# Humming Birds



## wpmisport

Anyone seeing any yet. Put out the humming bird feeder today.


----------



## finlander

Nope. Sightings in Holland and Manistee and central southern Lower have to be the early ones. I have been out working and listening....


----------



## finlander

journeynorth.org


----------



## ebijack

None here yet that have been seen. Feeders have been out for a week or so.


----------



## finlander

How many of us who feed them run a fountain of sorts, maybe to see if the moving water noise attracts them?


----------



## june bugger

I put two out yesterday. seems a little early but you never know. saginaw area


----------



## finlander

I wonder if this will be an off year for numbers....


----------



## bigbucks160

I put 2 out last week but I am an absentee land owner so I can not watch them everyday, but wanted to get them out to try and get them to stay or at least help the ones passing through.


----------



## finlander

I usually get migrants by now, stopping in for a day or so. But so far no sightings. Had two females fighting over the feeder last fall. Amazing for me. Was hoping they would stop by going north. And all the postings at that sight say of how early the birds are this year. Not for me.


----------



## justincasei812

I put two feeders out yesterday. I looked on a few sites and there has been a few reports of sightings in the mid Michigan area in the past week or so.


----------



## eye-sore

Mine never hang around til the flowers are out. I dont expect to see them for 2 weeks.


----------



## Happy Jack

Had a male oriole show up yesterday and 2 male Hummers today. N Oakland


----------



## William H Bonney

Hummers have consistently shown up around Mothers Day every year, in Wayne Co. Last year they stuck around till November, I was STUNNED! 
Orioles have been showing up the first week in May, for the last 3 years.


----------



## cedarlkDJ

If I was a hummer, I wouldn't show up around here yet either!
On a normal year, when I see the first Oriole, I'll put out all of the feeders for both.
Hummers usualy arive around here in mid-May but, this is already at least a week behind.
Thanks for reminding me to stock up on sugar and grape jelley!


----------



## Martin Looker

I won't put mine out for a couple of weeks yet because the bears think they are snack food.


----------



## seabass810

Showed up 2 days ago here in Emmett


----------



## hoffie1

Hummers showed up at my place today.... Saginaw


----------



## fanrwing

First of the year here in Grand Rapids 5/4


----------



## MRocks

They may have been here in Benton Harbor, but they weren't here. I just saw my first one. I've got a large cedar tree on the side of my house that they like to nest in.


----------



## don

At least one male Hummer, possibly two visited the feeders for the first time today. The male Orioles have been here for two days now.


----------



## finlander

Our parrot’s sitter has h feeders out with the commercial dyed water in them. She has raised birds all her adult life. She sez it has vitamins in it the the birds need when laying eggs that gives the eggs more she’ll strength. I just read up on the toxicity of the dye used, and how much a small bird drinks per day. Sez that a hummer exceeds more toxic dye per day than what is safe for human consumption. Who can clear that air on this topic for me?? Thank you. Also, she hasn’t seen many hummers this spring. Guud news for them, not Kathy.


----------



## William H Bonney

finlander said:


> Our parrot’s sitter has h feeders out with the commercial dyed water in them. She has raised birds all her adult life. She sez it has vitamins in it the the birds need when laying eggs that gives the eggs more she’ll strength. I just read up on the toxicity of the dye used, and how much a small bird drinks per day. Sez that a hummer exceeds more toxic dye per day than what is safe for human consumption. Who can clear that air on this topic for me?? Thank you. Also, she hasn’t seen many hummers this spring. Guud news for them, not Kathy.


Pretty extensive research done on that red dye, none of the conclusions are good for the birds.


----------



## finlander

Does it have calcium in it? Kathy uses it because of extra ingredients that plain sugar water does not carry.


----------



## eye-sore

How often are the hummers visiting everybodys feeders??? Last year they were around every 20 to 30 min and this year its like once every few days


----------



## ebijack

Just random sightings here. Nothing steady yet.


----------



## eye-sore

Glad its not just me then lol.i have the store bought mix as well. Always used good ol sugar water but tried this for fun.it seems to attract less yellow jackets but not many hummers either


----------



## justincasei812

ebijack said:


> Just random sightings here. Nothing steady yet.


I have just started noticing that they have been around a bit more in the last few days. It may have been due to it being not a warm spring? I cut down a tree where I put a feeder at last year so the feeder was moved a little farther out and I thought I just wasn't noticing the as much but maybe they just haven't been there.


----------



## Liver and Onions

How to attract hummingbirds to your backyard presentation tonight at our clubhouse. 7 pm. Northville. Free. pm if interested for location. 

L & O


----------



## ebijack

Both male/female have been going to our feeders. Not to our black n blue salvia's. Which typically they ignore the feeders once the black n blue are around. 
I'm thinking the weather is to blame as even all the butterfly's ( we are getting quite a few so far) are not stopping at all the flowers or milkweed.....yet.
Pic from this morning, no HB's around.


----------



## sweet lou

What happened, I had maybe 6 or 8 Orioles had oranges and grape jelly in feeder they were around for 2 weeks now gone. Were they just passing thru or something else. I have hummingbirds coming around the fuchsia plants and the feeders. Fun to watch.


----------



## ebijack

Probably passing thru, we had 2 yellow warblers pass thru a couple weeks ago. Never got a photo.
Never had them around before. Every year we get at least one new breed of bird we never had before.
I take alot of bird photo's around the house ( like alot of you). 
I make calendars out of some of them for friends/family. 
Couple examples


----------



## finlander

Females could be on nests. But they still
need the energy and bugs. Going nordth
tomorrow. Can’t wait to see the h-birds again. Got great blue bird Picts at my brother’s in LooVulle over the weekend. 
Humid there. Quite a shock to get out of the car here last evening. Quite cool.


----------



## justincasei812

I am surprised at how few different species of birds we have in our feeders. Honestly probably less than a dozen. When the feed is gone you don't see them around much. At the cabin near Alpena there are so many more species of birds that come in. Here is one from a day or so ago, when I looked up in the bird book I couldn't find it. lol


----------



## Liver and Onions

The presentation was excellent. A lot about what native plants to have to attract hummingbirds. About 45 minutes. The presenter was from Grosse Pointe. Not sure if we paid her, assume we did, if anyone has a group that is interested in this topic.

L & O


----------



## wpmisport

Black squirrels are very smart at my bird feeder. Still have not figured how to keep them out but I am working at it. Do not want to shoot them as they eat a lot of the maple seeds that I do not want. 
Lots of flickers this year for some reason. Only one hummingbird so far.


----------



## eye-sore

Squirrel launcher


----------



## justincasei812

wpmisport said:


> Black squirrels are very smart at my bird feeder. Still have not figured how to keep them out but I am working at it. Do not want to shoot them as they eat a lot of the maple seeds that I do not want.
> Lots of flickers this year for some reason. Only one hummingbird so far.


A little tidbit I found on maple tree seeds (helicopters). It was a cold winter so a lot of seeds. 

The 'helicopters ' or seeds from maple trees that we are seeing in such great abundance are directly related to the severity of the past winter. The structure of the seed itself is pretty neat. The winged ' helicopters' are considered a fruit known as a "samara". They are designed to carry the seed as far away from the parent tree as possible in an effort to expand the range of the plant. Many seeds are moved to new territory in the stomachs of animals and birds, but very few are known to eat the seeds of maples, so the plant evolved this method as a way to get it's seeds dispersed... super cool! BUT WHY ARE THERE SO MANY THIS YEAR? Well, in human terms each tree believes that it is one of the only ones left on the planet ( not knowing that millions exist). They think that the link between survival of the species and extinction lies within its own capacity to reproduce. It is believed that after an extreme winter or extended drought season the plant overcompensates in seed production thinking that it might die if the environmental condition repeats itself. It produces all of the seed with the hope that at least one will survive and grow insuring the species continued survival. Interestingly, the species would also have survival problems if all of the seeds lived and started to grow. As a built-in way to balance the system, the seed is only viable for a brief moment, about 3-4 weeks, after which if it is unable to germinate it dies


----------



## finlander

We r nordth again. Hummers about. Long grass to cut this trip. We want to sit out by fire if it warms at night. 40 last night. Anyone use a bug zapper in hummer territory? Bought citronella candles to try. Will cutting the grass help with the bug issues?


----------



## ebijack

This is not recommended....
But one way to stop most bugs including mosquito's for a week or two.
Get a used mower, drill about a 3/16" hole into the top of the muffler.
A few drops of diesel fuel into the hole while mower is running. Big yard, more drops while cutting.
Cut/mow around the area where there are bushes/low hanging trees. 
Smokes like crazy (think army tanks smoke screen). Leaves a thin oily film the bugs can not stand on the leaves. Next rain washes it away. 
Works quite well. No harm to the tree's/bushes over many years of practice.


----------



## cedarlkDJ

Bats and barn/tree swallows = no mosquito's!


----------



## Martin Looker

I just got back from the Keweenaw Monday and the feeder was empty so I refilled it. When I took it out to hang it up I had a hummer about a foot from my face trying to get some breakfast and me without a camera.


----------



## finlander

We had three at any one time last week near Vanderbilt. All female. One reely small. Hope others are feeding them there. Refreshed our feeders when we came back Tuesday. Nothing yet here.


----------



## finlander

Did Mr Looker stop at the Hilltop Cafe?


----------



## Swampdog467

Had one in my rose of Sharon today. Normally see them there regularly but this is the first one I've seen in them this year. 

Sent from my E6810 using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


----------



## eucman

finlander said:


> Did Mr Looker stop at the Hilltop Cafe?


I spent a summer semester in Elberta at the Ford Forestry Center. Our cook for that semester was Naomi; she also worked at the Hilltop! What a positively awesome summer that was!

Lots of females and young here in Goodells (St Clair County). I haven't seen a male in a few days.


----------



## Martin Looker

Nope, didn't stop at the Hilltop. We had muffins from the Jam Pot to eat on the way home.


----------



## Martin Looker

I've been watching the hummingbirds in yard and have not seen a Male since we got back from the Keweenaw. Guess they must be headed south already.


----------



## Swampdog467

Saw one in Freesoil this morning

Sent from my E6810 using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


----------



## wpmisport

Seen a small one flying around a couple hours ago, seems kind of late for any to still be around.


----------



## Ranger Ray

They are fighting over the feeder as I type this.


----------



## finlander

Muskegon eh? I switch water every three days. All summer. Saw one in May at front porch feeder. None in back yard. Will pull them in October. Sad. Are you near woods?


----------



## walleyeguy54

Females still here in Monroe county, no male for a couple weeks.


----------



## Shupac

wpmisport said:


> Seen a small one flying around a couple hours ago, seems kind of late for any to still be around.


Saw one in the UP right about this time of year. I'm sure he was beating a speedy path south.


----------



## finlander

Man in Mack City had one hanging around last October. I did put a feeder out when we were at cabin, but saw no activity. I put fresh nectar out tonight. Two more weeks and I’ll pulling the plug. Monarchs disappeared quickly it seems. My butterfly Bush is still producing flowers.


----------



## stickbow shooter

A couple still on our feeders .


----------



## Ranger Ray

They are hitting it hard this morning. Putting the feed bag on, before the trip south.


----------



## finlander

Send some to me, near the pot stores on Laketon Avenue


----------



## Vicious Fishous

Still seeing hummers hitting the feeders, And what’s left of our flowers in Mason. Saw the last grosbeak on 9-4 and the last orioles on 9-10.


----------



## walleyeguy54

Still here, they are feeding like no tomorrow...


----------



## Ricky Missum

Haven't seen any males for a few weeks, pulled the feeder on the 14th, even with Labor Day being late this year, always pull it the weekend after the holiday. Was only seeing migraters, few and far between, put still a good fly population, even with the heavy frost over the weekend, once the fly's are done, at least here, SE corner, the hummers' are long gone.


----------

