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SOON THE HUMMINGBIRDS WILL BE GONE
Here at my Middle Georgia home, during the past few days the number of hummingbirds visiting our four feeders has dramatically decreased. As late as last week, my wife was making 20 cups of nectar a day in an effort to meet the birds’ demand for food. Today for the first time in weeks, only two feeders needed to be refilled. I suspect that the rubythroats are rapidly disappearing in your backyards too.
With that in mind, I would like to know when you first noticed a noticeable drop in the hummers visiting your feeders. In addition, it would be great if you report the date, the last hummer is seen in your yard. I have been studying hummingbirds for more than 30 years and still have much to learn about these fascinating birds. Your information would be helpful in delineating the fall migration of the ruby-throated hummingbird in Georgia.
If you do respond to this request, please include the name of the county where you live.
BACKYARD SECRET – HOW MANY MILES DO RUBYTHROATS FLY EACH DAY FLYING ACROSS GEORGIA ON THEIR FALL MIGRATION?
For weeks, ruby-throated hummingbirds have been making their way south towards their wintering grounds. Have you ever wondered how far a rubythroat flies once it leaves your feeders and continues on to the next stop on its journey?
Banding studies reveal that when these tiny migrants cross Georgia they fly about 23 miles per day.
BACKYARD SECRET – DO RATTLE SNAKES RATTLE BEFORE THEY STRIKE?
As far as most Georgians are concerned, the chance of them being struck by a rattlesnake is remote. However, if you do encounter a rattlesnake stay clear of the snake. Most rattlesnake bites occur when people are trying to get close enough to identify the snake, trying to kill it, or attempting to coax it to leave.
In spite of this, many homeowners believe that as long as the snake does not strike until it rattles. This myth can get you in trouble, as rattlesnakes do not always rattle before striking.
If you or a family member receives a rattlesnake bite, treat the incident as a medical emergency and immediately call 911.
Photo credit: GA DNR Wildlife Biologist, John Jensen
DO NOT TAKE HUMMINGBIRD FEEDERS DOWN
When I began working with hummingbirds more than 40 years ago, it was a common practice for Georgians to take down their hummingbird feeders in September; this was done because many folks subscribed to the popular belief that, if you left your feeders up past August, you would entice the birds not to migrate. We now know that hummingbirds migrate due to declining day length and not the availability of food. As the days become shorter, ruby-throated hummingbirds begin storing fat the fuel needed to complete their long migration. When it is time for them to leave, abundance of nectar-bearing flowers and hummingbird feeders stocked with sugar water cannot keep them from making this epic trip.
If you keep your feeders up, you will help provide late migrants with a much-needed source of food. In addition, it gives you the chance of having your feeders visited by a western hummingbird. The hummer you are most likely to see in Georgia from November through February is the rufous.
BACKYARD SECRET – HEADBOBBING HELPS GREEN ANOLES SELECT MATES
In the natural world, females select their mates in many ways. Interestingly, in the world of the green anole, the males that bob their heads the most often are the ones that are most likely to get a chance to breed with females.
TWO LATE AUGUST POLLINATOR FAVORITES
By this time of the year, gardens are often losing their value to pollinators day by day. The reason for this is many of the plants we plant for their beauty and ability to provide pollinators with nectar and pollen have already stopped blooming. This is unfortunate because butterflies, bees and other pollinators still desperately need sources of food. Consequently, if you spot bees and butterflies flying about your yard vainly looking for flowers, don’t let this happen again. With that in mind, I suggest that next spring you add some nectar plants that continue to bloom until frost. Two of the best are purple coneflower and cosmos.
Both bloom throughout the summer into the fall. They are also hardy. In addition, birds will eat the seeds produced by both plants. Although a number of birds eat the seeds, American goldfinches are especially fond of them.
WHAT CRITTERS EAT SUET AT NIGHT?
If you feed suet to the birds that visit your backyard feeders, there is a chance when you make your morning check of your feeders, you will find that your suet was eaten by some critter during the night. If this occurs, you will undoubtedly scratch your head trying to come up with the name of the nighttime raider.
You know the culprit is not a songbird or even a crow since these birds are not active at night. In rare cases, the nocturnal raider may be a barred owl. Yes, there have been a handful of reports of barred owls visiting suet feeders. Apparently, the chance of this occurring is greater if rodents are visiting your feeding area to dine on seed scattered on the ground.
More than likely, however, the phantom visitor was either an opossum or raccoon. Both of these mammals are active at night. If it is one of these two animals, they will often leave clues that you can use to solve this mystery. Look for droppings, tracks or even their scat.
Fortunately, raccoons and opossums have never staged a nighttime raid on my suet feeders. If one does, I will not be a happy camper. On the other hand, if I go outside one night and see a barred owl dining on suet, I will not mind a bit. In fact, it would be event that I would fondly remember for the rest of my life.
BACKYARD SECRET – ORCHARD ORIOLES ARE EARLY FALL MIGRANTS
When we think about the fall migration, it is easy to believe that this epic event takes place solely in the fall when days are cool and the woodlands are painted with a kaleidoscope of colors. While it is true some birds are migration through Georgia at that time, others have already pass through the Peach State.
Take the orchard oriole for example. In Georgia, this popular backyard bird actually begins its fall migration in mid-July!
DO NOT PLANT THIS MILKWEED IN YOUR GARDEN
With each passing year, more Georgia gardeners are planting milkweeds in hopes their efforts will bolster the dwindling monarch butterfly population. The University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension Program recommends we do not plant the common milkweed in our gardens (Asclepias syriaca) in the state.
This reason they want us to defer from planting this particular milkweed is it is not native to Georgia. This recommendation is based on the fear that this milkweed could potentially become invasive and usurp habitats currently occupied by Georgia’s native milkweeds and other wild plants.
