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PostPosted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:51 pm 
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Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2004 10:34 pm
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Location: Dallas,TEXAS
Tony,
Do you know what the 'season' is for Hummingbirds in the Dallas area ?

Where do they migrate to and from ?

Kevin


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 Post subject: Hummers
PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 12:33 pm 
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Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 9:18 pm
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Location: McKinney,TEXAS
RIGHT NOW.

I have had resident birds all summer but the migrants from all points north are starting to show up. I've started to increase the number of feeders I am using because of the recent greater number of birds.

Put out your feeder near some flowers in a shady spot and change the nectar every 3 days. No red dye, no boiling necessary, mix sugar with real hot water 1-4, keep the extra in the fridge for refils.

Tony M


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 Post subject: Hummingbirds
PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 8:16 am 
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Location: mckinney,TEXAS
I'm glad to hear Tony had such good success with hummingbirds this year. There were spotty reports of a lack of hummingbirds in the east. One lady who normaly has a hundred hummers each summer had virtually none. A piece was being prepared for NPR but I am not sure if it was ever broadcast.

It always seemed to me that many of the Texas hummers left backyards in late summer, maybe starting migration or just dispersing from their nesting areas. Then another group of hummers shows up as northern birds start to migrate through.

Keep the feeders up through September, or unitl it has been a week or so since the last hummingbird made a visit. Feeding too late in the year is not a threat to the hummers.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 11:46 am 
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Location: McKinney,TEXAS
Image
I love hummers; I rescued this one from inside a neighbor’s garage. It was there for two hours flying around with the garage door and windows open. It would only fly up. It finally became so exhausted that I caught it in a net and started feeding it by hand.

I observed this from a master bander, Sherri Williamson in Arizona, who gives all her banded birds a drink of sugar water and then lets them fly off from an open hand. Sometimes they rest there for minutes.

This is not something I am advocating or encouraging, it just seemed like the last resort given the circumstances and since I have participated in banding in Arizona as well as the Heard Museum.

It is interesting to me that when we lived in Coppell, just 40 miles SW of where we live now, we only saw black chinned hummers until the fall when the ruby throats started coming thru. Here in Mckinney, all we ever see is rubies.

Tony M
ps: if you can't see the picture right click on it and hit show picture


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:54 pm 
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Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
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Location: Hubbard,TX
What a cool picture. I live 100 miles south of McKinney. I put up a feeder a few months back. Almost immeadiately I had one or two regulars, black chins. In the past week we've seen up to 6 at one time. I'm hoping to see some rubies this year. Thanks for sharing.


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PostPosted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:24 pm 
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Location: McKinney,TEXAS
Hi Pam-

Did we meet once at the H+G show, sorry if my memory is bad?

Birdzilla mentioned that feeders should be left up thru Sept, that's important because the majority of the birds we will see this fall will be passing thru and need to build up a fat reserve to get them across the Gulf of Mexico, non-stop! Keep as many feeders up as possible, as far away as possible to reduce the territorial fighting. Once they find a reliable nectar source it is guarded and fiercely protected.

Rubies should be there soon, report back to us please.

Tony M


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PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:09 am 
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Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 8:25 am
Posts: 147
Location: Clute,TEXAS
There are many, many hummingbirds here around the Houston area also, right now.

Having a shady area is a nice idea but it does not have to be continually shady. My hummingbirds absolutely love my David Austin and Weeks roses.

My stepfather has some trees with leafy overhangs that are about 3-4 foot over his feeder and they love to sit in the tree and take turns at the feeder.

It is nice to watch.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:46 am 
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Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
Posts: 47
Location: Hubbard,TX
Hi Tony,

Yes I'm the same Pamzilla you met at the HG show a few years back. I've recently been reconnected to the forum. I had some problems with the membership/website changes.

I have just one lonely feeder and up until last week it wasn't heavily used. Now I'm getting more birds and they are fighting. I'm about to go on a 2+ week vacation and I'm afraid their feeder will be dry when they need it most. Maybe I can sweet talk my uncle into filling it once or twice. These guys are a blast to watch.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 1:06 pm 
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Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
Posts: 47
Location: Hubbard,TX
Well I went on vacation and the feeder went dry for probably two weeks. Right away I filled my feeders in hopes that the hummers would return. Well they did and now swarms of hummers are showing up.

The black heads are here and another hummer I haven't seen yet. It has a green head and back with a white underside streching up to a white collar. Are these female rubies? Where are the boys?

I am so looking forward to this cold front for some rain and coolness.


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