Hummers

My garden has been crawling with Hummers lately, and I don't mean the gas guzzling variety.  And crawling isn't the right word.  More like swarming.  Ruby Throated Hummingbirds are the only species to breed east of the Mississippi and they have invaded my garden. 
I put feeders out for them early in the spring, before I've spotted them. Follow this link http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html to find out when hummers have reached your area in the spring. This year they were reported April 27 in the Midland area. That means if you waited until May to put up your feeders you missed their arrival by almost a week.
Early food sources are important as they arrive on the breeding grounds in the spring.  I keep them up through the summer, changing the nectar (4pts water to 1pt sugar) weekly.  The last few years we've had hummers each spring and through the summer.  This week we've had more than ever before. 
During the breeding season, hummers are very territorial and aggressive.  Now that the young have fledged, they are joining the parents in the garden.  They are still very pugnacious for such tiny birds.  I once heard that if hummers were bigger we would never leave the house for fear of being impaled. 
A couple days ago I was standing outside talking with the neighbors and four or five hummers are buzzing around, chasing each other and chittering.  Yes, they are quite vocal, but most people would never guess the sound is coming from a bird.  It sounds more like something you would expect from bats.  They are busy now building up reserves to begin their migration south. They will feed on nectar and insects on their way to their wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America.  Many will fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico - an amazing trip for such a tiny creature.  Listen for the deep thrum of their wings or the high-pitched chitter as they play tag among the blossoms.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/ruby-throat-hummingbird/