Here at Digging RI, we’re big hummingbird fans. HerbDoc shares some thoughts on her resident hummer population:

The peep has gone out far and wide that my hummingbird feeder is always filled with sweet, fresh nectar.  At least that’s what I think happened!

As of this writing, I have six fearless and feisty hummers constantly visiting.  Here’s a photo of three of them sharing the feeder for a change.  It seems the females are especially territorial this year and chase anyone who dares to close in on the food source.  One squeaks loudly while another looks furtively over her shoulder between sips.  It is very unusual for them to sit together like this.

The males come on a totally different time schedule and are not quite so disagreeable.  Both sexes are very friendly to me and visit me in the gardens to assess what I’m doing in the herb garden or the perennial bed.  Hummers have been constant nesters for years in the bushes behind the herb garden.

I’m amazed that we have six in the same location.  In the past I counted myself lucky if I had a pair so I wondered if some of these were juveniles.  If that’s the case they are the same size as their parents.

The only change I’ve made in the last year is to trade in my plastic feeder for a beautiful glass one that my son gave me for Mother’s Day last year.  My feeder always goes out in mid-April, and the nectar is changed every three days.  The time period is shortened to very other day when it becomes hot.  Because there are so many of them this year, we’re already filling the feeder every other day and even purchased a larger bottle.  I’m considering the option of hanging the smaller bottle in the front yard, but then I’d miss some of the action.

Editor’s note: If you want to learn more about hummingbirds and how to attract them, click here.