun!
    on Sep 13, 2012 · Like 1
  • LaVerlle McKee
    ...am fascinated by the remark about "Vick's" salve...We are finding the ants so troublesome...huge ones, and little ones, too...Any more "hints"!
    on Sep 13, 2012 · Like 1
  • Sharron W Memphis, TN
    @ LaVerlie,

    I literally haven't had an ant, wasp, or bee anywhere near my feeders since I started doing this....can't really remember either 2 or 3 years ago.... But I don't use

    anything but Vicks....I did have a lot more problems with the ants when I had them on the Shepard's crook....I had to keep the vicks thick all the way from the hanging cord to the bottom of the ...»

    bend in the hook....if I missed a spot they would find it... I tried spraying the shepards crook pole with a Generic Cooking oil spray from the ground up to where the vicks started at the bottom of the "crook" but that would get "dry" and then it was sticky, and everything got stuck to it and I just thought it was gross...so really hanging them in the tree, (abeit dead tree) and making sure I didn't have any feeders that leaked or dripped made a huge difference in the number of ants and then adding the vicks to the hanging wire above was the last straw....no more ants...

    I also used boric acid around the bottom where it was stuck in the dirt, and made a wide circle around it on the dirt, if it rained I had to replace it...

    I hope that helps you, cause they are sure a lot of entertainment!

    @ Liz, I think the funniest thing I ever heard as a description of their racket, was years ago when I was "birding" and my hubby, Not so much....so we're sitting there with our coffee one morning, and my dear stoic hubby finally says; "what is that noise; do you hear it? It sounds like Elves Laughing"..... I always think of that now when I see and hear them, Elves Laughing... LOL

    on Sep 13, 2012 · Like 1
  • Cindy R Quitman, MS
    Sharron - we lived in Oxford for a year and the first Sept. we were in the house, we had swarms of them. I would walk out with a fresh feeder and have them in my face!! I loved it!!! I left instructions and the feeders for the new owners! LOL

    I love the "elves laughing".... I think I'll always think of that too! Thanks for sharing!

    on Sep 14, 2012 · Like 1
  • Susan S Fredericksburg, VA
    @Sharron - ELVES LAUGHING!! That's a good one!! Sounds like something my husband might say. He has this very dry sense of humor but he sure can come up w/some zingers!! Gotta love 'em!
    on Sep 14, 2012 · Like 1
  • Shirley Shirley, AR
    I have used vasoline for ants but didn't seem to help much last year. Thanks for the Vicks thing. I'll definitely try it this year. Does it keep the wasps away too? The hummers and the wasps are both territorial and end up fighting over the feeders.
    on Apr 13, 2013 · Like 1
  • Sharron W Memphis, TN
    It DOES seem to discourage the Wasps Shirley , It has to be replenished frequently but it wasn't a problem for me cause I was refilling my feeders about that often anyway...and the wasps towards the middle of summer seem to have gotten "trained" to the idea that they were not welcome because they quit trying to go to the feeders...
    on Apr 13, 2013 · Like 0
  • Shirley Shirley, AR
    I have so many hummers seems like I'm filling everyday. Can't wait till they get back this year. I'm in northcentral Arkansas and they get here around the first of May. Thanks for the tips.
    on Apr 13, 2013 · Like 1
  • Theresa Shaut Grand Haven, MI
    I replace my humm. bird feeder every couple of days in the summer because of the mold around the feeding holes. I wash the whole thing (with organic soap) and use an old toothbrush to get in all the cracks/crevices then let dry. When you get one with a large opening its easier to get a bottle brush inside to scrub. Keep 'em healthy, Keep 'em happy!
    on Apr 20, 2013 · Like 0
  • Sharron W Memphis, TN
    Theresa Shaut That's Exactly Right! No MOLD, LOL

    Shirley you should be seeing some now, they have started to migrate through...although the cool temps the last two days may have caused some to wait, we have already had some out our way.

    on Apr 20, 2013 · Like 0
  • Debbie N Garland, TX
    I live in Garland, TX (just north of Dallas) and I was wondering when do you start to put out feeders? I have one out now and the ants are floating in it. I also have mine on the shepards hook. Where do you have to put the vicks at to keep the ants out?
    on Apr 20, 2013 · Like 0
  • Sharron W Memphis, TN
    Debbie N I put the Vicks on the Hanging cord that is attached to the top of the feeder... That is the only place I use the Vicks now that I have them hanging from a hook on a tree limb. But Before when I had them on the shepherds hook, I also put some on the pole and although it stopped most of them, it never stopped ALL of them...
    on Apr 21, 2013 · Like 0

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