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These birds are about to leave my feeder, to fly to Mexico and Central America. The shortest route is to fly over the Gulf of Mexico. About 800 miles of open water.
Do the little mites fly over the Gulf, or do they fly the much longer land route?
They fly over the Gulf, non-stop. But if they have headwinds, many of them die. There was a big Texas storm this Spring that may have killed millions of Gulf-crossing birds of all kinds.
I have two birds left, both females. They're black-chinned hummies and I just saw both of them at my back yard feeder - and naturally, they fought. Males left with the full moon on Labor Day. I've seen a migrator or two who obviously did not know the neighborhood because they acted like my feeders were new-found treats.
BTW, it is once again time to remind people to leave their feeders up. Taking them down to "force them to leave" just makes it more likely that they won't survive the trip. Let them fill their tanks.
As Rocky says the eastern ruby throats fly across the Gulf. The western birds mass in the mountains of south east AZ and SW NM and proceed south along the mountains of central Mexico.
For the first time in almost 40 years......when we moved back to Texas......we put a Hummingbird feeder on the back patio yesterday.
This afternoon I spotted our first hummer.........amazing creatures! Pretty wild.....as he spotted me, even though I was inside the house, and about 6 feet from the back door.
We're about 20 miles south of the Red River.......but hope to see more before Winter arrives.
"Fall" around here seems to only last about three weeks each year.🤥
I hope you don't use any of the store packages of hummie food. The best mix for them is one part regular cane sugar and four parts water.
The mix method is: Add one cup of boiling water to one cup of sugar. Stir until it is clear and fully dissolved. Now add three cups of cold water. Boiling water kills any bad stuff in the sugar, and the cold water brings it down to usable temp. Store excess syrup in the fridge.
A lone sentinel watching the sunrise at 8am this morning. She perches in the sycamore tree, 30 feet away from the feeder. She stakes out the feeder so she can attack the other hummingbird that comes to get a sip.
They do that on almost every feeder in the country, and several other countries where they are fed. When you are that small, I guess being fast and pugnacious is what you have.
Way up here in New York State on the Vermont border, I thought we were finished for the season for humming birds. I read that we should continue to leave out feeders until mid October for the stragglers.
Sure enough , two used the feeders yesterday...I think I'll leave the feeders up until the end of October, though I might have to get a deicer machine for their wings🙂
I leave mine up until after the first hard frost. I think I saw the last one here on Sept 20, but I don't have eyes on my feeders much so some migrators might still be using them. I'll probably take them down about Oct 15, as usual.
I'll know it's truly winter when the first dark-eyed juncos show up. That's when I replace the hummie feeders with seed types.
Likely the case, and why Rocky preaches to leave them up for at least a couple of weeks after you have seen the last bird. Most of ours have gone, but still an occasional and we are feeding hoards of bees and bumble bees. If only I could find the hive...
Comments
Much of photograhy is about the editing. Even with the ever handy phone I keep about one out of five or 6 shots. Easy edit with digital.
These birds are about to leave my feeder, to fly to Mexico and Central America. The shortest route is to fly over the Gulf of Mexico. About 800 miles of open water.
Do the little mites fly over the Gulf, or do they fly the much longer land route?
They fly over the Gulf, non-stop. But if they have headwinds, many of them die. There was a big Texas storm this Spring that may have killed millions of Gulf-crossing birds of all kinds.
I have two birds left, both females. They're black-chinned hummies and I just saw both of them at my back yard feeder - and naturally, they fought. Males left with the full moon on Labor Day. I've seen a migrator or two who obviously did not know the neighborhood because they acted like my feeders were new-found treats.
BTW, it is once again time to remind people to leave their feeders up. Taking them down to "force them to leave" just makes it more likely that they won't survive the trip. Let them fill their tanks.
As Rocky says the eastern ruby throats fly across the Gulf. The western birds mass in the mountains of south east AZ and SW NM and proceed south along the mountains of central Mexico.
That is unreal that these tiny birds can fly across such an expanse of open water.
What speed do these birds maintain in flying over the Gulf?
20 to 30 mph, for as long as 22 hours.
It takes them about 18 to 24 hours depending on the weather and the winds
Breaking news!!!🤠
For the first time in almost 40 years......when we moved back to Texas......we put a Hummingbird feeder on the back patio yesterday.
This afternoon I spotted our first hummer.........amazing creatures! Pretty wild.....as he spotted me, even though I was inside the house, and about 6 feet from the back door.
We're about 20 miles south of the Red River.......but hope to see more before Winter arrives.
"Fall" around here seems to only last about three weeks each year.🤥
I hope you don't use any of the store packages of hummie food. The best mix for them is one part regular cane sugar and four parts water.
The mix method is: Add one cup of boiling water to one cup of sugar. Stir until it is clear and fully dissolved. Now add three cups of cold water. Boiling water kills any bad stuff in the sugar, and the cold water brings it down to usable temp. Store excess syrup in the fridge.
Hummingbirds take a lunch break on an oil drilling platform:
😊
Rocky, when we put out a fresh feeder with nectar from the fridge, do the hummers and bees get brain freeze?
I always wonder what they think when the first bird zooms in for the first cold slurp on a hot day.
A lone sentinel watching the sunrise at 8am this morning. She perches in the sycamore tree, 30 feet away from the feeder. She stakes out the feeder so she can attack the other hummingbird that comes to get a sip.
I've got one that does the same thing .....................
They do that on almost every feeder in the country, and several other countries where they are fed. When you are that small, I guess being fast and pugnacious is what you have.
Way up here in New York State on the Vermont border, I thought we were finished for the season for humming birds. I read that we should continue to leave out feeders until mid October for the stragglers.
Sure enough , two used the feeders yesterday...I think I'll leave the feeders up until the end of October, though I might have to get a deicer machine for their wings🙂
I leave mine up until after the first hard frost. I think I saw the last one here on Sept 20, but I don't have eyes on my feeders much so some migrators might still be using them. I'll probably take them down about Oct 15, as usual.
I'll know it's truly winter when the first dark-eyed juncos show up. That's when I replace the hummie feeders with seed types.
Allen, Beautiful pic
Thank you Austin. Nikon with the 300mm lens, six power.
It makes a very nice wallpaper for your 'pooter.
That is a great picture, simple but powerful.
I didn't see any of the little guys for 3 days. I assumed they had all flown south.
This morning there is one at the feeder. I am guessing that he is on the migration, that he is from up north and is just passing through.
Likely the case, and why Rocky preaches to leave them up for at least a couple of weeks after you have seen the last bird. Most of ours have gone, but still an occasional and we are feeding hoards of bees and bumble bees. If only I could find the hive...