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Hummingbirds?!

BCNZ · 214 · 9707

us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #120 on: March 31, 2021, 02:18:48 AM
It seems early....but....I thought I heard a hummingbird zip past me this evening. Didn't see it.

But I've put my feeder out just in case.....  :D


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #121 on: March 31, 2021, 02:24:26 AM
I hope they'll return to some free food Nix.  I was out today again and they are active.  Its always so hard to tell who's protecting the feeder.  With the mating display I'd assume it a couple males hoping to be chosen and refueling for their aerial stunts.   
Esse Quam Videri


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #122 on: March 31, 2021, 07:03:52 PM
No sign of any Hummers today. A bit of a relief because the mercury has been falling below freezing at night. And aside from a few crocuses in a neighbors yard, nothing is in flower right now. 


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #123 on: April 30, 2021, 12:24:39 AM
First hummingbird of Spring spotted today!  :ahhh

Little guy looked a bit travel worn, but he was having a big drink from our feeder.

So nice to see them return!   :tu:


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #124 on: April 30, 2021, 12:27:51 AM
Mrs Nix just told me that our first sighting last year was on.....29 April 2020.

Exactly a year ago. How amazing is that? 


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #125 on: April 30, 2021, 07:26:29 AM
 :woohoo: That is pretty cool.  I just filled my feeder again.  I see them darting over the fences like crazy.  We had a bunch of crows in the tress recently which I hope wont be a regular occurrence. 
Esse Quam Videri


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #126 on: April 30, 2021, 04:31:30 PM
You know a bunch of crows is called a "Murder of Crows"......

 :o




us Offline Aloha

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #127 on: April 30, 2021, 04:40:40 PM
Yes.  My neighbor has a tree in his yard that at times has 20 or so crows that gather in it.  They are so loud.   
Esse Quam Videri


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #128 on: April 30, 2021, 04:43:04 PM
Instead of crows, we have bunches of Magpies (also corvids), and they are quite loud. But they don't seem to bother the Hummingbirds.

There are crows and ravens in the area, but they don't hang out here much.


pt Offline pfrsantos

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #129 on: April 30, 2021, 07:17:31 PM
Instead of crows, we have bunches of Magpies (also corvids), and they are quite loud. But they don't seem to bother the Hummingbirds.

There are crows and ravens in the area, but they don't hang out here much.

So, it's a murder free zone, huh? Nice!

 :whistle:
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us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #130 on: April 30, 2021, 07:25:49 PM
 :rofl:




us Offline Fireman

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #131 on: April 30, 2021, 10:20:09 PM
Mrs Nix just told me that our first sighting last year was on.....29 April 2020.

Exactly a year ago. How amazing is that?

We only have them for a few weeks in the spring and fall while they're migrating.  No feeders, but we have plenty of plants that they love in front of the house.


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #132 on: May 01, 2021, 12:57:26 AM
Very cool!   :like:


I haven't seen my Calliope today. Perhaps he just stopped over for an inflight refueling on his way elsewhere.   :dunno:


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #133 on: May 20, 2021, 03:57:26 PM
It is snowing today. The humming birds (Calliopes) seems to be spending a good amount of time huddled around the feeder. Poor little guys!


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #134 on: May 20, 2021, 04:04:34 PM
I just had to clear the snow off the hummingbird feeder. Going to be a busy day making sure the feeder is accessible!


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #135 on: May 21, 2021, 04:39:22 AM
The nectar in my feeder has been freezing up today.

I've changed it out a few times already.

I think I'll have to bring it in after dark and try to get it back out before first light in the morning.


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #136 on: May 21, 2021, 02:10:41 PM
When I brought the feeder in last night, the nectar was icing up again. The temps were down to 26ºF (-3ºC) and after just a few hours, ice started to form.

I hadn't seen any hummingbirds for a while, so I hoped they were off sleeping.

I woke up early this morning, about 0500, while it was still dark. However, I did hear the first bird song of the morning and sprang up to put the feeder back outside. I was relieved to see that within a few minutes one hummingbird had shown up and was drinking away. I thought I then saw another hummingbird show up, but it is tough to tell them apart in the dark.  :rofl:

About 0600 I saw two hummingbirds quarreling over the feeder. What a relief!   :rofl:

I don't know how these tiny beings make it through a night at -3ºC.

Expecting more snow and cold today. We got about 5" (13cm) of snow yesterday and overnight, another 1-2" expected today. Like yesterday, I expect I'll be defrosting the feeder regularly today. I like to see these guys have some source of energy!   :tu:


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #137 on: May 21, 2021, 02:22:38 PM
Feeder has been out for just over an hour.....already starting to ice up......  :facepalm:




pt Offline pfrsantos

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #138 on: May 21, 2021, 02:27:09 PM
Feeder has been out for just over an hour.....already starting to ice up......  :facepalm:


(Image removed from quote.)

Maybe some form of isolation around it and a black cover, to conserve the heat?

 :think: :think:
________________________________
It is just a matter of time before they add the word “Syndrome” after my last name.

I don't have OCD, I have OCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ.

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

Eff the ineffable, scrut the inscrutable.

IYCRTYSWTMTFOT



us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #139 on: May 21, 2021, 03:37:33 PM
Maybe some form of isolation around it and a black cover, to conserve the heat?

 :think: :think:

Hehehe...I was also wondering if some insulation might buy me a little more time. Black would help if there were any sunshine......

It should get up over 32ºF (0ºC) today, and the sugar in the water should lower the freezing point. I f I can keep the feeder ice-free for a few hours, I think I (and the little guys) should be OK.

Supposed to get cold again tonight, though.



us Offline Aloha

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #140 on: May 21, 2021, 04:29:08 PM
I am always surprised those little bird survive anything warm climates. 

Mine are still active tho I spotted a very large nest in the tree which I haven't figured out which bird made it.  I wondered if was a crows nest?  I watched it for a while but didn't hear anything within ( could be eggs ) nor see any activity nor birds visiting it. 

Esse Quam Videri


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #141 on: May 22, 2021, 01:46:23 PM
I've spotted two hummingbirds this morning, so I know they made it through yesterday's snow and last night's freezing temps. Tough little rascals.   :tu:


us Online SteveC

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #142 on: May 22, 2021, 01:51:10 PM
 :like:


pt Offline pfrsantos

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #143 on: May 22, 2021, 08:27:17 PM
Do they have a place to escape the cold? You could make them a small wood house for them to spend the night (don't know if they'd use it, though).

 :think: :think:
________________________________
It is just a matter of time before they add the word “Syndrome” after my last name.

I don't have OCD, I have OCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ.

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

Eff the ineffable, scrut the inscrutable.

IYCRTYSWTMTFOT



us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #144 on: May 22, 2021, 08:48:26 PM
Do they have a place to escape the cold? You could make them a small wood house for them to spend the night (don't know if they'd use it, though).

 :think: :think:

Hummingbirds don't use birdhouses that I know of. At night they find a branch (or nest) and shut down. They fall into a quasi-state of hibernation ('Torpor') and their metabolism drops dramatically. I don't know how they survive the cold sitting still on a branch with a low metabolism. During the day they have a super-high metabolism and ultra-rapid heart rate, so they burn a good bit of energy....which is why they eat more often than even I do.

Quote
Torpor is a type of deep sleep where an animal lowers its metabolic rate by as much as 95%. By doing so, a torpid hummingbird consumes up to 50 times less energy when torpid than when awake. This lowered metabolic rate also causes a cooled body temperature. A hummingbird's night time body temperature is maintained at a hypothermic threshold that is barely sufficient to maintain life. This threshold is known as their set point and it is far below the normal daytime body temperature of 104°F or 40°C recorded for other similarly-sized birds.
- The Guardian



us Offline Aloha

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #145 on: May 23, 2021, 06:20:50 AM
It's remarkable how such little creatures survive that cold. 
Esse Quam Videri


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #146 on: May 23, 2021, 03:14:26 PM
More sleet and snow overnight, but I've seen at least one this morning.  :tu:


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #147 on: May 23, 2021, 03:16:45 PM
 :tu:.  I was out in the yard when got home and I saw two jousting and hear lots of chirping.  Still not sure what the nest is in the tree but it doesn't seem to bother them. 
Esse Quam Videri


us Offline Nix

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #148 on: May 23, 2021, 04:11:23 PM
They seem pretty adaptable.

Saw two bickering away a few minutes ago, so that suggests my two birds have made it through another freezing night.   :2tu:


us Offline LoopCutter

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Re: Hummingbirds?!
Reply #149 on: June 13, 2021, 06:18:23 AM
My Hummers arrived May 12th.

I prepared syrup, and cleaned the feeders.  Filled the first feeder and as I was taking it out two little fellas were feeding on the million bells hanging planter. 

Normally we do not observe them until the 15th of May, and I use Mother’s Day as my target to place feeders out.

Ruby Throat are the only variety we have in my area. And they migrate into Northern Ontario Canada. In the fall the latest I have seen them is 20th October, with my regulars are gone in mid September. 

Great hobby that requires dedication. 


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