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It seems the hummingbirds have left.  I have four feeders on my wrap around porch and I haven't seen any hummers today.  I am almost sure I saw them yesterday.  I am located just southeast of Albany, New York.   Has anyone else who is in similar locations noticed their departure?  Does anyone know when they left last year?  Just curious.  I read that some of these birds leave about the same time every year.

Hopefully I will get to see some migrators.  How long should I leave my feeders up?

Jeanette

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Jeanette,

I'm over in North East Ohio just a little south of Cleveland.  You are only a little further north than me. I usually plan on taking them down the end of September.   Here's a link to a site about hummingbirds.  They say to leave them up 1-2 weeks after seeing your last hummingbird.

I have one out there right now, but the little lady is more interested in the my fuchsia plant than the feeder!

http://www.hummingbirds.net/about.html#when

Hope this helps.

Nancy

 

I'm in South Central Michigan...so we're pretty close to the same latitude.  I had several last week and went through a couple refillings of my feeder.   Have seen none so far this week but will keep it fresh for any stragglers.   Have you changed yours recently.....perhaps the mix is off a little with evaporation?  Always worth a try.   We've had some pretty bad drought conditions here so the migration has been a bit early.

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Hi,

I live in central New Hampshire and have actually seen more hummingbirds in the last few weeks than I have the rest of the year.  I am pretty sure that these are birds that spent the summer north of me.  They are just stopping in for a drink on their trip south. 

Jeanette, there is a chance that the birds in your area have moved on but I would not give up yet.  You may get a few more visitors over the next few weeks.

I keep a calendar for bird sightings (my wife says I need to get a life) and the average date for my last hummingbirds sighting is September 29^th.

John

Hummingbird Information

I'm in central Michigan (Mecosta County) and I haven't seen a hummer here all day.  We had a frost advisory last night, I wonder if they know something we don't!  They had been very active the past week, wish I'd paid a bit more attention - perhaps there were more individuals here than just my summer crowd. 

Will also leave my feeder up through end of September, though the hornets are enjoying it a little too much.  I need a bee guard I guess.  Still getting a few R-B Grosebeak stragglers this week so who knows if a passer-by might need a meal.

You know, as soon as I said they were gone, I saw one.  But I am sure the one I noticed wasn't one of my regulars.  He didn't seem to know how to use the feeder with a perch.  He kept trying to put his beak in the hole and then acted like the perch was in the way.  It took him a bit to decide the perch was for resting.  I have seen several more since, but I am sure they are just passing through. 

Thanks everyone for all the responses. 

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I'm just north of you, up in the Glens Falls area, and I haven't seen any hummers in the last two weeks. There was a lot of tree work being done where I live, and at first I thought that scared them away, but I haven't seen any since then at all.

With such a cool August and the cold snap we've been having this week, I fear we're going to have an early and long and cold winter.

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...somewhere in a peaceful mountain range, a rabbit plots to take over the world....

Im in SW pennsylvania and I thought the hummingbirds here were gone two weeks ago.  then this past week, we have seen female ruby throat daily, fiercely chasing off the bees attracted to the feeder when she has to.  in my audubon state forum, a researcher there is finding more rufous hummers in the northeast, and they can survive subzero weather and recommends leaving your feeder through thanksgiving!  here is the link: http://www.scottweidensaul.com/research_hummingbirds.html

 

 

Well, I'll be darned.

 I was JUST saying this morning, that I had to take the hummer feeders in. They had been out for about three weeks without any sightings, and it had been a week since I had changed them, and I shuddered to think what the sugar water must be like. I had put the mixing tools away. It was time.

And a few minutes later, I had the window open to throw peanuts out to one of "my" squirrels, and a blur streaked by. I froze (natural instinct for me... if sometime wildlife-y moves, freeze) and slooooowly looked up, and there was a hummer feeding from the feeder, LESS THAN 12 INCHES FROM MY NOSE!  Open window and all. Here I was, hanging out the window, the Jazzi-kitty also hanging out my window, a couple of other birds coming to the window feeder right next to the hummer feeder, and here's this little hummer gleefully buzzing me and drinking.  And he kept coming back, too. He was so close I could see his little feet and hear the thrruuummmmm of his wings.

So much for taking the feeder in!  I refilled it, and there was another there tonight.  They must have just been scared away by the construction and the trees being taken down the next week.  I was so happy to see them, especially the first one! He could have sat on my nose, he was so close!

Now, if only my cottontails would come back. I am so heartbroken they are gone...

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...somewhere in a peaceful mountain range, a rabbit plots to take over the world....

I don't know if you all got those nasty winds from hurricane Ike - but here in sw Ohio we were whomped.  The day after - Monday - we were out front talking to our neighbors and two hummers came buzzing over our heads.  Then they headed up - up - up - way up off into the sky - like they were taking flight away from here.  I don't know if they offiicially left but I waved and said goodbye to them.  I know since "Ike" our nights have been much cooler and I think the hummers don't like cold nights.  Could be a sign.  But then, I talked to my dad today and he still has hummers at his feeders.

I sure hate seeing summer say goodbye, don't you?

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Sharon Calahan

Hi,

I'm in NE Ohio and I still have my hummers here today.  I think maybe they are filling up for the trip because they seem to be drinking alot!

It was amazing during that storm last Sunday - I had one little hummer that would fly through the wind, drink for a bit, and then take off to the pine tree for cover when a really big gust would come.  I really wanted to go move the feeder closer to the pine but there was too much stuff flying through the air!  What a mess my yard was, but still sooooo much better than the poor people in Texas.

Nancy

Hi...I'm new to this forum and noticed this thread....I am in Northern Michigan and I still have one or two hummers at my feeders!  I am totally amazed, as this is the very latest I have ever seen them up here!

My two are regulars now, coming several times a day, the male most often. He gets a quick drink, then sits nearby in my lilac bush, then comes back for another drink, repeat. When he's done, he zips away to a tree across the street, where they must have a nest or hidey hole. Next spring, I may put a nest in my lilac bush, since they seem to like it for a rest stop. My feeder doesn't have a perch, but the male will grip onto the "flower" spout with his tiny feet, with his wings still going for balance. He's not at all afraid of the other birds going to the seed feeder only a foot away! I'm so glad to see them back again! It's been 40 degrees here some mornings, too, with frost warnings. Poor little guys must be pretty cold first thing in the morning.

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...somewhere in a peaceful mountain range, a rabbit plots to take over the world....

Hi, I am new to the forum, too.

We have kept track of the hummers here in Charlevoix County and saw them last on Sunday morning, Sept. 21st. Did not see any in the afternoon and they seem to have left, as there have been none at our four feeders today, Sept. 22. Up until then we had non-stop traffic at all feeders. They were late arriving this spring, but seemed to have stayed later this year than last year.

My hummers are going full force right now!  They were late getting here and had a low count all season but the last week or so they seem to have gone crazy.  I guess they are tanking up for the long trip southward.

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