hey, when's hummingbird season start?

[clavery]

I was cleaning around the house last week and found the hummingbird feader I bought at the end of last season, and was wondering when I should put it out? I live 30 miles north of New York City.

Of course, it's hailing right now, so I doubt they're around;) !

Thanks.

Cheryl

[MiddletonMark]

How cold is it at night now?


We generally get them here [southern Wisconsin] in mid-May ... maybe a week or so after the average `last freeze date'.

They do migrate through in number often IME - so catching the first ones through can yield a few weeks of regular activity. After a few years, we've got a couple that live right in the neighborhood now ... fed them well enough to stay :)

But during migration ... for a week or so, 10 minutes without one is a long period. Hoping we have such luck again this year.

Then again, I'm no ornithologist - but that's when I start looking for them - when it's no longer going to freeze at night. I'd put their arrival here often around when Orioles show.

[joeychitwood]

What's the daily bag limit on hummingbirds on Long Island?

[clavery]

It's 36 degrees here right now.

I have feeders out during the winter, and I love having all the birds coming to my back yard. But last fall I bought a cheap hummingbird feeder and put it outside just to see, and a little hummingbird came to it for a couple weeks. I was so excited! :) So I was wondering when they'll be coming back. I think I'm going to put up a birdbath this spring, too. Hopefully, the neighborhood cat will stay away!

[clavery]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7137497#post7137497 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by joeychitwood
What's the daily bag limit on hummingbirds on Long Island?

You're bad!!!! :eek: And I live in Westchester - that's north of the city, not east.;)

[dinoman]

:D I normally try to put mine out May 1st so I can catch those first ones and normally by the middle of May sounds like a swarm of bees around the feeder from 10+ birds trying to feed at once.

[joeychitwood]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7137539#post7137539 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clavery
You're bad!!!! :eek: And I live in Westchester - that's north of the city, not east.;) Oops! I figured the Hamptons were your home turf and the Westchester County reference was just there to throw us off.

Me bad? Believe it or not, that's not the first time I've heard that.

[Newreeflady]

Anyone tried planting something they like? I would like to see more hummingbirds. In Berkeley, no freeze really, so I have seen them here and there since I moved here.... my boyfriend is getting into some gardening, so if we knew what to plant that'd be great:)

-A

[Nina51]

here ya go cheryl, this is a migration map that shows where the hummies have been sighted.

http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html

i hung 2 feeders out yesterday afternoon. they could show up here any day and with the mild winter we had, it wouldn't surprise me a bit that they are on their way. the map shows sightings very near us.

the best thing to use in your feeders is homemade sugar water. one part sugar to four parts water. no need to add food coloring, the red color on your feeder is enough to attract them.

never ever use honey to sweeten the water. it'll kill the birds.

there are numerous plants that hummies like and we've tried many of them, annuals mostly. however, the birds prefer the homemade sugar water so we no longer plan our flowerbeds around them.

pretty much all summer long, we have swarms of hummingbirds. i hang 10 feeders out and i fill them every day. toward fall, they are so frantic, i usually have to fill them twice a day.

they get very tame around here, they are afraid of nothing. we can put a finger up next to the perch on the feeder and they will sit right on it. they're weightless, i swear!

everything (almost) you ever wanted to know about hummingbirds but were afraid to ask. :D

[BrianD]

Joey, take my word for it. There isn't enough meat on one of those things to make it worth your while.

[Minuteman]

I thik they're reducing tyhe limit to 10 a day this year.

[joeychitwood]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7137752#post7137752 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BrianD
Joey, take my word for it. There isn't enough meat on one of those things to make it worth your while. Ah, Brian, Brian, Brian. It's not the meat. It's the kill, the thrill of the hunt.

[clavery]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7137567#post7137567 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by joeychitwood
Oops! I figured the Hamptons were your home turf and the Westchester County reference was just there to throw us off.

Me bad? Believe it or not, that's not the first time I've heard that.

Doc, I grew up in Chappaqua, but my folks had a house in the Hamptons for the summers. They worked hard for it, and we had to work hard too, but it was a pretty nice life! And I've been known to be bad, too!;)

Nina, thanks for all the info. I knew you'd know:D .

[Nina51]

you're welcome cheryl, you men are all sick and brian, yer still upfrieddown.

[BrianD]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7137906#post7137906 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by joeychitwood
Ah, Brian, Brian, Brian. It's not the meat. It's the kill, the thrill of the hunt.

You are never going to hit one of those with that rifle.

[MiddletonMark]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7137679#post7137679 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ninapearl
http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html
Awesome, thank you very, very much :D

I guess it's about time to dig them out, sterilize, then fill them.
Soon to be the best time of the year, IMO - spring migration around here is incredible - for a couple weeks you see exotic birds all over, if you're looking.

Great advice on hummers Nina. :thumbsup:

[pnosko]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7137752#post7137752 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BrianD
Joey, take my word for it. There isn't enough meat on one of those things to make it worth your while. Try telling that to a praying mantis.

[dc]

:( We barely had any last year. Ours don't come till the end of June. Old picture for the mood!

http://images3.fotki.com/v35/photos/2/28482/120426/closeuphummer-vi.jpg

http://images3.fotki.com/v35/photos/2/28482/120426/0hummer1-vi.jpg

[JmLee]

i blew a Hummingbirds hea.... oh... maybe i shouldnt.