I have a humming bird feeder in my front window and was wondering if/when I have to take it down? Or do the birds just leave when it gets colder? I live in the thumb area of Michigan.
TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED......IT'S THAT SIMPLE!!!!!!
Here the hummingbird activity is almost nil now but Jim always lives one up for the stragglers. Lo and behold one lone hummingbird has been coming to the feeder the last couple of days. JoAnn
britchickny
True Blue Farmgirl
1048 Posts
Angie
Port Orange
Florida
1048 Posts
Posted - Sep 20 2008 : 07:10:46 AM
I have 'heard' that you should take it down around Labor Day so that you do not encourage the birds to stay any longer than they should which sort of makes sense. But....if they can fly the thousands of miles south every year then I am sure they know when it's time to go! I usually take my down around Labor Day, regardless here in Western NY.
ANGIE "Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance" JUDE 1:2
AuntPammy
True Blue Farmgirl
488 Posts
Pamila
williamstown
wv
USA
488 Posts
Posted - Sep 20 2008 : 07:36:52 AM
Yes, I do believe that the feeders should be down. The birds will get dependent and forget to leave for warmer temps. I took mine down around labor day and the other day found one searching for it I told him to head on down south! I hope he listened and has a safe journey all by his lonesome!
Let's dance in the rain and play in the puddles under the rainbows.
Good info on that site JoAnn. Thanks for posting. We've still been seeing hummingbirds here but silly us completely forgot to put up our feeder this year. Our next door neighbor has a big shrub that has brilliant dark pink flowers on it that they feed on all summer so think they've been okay here.
We actually have a year round humming bird (brown with ruby throats) - really two stay. They are indigenous to the northwest - so between the neighbors we leave a couple out for the winter. The little guys that fly up from San Diego (bright green with red throats) they left around the first part of September. The year round guys seem to be able to winter through the cold months, though here in Oregon we only get really cold for a few days in January, otherwise it is in the upper 30's mid 40's through most of the dead of winter. That is probably why they can hold out. I also have winter blooming jasmine that blooms end of December through January (even if it snows) that they feed off of.
Anne in Portland OR
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
Humming Bird Feeder
Posted - Sep 20 2008 : 07:05:42 AM
