Hi,

My last sighting was on Sept. 23rd. Is any one in this area still seeing hummers?

thanks,

Suchie
(New Jersey)

Suchie,
I am west of you but It was around the 20th of Sept. when I saw the last migrant here.

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

Hello Suchie,

Don't give up hope on seeing more migrants yet! Here's the link to the wind map I refer to all the time...
http://www.wunderground.com/US/Region/US/2xWindSpeed.html
Click on the animate button under the map and it will continuously update throughout the day. As this front moves east to where you, Pam, Ward, Emily and others are in the east, you'll see when the winds will shift direction in your area from S and SW to eventually N and NW. So you might have a new visitor or two tomorrow where you are...depending on how fast the front moves.
Those in the midwest and upper midwest will see those N and NW winds today...and probably as far east as where Penny, Carol WNY and Kristin live.
We'll still be getting those winds for the 1st half of the day. It's a huge front! The temps dropped here considerably. The highs today will be about 20 degrees lower than yesterday...
Fall has arrived!

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

After a week's gap, I have had two visitors since Saturday Sept. 26. They looked well-fed. Today is very windy, so they may be heading out.

Priya
Zone 7, Maryland

We are getting wind gusts at 31 mph out of the west right now. Gotta go check the plants out on the back deck. Have already had to move all pots out front.

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

Penny, Susan, Priya,

Thanks for getting back to me.

Susan, that wind should be blowing some in my direction if they are still west of me.

Suchie

Suchie,

I had one female friday night. She was a little on the hefty side so it must have been just a coffee break stop, didn't seee her on the 26th.

I was thinking tomorrow morning would be a good day to spot some warblers down at the Hook, but I have 2 Dr. appointments in the AM so that ends that thought. Maybe Wednesday.

Pam NJ 6B

WOOHOO! Just had a little migrant show up out front. That wind must have blown her in. She didn't come to the feeder but worked David Verity, Butterfly Bush and Scarlet spires before coming up to the porch for a little cardinal climber before moving over to the west side of the yard. Hopefully she/he will find all the goodies out back. It must have used some of its reserve fat as it isn't real heavy but is carrying some fat.

AHHH! She did find the honeysuckle out back and is now working her way through all the plants in back!

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

Way to go Penny.

I have just gotten a new crop of migrants with the past few hours. I am looking at one now outside my window. Just resting. More are at the back feeders. They all seem to be well fed and plump.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

I don't know if it was the same one or another but I had what appeared to be a heftier female fly right up to one of the test tube feeders just before it got totally dark out front. Didn't even look at the plants. She sat their sipping for the longest time and then she sat there watching people walk by and cars whizz down the road then sipped some more. She then flew over to the maple tree next door.

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

Still have a migrator here since Thursday. Can't tell if it's a female or a juvenile, but it's only visiting plants, such as Gartenmeister, Black and Blue, Lady in Red Salvia, Chilean Glory vine and Lantana. Last saw it as late in the day as suppertime. Getting plump as well. I'm just west of Penny, so they're still coming through.

Roxy
West Niagara,
Southern Ontario
Canadian Hardiness Zone 6b

When your migrant is ready to cross the river Roxy I will have flowers and feeders ready and waiting.

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

Glad to hear that there are sightings close by and even north of me. Gives me hope that a few more stop by before the countdown to spring migration begins.

Suchie

Suchie
5 yrs ago I had a migrant show up the week end of Oct.12th after our sueprise snowstorm. We were outside assessing the damage from the storm and I happened to look up at the snow laden limbs of my neighgbor's bushes and yelled There's a hummingbird. My husband and his uncle laughted until they saw her too. She hung around until Oct. 28th. That one incident is a reminder to me to keep at least one feeder up and fresh especially if there are no flowering plants available.

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

Penny, your October HB visitor story is very interesting. Amazing that yours stayed until Octbober 28, particularly with snow around!

The wind map analysis was very helpful. I hadn't found that particular set of maps on Weather Underground before, so thank you!

We have had a steady 2 or 3 visiting every day for the past week. Our butterfly bushes (5) seem to be having a rather bountious second flush of blooms, the red zinnias are still ablaze, verbena bonarienses is really healthy looking and then of course we have 4 feeders still up so our birds seem fat and happy. No more Cypress vine and the Salvia B & B is looking worn out.

In the past I think our last HB was sighted October 20, so we will continue our 'look out' for a few more weeks.

We are still getting monarchs~~a few every day, even with the wind and dampness.

Although no doubt autumn is arriving!

Judy,
The snow storm was a freak storm that literally crippled all of western NY. Trees and power lines were downed everywhere over at least 4 counties because it was a very heavy wet snow and all the trees were still leafed out. We were without power for just under a week but thousands were without power for nearly a month. The next day most of the snow was gone and it was well above freezing. In fact the temps weren't that low during the storm. Carol here in WNY also had a hummer show up right after the storm and I think that hers hung around almost as long as mine did. I just hope we don't have a repeat performance of that this year.

The little lady showed up at the front test tube feeder at 6:55 a.m. and sat there sipping and checking out the surroundings until 7:00. I was barely able to see her when she flew up to the feeder. Hopefully she will stick around until the week end when all the rain and wind break up and warmer temps prevail.

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

Yahoo! I saw one this morning.

During the hummer season, I would enter my patio cautiously so as not to disturb a feeding bird. I had given up doing that during the last few days and think I interupted and startled the poor thing. Hopefully it will be back soon. Not sure of the gender.

Suchie

my little butterball is still here. She seems to be hanging out more in the back and perches on a length of florist wire covered with a small piece of clear vinyl refrigeration tubing wrapped around a shepherds hook next to the honeysuckle. She is able to keep a keen eye out on the whole garden from that perch (not that she has any competition).

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

Penny and Suchie I'm glad you still have migrants passing thru The last one I saw was on Sunday.

I remember your October surprise Penny a few years ago That was something after all the damage you had and the snow.

sarah merion station, Pennsylvania zone 6B

We had another new visitor (#33) arrive at 8:30 am. It couldn't figure out how to use the feeder and then went into the gardens. I'll post the video early this evening when DH had a chance to get it off the security camera.

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

I just saw a little tub on the s.subtronda






sarah merion station, Pennsylvania zone 6B

The last one I saw was on Friday in the woods at Palmyra while counting migrants. I was away most of the weekend and didn't see one when I returned Sunday afternoon. It wouldn't be a surprise to see a couple more over the next week or so, there are usually one or two in early October and sometimes later than that. Fortunately for the late birds, there has been no frost, so food is available along the route.

Suchie,

We had four yesterday and have around 3 today. Despite our terrible weather----very cold, high winds (our metal Vine TP snapped in half) and hail (our canna leaves were shredded) on Sunday night---the little boys and girls are still out there chasing and feeding! Amazing!!



Kathi and Michael Rock
Madison, Wisconsin
Zone 4/5

My little one was still here and coming to the test tube feeder as of 1:45 this afternoon. It is a good thing too because the plants a blowing all over the place right now. I think we are getting higher wind gusts than we had yesterday. I have actually given up trying to collect any seed. I did move my one blooming Cuphea Schumanii up by the test tube feeder in case she wanted to check it out but so far in all this wind today it is strictly the feeder

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

We have had 2 more visitors (#'s 34 & 35)...so 3 for the day so far. They were not thin or in much need of nourishment. They have stopped for a rest and a few sips in the garden. The 1st one was in the garden for just an hour and moved on by 10am. The next migrant sat on the tomato cage for awhile and enjoyed feeding on the wally feeder, another feeder nearby and necaring on the Cupheas before leaving about 20 minutes later.
Our 3rd migrant today only stopped for a fill-up at one of our porch feeders before moving on it's way.
The winds are calm to between 5-10 mph at times. The temp is perfect for migrating birds today. We've had 4 Monarchs in our gardens today. They have been keeping their wings open more than shut while nectaring...a little on the cool side for them today.
We've had some pretty nice surprises visiting our gardens this year...many Warblers, a couple of Brown Thrashers, several Wrens too. Come mid November it will be an entire year (our 1st) that I have been trying to be "at one" with nature/birding. Although last fall I paid attention to the Hummingbirds, Goldfinches (we only had a few last year) and migrating Orioles, we didn't really start feeding other birds, or paying much attention to other birds until late fall last year. So if these other birds I just mentioned happened to visit our gardens/yards last year, I didn't pay attention.
I'm enjoying looking at all the birds with a whole new perspective and enjoying every minute!
Oh, just a side note...our low this morning reached 34 degrees. Glad I brought in the Cupheas and the Coral plant last night!

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Today was really exciting. I have two females in my yard and they seem a lot more fearless than my residents. I was practically next to her perch on the crabapple and she was completely unfazed. Now I can't wait for dawn to break to see if they return.

Suchie

Our # 37 arrived at 2 pm. DH is currently checking our security camera and it shows a new juvie male with a couple of it's red feathers under it's chin almost fully grown in. When he gets the chance to make it into a video, I'll post it.
Silly juvie! Heaven only knows why it chose to fly with such a head wind!!!
I'll be posting another video too of our female that had a terrible time flying back up into the tree when it couldn't even manage to stay on the feeder...

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

I only had the dusk this evening. A hummingbird appeared in the middle of the fall plant inventory - what to keep and what to let go. Presumably it was a Ruby-throat, but this is the season of BETTER LOOKS ARE NEEDED, any hummingbird from now on must be viewed with the eyes of a skeptic. And with hummingbirds doing some hard traveling there is little time to get a careful look. That won't change until hard freeze closes the highways stranding the stragglers. Reports on this forum by easterners since we've been here seem to indicate we aren't getting rarities at this time of the season, and probably aren't missing much - I am not sure.

It's really cold this morning. My two migrants from Tuesday were still around last evening. I think they were the least camera shy of all the birds I have add. I was practically next to them taking pictures. Maybe they came from Bud's yard.

Suchie

Yes it is really cold here too this morning....44 dregrees at this posting. The little lady showed up at 6:55 and stayed at the feeder until 6:59 (which has been tipical) completely undaunted by me being out on the porch with her and even moving around a little and talking to her. I would have to guess that she was in an area where she was used to people milling about close by.

This is day 4 so I know my time with her is reaching a rapid close.

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

Yesterday I had two or three hummers using the feeder or salvia in the morning, but for the first time in a while I saw none after noon. I assume they headed south. I was thinking today might be the first hummer-free day in two months, but that's not the case. Another two hummers have dropped in to feed on this nasty weather day(48 degrees with wind and rain). One goes to the feeder and the other is a real fatty who uses the salvia. Because I had never attracted hummers before this year I was unsure what to expect once the August peak was over. I have been very pleasantly surprised it has been a nonstop stream(2-4 every day) of migrating hummers all the way into October.

Zone 5a
East-central Iowa

Suchie, I'm a little north of you in Connecticut. As of September 30 I still have one, possibly two youngsters tanking up for the trip south. I was away for 4 days and they are definately plumper now than when I left. One is very agressive and will even chase stinging insects away from the feeder as if they were other hummers.

Linda V
Connecticut zone 6b