By  Ray Pope
 
Where have all the Hummingbirds Gone?

If I have been asked once, I've been asked several hundred times. I’ve had telephone calls, e-mails, and people that I run into at the various stores or restaurants ask me, “Where have all the Hummers gone to?”

My mother, Margie Pope, told me this past Sunday that she had a Hummer checking out her feeder and left because the nectar was probably bad. She took and cleaned it at once and filled it with fresh nectar.

Carole Young reported two Hummers all over her yard, but they were feeding on Petunias, Morning Glories, and small red trumpet vines, but not drinking from her Hummingbird feeder at all. Carole also said the blackberries I mentioned in last week's article were completely gone.

By  Ray Pope
 
Where have all the Hummingbirds Gone?

If I have been asked once, I've been asked several hundred times. I’ve had telephone calls, e-mails, and people that I run into at the various stores or restaurants ask me, “Where have all the Hummers gone to?”

My mother, Margie Pope, told me this past Sunday that she had a Hummer checking out her feeder and left because the nectar was probably bad. She took and cleaned it at once and filled it with fresh nectar.

Carole Young reported two Hummers all over her yard, but they were feeding on Petunias, Morning Glories, and small red trumpet vines, but not drinking from her Hummingbird feeder at all. Carole also said the blackberries I mentioned in last week's article were completely gone.

Jim Henderson also was asking about the lack of Hummers at his home. Jim has seen only one at his location and said it was as swift as an F 18 Hornet just passing by. Jim has talked to several people around Wilson County and they too don't have any.

Allan Uhlik said that he had Hummers at his property drinking from the flowers growing out in the yard, but they totally ignored his Hummer feeder. With all this hot weather it’s very possible that the home made nectar is going bad quicker. You can make extra Hummer juice, just keep it in the refrigerator till you refill, and please don’t add red food coloring to the mixture. Their small systems cannot process the food coloring as easy as we humans can. Don't forget the formula for Hummer nectar is 4 parts hot water to 1 part granulated sugar and let it cool before putting it in a feeder.

I have several personal thoughts about the Hummers being scarce. One, is the heavy rains around the first of May caused a plethora of blooming flowers which have taken care of the needs of the Hummingbirds. Two, is there were many hot days that could have caused the sugar water or store bought nectar to ruin. The enzymes in natural sugars will in time turn into alcohol after exposure to heat. That is the same principle used in the fermentation process of major distilleries and even the old time moonshiners. We sure don't need any inebriated Hummingbirds making fast twist and turns around us out in the yard. It might be hard to conduct a sobriety test on the little fellows.

Another thought is the fact that most of the Hummingbirds’ nests that I have personally found were built close to streams on a low enough limb that I was able to peer into and see the eggs. If that is the norm for most of our Hummers, there might have been losses of eggs or babies due to flooding at the first of May. I hope that is not the situation and that our Hummers are taking advantage of our many blooming plants.

Behind my home on Fairview Avenue, I have identified several plants and trees that will provide natural food for the many birds that also call my place home. Right now the Black Cherry tree is loaded with wild cherries. Earlier in the spring, the Mulberry tree was loaded with plenty of berries and was full of different birds taking advantage of the lunch menu. Of course there were plenty of Cedar Waxwings, and my Mockingbird had a fit trying to keep them all for himself. Growing up into the Mulberry tree is a wild grapevine. I'm not too sure what kind it is, but it's full of small grapes, maybe possum grapes. Also in the fence row is polk salad with its purple berries that always winds up second handed on our automobiles. With all that wild food you would think they would leave my tomatoes alone. No, I have to pick them before they turn red or do without.

Margaret Partee sent me a picture of her Carolina Wren family that was raised in her basket of flowers. Two of the little ones seem to pose for their Wilson Post debut.

I would love to hear from you as to what’s lurking about in your neighborhood and at your feeders. You can write to me at 606 Fairview Ave., Lebanon, TN, 37087 or call me at 547-7371 or e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .