I was out in the yard yesterday with my husband, cleaning up the damage that winter left behind. My husband said he saw what looked like a large bug with wings, buzzing past me. But he swears it was a hummer passing through. Now, we're still getting frost in the morning up here; could it have been one of our friends here already? I think it's too cold still, and I haven't put out my feeders yet, because they'll frost up in the overnight. What do you folks think? Should I put them up now? Thanks, Penny in Bowdoin, Maine

Oh yeah put them up or out. Just do it.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

When did you see them last year? I would put it out And bring them in at night. Do you have any yellow-bellied sapsuckers yet? I know they use their sapwells too.

sarah merion station, Pennsylvania zone 6B

Penny
I would put at least one feeder out now with a stronger nectar mix (3 parts water to 1 part sugar). It can go a little lower than 32 before it will start to freeze. I put my first two feeder up last week even thugh we haven't had any reports in western NY state yet.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Hi Penny in Maine! So great to see you posting! That must have been quite a nice maybe surprise... and who knows. I have had my feeder up now for a couple of weeks and do use the 3:1 sugar nectar combination that Penny mentioned since they are migrating and there is lack of blooming plants. I do hope some plants will be in bloom soon - this cold, windy, weather is too much like winter. So Yeah, put that feeder out!!

FYI it looks like Ken and I will not be able to make it to the Inn at least this spring...he is still going through many months of treatments for his foot ulcer and has to offload as much as possible. Things are not the same right now...



Carol
Milford, CT
Zone 6

Penny in Maine,
There is a confirmed report from Cape Elizabeth by Steve Jordan. I see that Cape Elizabeth isn't very far from you so it is possible that your husband did see a hummer and it just may be the one that was reported. If you haven't put a feeder out yet, I would do it right away.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Penny,

I thought I heard...or imagined I'd heard a RTH yesterday while working in the yard! It was that all to familiar buzz past my ear but no sighting. The feeders are up and I didn't see any activity there and believe me, I had one eye glued o the feeder all day! That's proably why I wound up with wood sealer in my hair as I painted a trellis.

Pam NJ 6B

Yes, Penny, put a feeder out in a location where you will see it when a hummer does arrive.

Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35