I'll start off the new thread for hummers for the year, but must start with a photo. It'll be about 4 more months before I get hummingbirds back, so this was taken on the last day I saw them in my yard this last October... windblown and trying to decide between the Snow Princess Alyssum or some of the Salvias (Bodacious Hummingbird Falls) still left after we had high-winds blow most flowers off stems the day before.

Anxious to see pics from our warm weather members who still have the good fortune of having them visit for our hummer photo fixes until migration time!

Great pic, Nancy.

I'll do the same thing, although mine might have had a sad outcome: the last little hummer I had was the late afternoon before a predicted nighttime freeze. Hadn't seen any others for about two weeks. This little guy kept flying from one perch to another rather than sipping nectar. I so hope it was able to find warm shelter that night!

You have to believe he huddled up in his torpor state and then migrated, he just left a bit later than the others. That is a great closeup pic!

These are beautiful images. I am going to go with the positive thoughts that your little guy was just not motivated to leave with everyone else. The weather probly kicked him into gear.

Thanks Suz and Nancy. Yes, I hoped it found shelter.

Thanks for the new thread Nancy, and a great photo, both you and Zoe.

I do have hummers but haven't been able to capture a photo of them. They love my purple firespike which hasn't been zapped by our cold snaps thank goodness. My DSLR camera has been acting up, so I miss a lot of good photos, I have to take it into the camera shop.

Hi. I am more of a Raptor/marsh bird i.d.'er, not so much with your coveted Hummers. Don't think we are not enamored with them though!
Please correct my assumptions.
First image is a male Ruby Throated, correct?
The second is either a juvenile male Ruby, or maybe a Black Chinned?
I live in Central Florida on the east coast, not inland.
For the longest time, I thought only the Ruby Throated hummers were here, but come to find out, we have anywhere from 11-13 species that vacation here during the winter, depending on what you read.
Thank you so much in my endeavor to learn.

Suz yes, black-chinned. Good eye!

It is?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Woot!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!!
Ya know what? I am stoked!
Thanks!

👏

In a way I'm glad I only have Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, some of them look so similar when you try IDing between males/females and babies/adults.

That's pretty cool Suz, Black chinned are pretty rare in Florida, although there have been sightings. I have a hummer in my garden now that I just figured is male Ruby throat because sometimes the throat looks red and other times looks black, since it comes around so late, the lighting can be poor. Or do I have two and one is a black chinned and one a Ruby male??? I never see two at once. The Ruby throated males are usually here before the females each winter, but I saw one with a white throat the other day. Weather has been weird this year, so who knows. I only see Ruby throats as far as I know in my garden.

You have hummers now? I only wish I could see those little flyers out the back door. Maybe in another 4-5 months. Is that my ruby throated? Does he ask about me? Tell him I miss him please. Hope the wife and the 2 kids they had here in Canada all made it on their long flight.

I've got another 3-3½ months before I get to see the hummers again. Another month will be seed starting time, which will include plenty that they like so that helps the waiting.

Yes, hummers are most abundant in the fall through Spring in my garden. First the males are here from about Dec. through about end of Jan. Now the females are coming in and they stay until about mid May, sometimes later. I only started seeing males a couple years ago, but seem to leave once the females get here. They go north once it warms up there, but we get passing through hummers all year long. I read once they will return to the same gardens even passing through, they know the good spots to rest a day or two.
I never have a huge amount at one time though, only maybe three at the most as far as I can tell.

Hard to believe we live in the same hemisphere!

Murky said: I've got another 3-3½ months before I get to see the hummers again. Another month will be seed starting time, which will include plenty that they like so that helps the waiting.

When you start seeing them, is when when mine head north, you might even get my hummers...who knows.

Here we are almost going into March and I can't stop myself from pondering how our beloved hummingbirds are faring with all this "upside down" weather that is happening in areas where they have migrated to. Yes, they do go into a state of torpor when conditions aren't ideal but how long can they survive with the slowed down body systems? They will not be coming back up north until about late May but are they finding enough sustenance in States that are experiencing frosts and snowfalls? Apparently, hummingbird lovers are trying what they can to help these little guys out with heated feeders which is commendable. Hoping that is enough to sustain them or that they have the strength to migrate even farther south, perhaps into Mexico or Central America. I do worry about these guys greatly and could not bear the thought of them becoming extinct due to these adverse conditions this year. Summer just would not be without these plucky little flyers!

I'm wondering if we might see hummers earlier than usual this year. I'm going to try buying some of the salvias and cupheas as early in April as possible just in case. I've read somewhere though that the daylight hours is what really triggers their migration, but I'd rather have food for them (and hopefully they stick around here!).

I think my hummingbirds came too early last year and froze. Some finally showed up in late July or early August, but they were different ones from the year before.