Unexpected Hurricane Impact - Hummers!

[IraRat]

:I may not see certain animals, with a dog, cat, parrot, and conure anything that is the least bit shy probably doesnt get within 100 yards!

What kind of parrot, Bob? I have an African Grey (Congo), Cockatiel, and 6 lovebirds in the backyard who FINALLY stopped having babies!

We're pretty lucky in Florida when it comes to the wild birds—I love 'em. My favorite "sightings" are of purple galinules (really colorful glades bird), and once, I saw a flock of wood storks feasting on bugs (I guess) on some freshly landscaped ground. (They're either endangered or threatened.)

Tons of woodpeckers, hawks, cardinals, bluejays, herons, ibises, and there are a lot of eagles, mostly Golden, I think, down in the Keys.

[Ranger Rod]

Hurricanes interfering with the Hummer migration are a very real problem. We ended up hanging out 6 feeders after Hurricane Ivan came through and there wasn't a flower left on everything. Those feeders were busy all day until they got on with the migration. It was really amazing. They must really need a lot of stored up energy to cross the Gulf at the speed their wings beat.

By the way, you don't need to buy the colored (expensive) nectar mix. Just mix sugar/water at a 1:4 ratio, heat till all sugar is dissolved and cool. You can store the unused portion in the fridge.

[Woody]

IraRat
If you love birds, how could you forget the migration of the "Snowbirds" that flock here from the north on their migration for the winter.
I think that it should be named the state bird for Florida

[cracker39]

Billy,

The nectar doesn't have to be red. I quit using commercially prepared hummer mix and make my own, and they really go for it. I just heat 3 parts sugar to one part water until it comes to a boil and disolves completely. The boiling kills any bacteria in the water. Let it cool. Red is an attractor and most feeders have red on them.

BTW, did you know, that the same hummers come back to your house year after year? That is amazing considering that they migrate to South America and come back to the same place each year. I wasn't sure I believed this until I saw proof. I hung one of my feeders outside my family room window in Indian Head, MD, and another on my back deck, so I could sit and watch them, inside or outside. When they returned the next year before I put the feeders out, I saw them hovering in the exact spots by the window and on the deck, where the feeders were the previous year, looking for them. That convinced me that they had been here before. This happened every year. They would let me know when it was time to put out the feeders.

[TRAIL-OF-TEARS]

The hummers in our area let me know every year when to put out the feeders. They can be quite demanding some times. By the way has anyone seen a hummer nest. I have only seen two, I found one while clearing fence lines and the other my father has on his porch he found it in his yard after a bad storm.

[IraRat]

Woody--those aren't snowbirds. They're dried up old turkeys.

No disrespect to any seniors here, but you have to live in the area to know what we're talking about.

They eat their early bird dinners at 3PM to save two bucks. They would even eat breakfast the night BEFORE if there was a coupon involved.

Ever see a bunch of Jewish retirees at a Chinese restaurant? "Morris, tell them to raise the heat. It's freezing in here." Move over one table, "Esther, isn't it hot in here? I'm gonna tell them to raise the AC."

Now multiply this by every table in the restaurant.

But getting back to birds:

I think I'll put up a few hummingbird feeders this year and see what happens, both in the front and the back of the house. By the way--how long can that stuff stay in there before you should change it?

[cracker39]

Steve, I've looked for hummer nests, but haven't found any. I even went up on my roof to get a better look into tree branches where they rested. I hope I don't come across as a bird fanatic, I just like watching them at home. I don't make trips to see any though. Although, I would like to for one bird. My dad used to fish in some very remote creeks and sloughs off of the Ocklawaha River in Central Florida and observed the nearly extinct Ivory Billed Woodpecker. Now, this is so remote that most fishermen never venture that far into the interior of the swamps there. My dad wasn't your typical fisherman...he was a fanatic for finding fish where most don't go. I'm convinced that the Ivorybills still exist here, but just haven't been seen due to where they live in the remote swamps. Someday, I may try to locate them and become famous.

Ira, I'm definitely a senior, but have to laugh at your observations. My wife and I are not that fanatical about the early bird dinners, but I do take advantage of senior discounts when they are available. We too laugh at the snowbirds, and a lot of the permanent residents from "up nawth". I swear, you'll never see me in a pair of walking shorts wearing anything on my feet except sneakers or sandals. NEVER would I wear dress shoes or dark socks with shorts which is the typical plumage of the snowbird.

Did you know that there is a country song entitled "If it's snowbird season, why can't we shoot 'em"? It's true, I've heard it on a local country station a few times and it's a riot to hear.

[s4son]

I have an African Grey (Congo), Cockatiel, and 6 lovebirds in the backyard who FINALLY stopped having babies!

Ira,
One of my co-workers has an African Grey and she really got a kick out of that picture in your album where your bird is standing on your face. She has several birds and really enjoys them. How's the trailer coming?

Scott

[IraRat]

I have an African Grey (Congo), Cockatiel, and 6 lovebirds in the backyard who FINALLY stopped having babies!

Ira,
One of my co-workers has an African Grey and she really got a kick out of that picture in your album where your bird is standing on your face. She has several birds and really enjoys them. How's the trailer coming?

Scott

Thanks for asking--the bird is a pisser. Talks up a storm, his name is Tonto, and I love him to death. And I don't care WHAT all of the parrot books say--he likes Budweiser, so I give him a capful from time to time.

The TD is in its 3rd and final phase of construction, which means it'll probably NEVER get done. I moved it to a boat yard last Friday, visited once to give it a kiss and drop off some bagels (it looked hungry), but I didn't do any work.

But Saturday first thing, I'm going over there to go to town on that sucker. I'll bring the camera, to post some shots of its new home.

[Ranger Rod]

how long can that stuff stay in there before you should change it

Ira, actually you are supposed to change it every three days or so.

The little red ant traps that you fill with liquid help keep the ants out of the sugar water. Use cooking or mineral oil in the traps instead of water & it will last longer.

Don't be discouraged if you don't get any this fall. Try again in the Spring and Fall next year. Make sure your feeder has plenty of red color on it. The little yellow flowers & all on some of them are merely a gimmick for the buyer, but the little yellow "cages" that fit over some of the holes help keep the yellowjackets out. Once they learn your feeders are there, they'll keep coming back. You'll be surprised how aggressive they can be to be so small.
Good Luck.
Rod

[cracker39]

I was told at a bird store that those yellow cages actuallyattract the yellow jackets. That store sold replacement cages that were red and I bought some. It seemed to help. I also tied a piece of cloth around the hanger and soaked it with vegetable oil to discourage ants.

Wild Birds Unlimited has a neat hummer feeder http://www.birdtracks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=05

There is a site that maps the northward migrations, with the dates that the hummers are first seen and reported by people sighting them. They don't map the southward migrations.
http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html This past Spring, there were only two sightings reported in Florida below the I-4 corridor from Tampa to Daytona. One looked to be around Ft Myers and the other around Sebring. According to the map, their breeding range doesn't cover South Florida at all. I guess that's why we haven't seen any, we're just off the beaten path.

[purplepickup]

how long can that stuff stay in there before you should change it

Ira, actually you are supposed to change it every three days or so.

Good Luck.
Rod

Or you can let it ferment for a week or so and drink it.

[TonyCooper]

Here's a few pics of the other residents of our neighborhood. These pictures were all snapped this summer from either our deck, back yard, & one through the kitchen window screen.

Female ruby throated hummer still humming


She settled in for a longer sip... (only males have the red throats)


A pair of Pileated Woodpeckers frequent the pines in the back yard near the house, here is one.


And this Redheaded Woodpecker throwing seed everywhere!


Another tidbit - The Ivory Billed WoodPecker (thought extinct) had a confirmed sighting in the last year in eastern Louisiana. Looks alot like the Pileated Woodpecker. Same general size (big) ... similar coloration...

[cracker39]

You didn't mention it, but the woodpecker on the pine tree above is the Pileated, the next largest woodpecker...the Ivory Billed is a little larger. And, I am convinced that some Ivory Billed still exist in north central Florida in remote swamps of the Ocklawaha River near my home town of Ocala. See the post above.

[TonyCooper]

You didn't mention it, but the woodpecker on the pine tree above is the Pileated, the next largest woodpecker...the Ivory Billed is a little larger. And, I am convinced that some Ivory Billed still exist in north central Florida in remote swamps of the Ocklawaha River near my home town of Ocala. See the post above.

Look at the entry above the picture.

That jungle near Ocala is simply beautiful. I think you could get lost in it for days.