Any Hummingbird/bird "experts"? (Denver: house, move, garage door)

[Neditate]

Swampy, your photography is absolutely stunning. I am becoming one of your biggest fans!
We still only have one little fella visiting our feeder (well, I think it's the same one). It is a bit strange. I am hoping with the warmer weather this week we will soon be seeing more.

[Bagz]

Last year they were here about 3 weeks earlier. Yesterday we had 5. I think spring is finally here. We are at 7800 feet.

On a side note, the water temperature at Standley lake on opening day this weekend was 12 degrees colder than average. No wonder those little birds waited.

[mncallen]

Since you are lower then where I live you should have the Broadtail's about now. I'm surprised that you only had 40 with all of those feeders. Not sure about your sugar to water ratio... we use 1 to 3 and have a MASS of birds on 2 feeders, adding two more this year. I would keep my ears open for the male scouts as they make that burrrrrrrrrrrrr sound when they fly... that is the sign to clean out the feeders from last year.


I took this last year when we had a late spring snow... keep your feeders full and take them in at night if it's going to freeze... and out before dawn as they hit the feeders at 1st light.

[Swampy101]

My wife said to use 1:4 so that's what we used last year. This year, I'm not listening to her and have been doing 1:3 and will probably keep it that way.

Here's the single female that we have of the still total of 3. From yesterday evening.

[Neditate]

WOW, Swampy! What a great shot.

"My wife said to use 1:4 so that's what we used last year. This year, I'm not listening to her and have been doing 1:3 and will probably keep it that way."

I've always used the 1:4 ratio also because that is what I read and what people told me to do. Last summer a neighbor told me he does 1:3 and so I'm doing 1:3 this year.
Yesterday it was as if the hummers arrived by bus load! I went for a walk at 10 am and heard lots them flying around. We had a few at the feeder at dusk, and a steady stream of them this morning.
I am going to get one of the smaller Opus feeders you mentioned. I like the way it looks. We've used the Perky Pet 30 oz for years and there are days when we have to refill both of them every day!

(BTW I live at 8300 feet in case I didn't mention that before.)

[Swampy101]

Thanks Neditate. Just wait for a few more weeks and see what images I get. I've always been a fan of natural lighting, but this year, I think I'm going to set up some artificial lights and use some special sensors to take the pictures for me.

That Opus feeder in the link before, I love it. The bottle has a larger opening than your standard feeders and the base unscrews in half so you can clean them really well. It also has retractable perches, so you can make them hover or set them to 3 different lengths by turning a knob on the bottom. I set mine in the middle because all the hummers here are the smaller ones, broadtail, rufous, caliope...

Boatloads eh? Hmm. Looks like they're taking the high road. I still have only 3 and they're staying and coming to the feeders more often.

I'm at 7035 feet myself.

[Swampy101]

So how many do you have now Neditate? I'm varying between 12 and 16. Was hoping for more though.

Here's a pic of the "king" of the roost. He's the alpha in the group so far. Took this while eating breakfast this morning, no flashes yet, just natural lightning. You can see the sunrise in his eye too.

[jazzlover]

If you want to do something fun, go out to your feeder and stand or sit very quietly, and rest your index finger on the perch. Many hummers are "tame" enough to perch on your finger while they eat. Feeling how light they are when they sit on your finger, it is just about unbelievable that they can both navigate and migrate thousands of miles each year. They are one of nature's most amazing creatures.

[Swampy101]

Using a feeder is no fun and cheating. Last year, we had so many of them and they had grown so accustomed to me changing the feeders all the time, they would land on the feeder when I walked out the door with it and stay on it while I hung it. They would also land on my hat, shoulder and even my bare hand.

I was doing some work in the garden and this female was being pestered hard by a male. I guess she knew I was a "safe zone" and she hovered next to me. I stuck my hand out and she landed in the palm of my hand. Walked up to the house, grabbed a camera, popped the pop up flash up with my nose and took this pic.



She hung out for a few more minutes while I drank some water taking a break myself.

Just had one land on my head last night while I was standing next to a feeder. Hopefully the trend will continue.

[Neditate]

Good morning Swampy ~ As always, awesome photos! The close up of the "king" is breathtaking. And that sweet little female in your hand is too cool.
We have about a dozen regulars now. The two feeders on the south deck were full the other night. I put out a third feeder the other day. We usually have the most around in July and August. During that time they "buzz" me when I am taking down or putting up a feeder. I have yet to have one actually land on me. When our little nieces and nephews visit they like to stand under the feeder and have them swirling around their heads.

BTW - I looked to see if your gallery is open yet. End of June? We will definitely make a trip down there to check it out.