Hummingbirds? Butterflies? (Tega Cay: landscaping, neighborhood, buy)

[Mrs. P]

Where are they at this year? I've seen two hummingbirds, and two butterflies that's it.

[London]

I've got a hummingbird feeder in my yard and see them frequently. Butterflies also, though not a lot. I'm in Tega Cay near 160.

[loulamb]

Hummers are pretty scarce this year, at least in our yard. Every year they seem to show up a little later and decline a little more in population. Unfortunately this year has been the worst in recent memory for destructive insects (especially spittlebugs) and our garden and shrubs are suffering. The rabbits however, are breeding like rabbits!

[naeem5]

Originally Posted by Mrs. P

Where are they at this year? I've seen two hummingbirds, and two butterflies that's it.

Tips for Watching Hummingbirds - How to Watch Hummingbirds
It can be especially difficult to get the best views of hummingbirds, since the birds are so small and move so quickly. With the right equipment, a custom viewing location and plenty of patience, however, every backyard birder can be rewarded with fantastic hummingbird views.

Setting Up a Viewing Location

The best way to get good views of hummingbirds with little effort is to establish a viewing location that will attract the birds. Hummingbirds can be very geographically loyal and will often return to their favorite feeding areas and perches regularly.
The first step in creating a viewing location is to choose an appropriate spot where you want to see hummingbirds. Ideally, the location will have all the elements to attract birds: food, water, shelter and nesting sites. For hummingbirds, nectar feeders and nectar-producing flowers provide ample food, and a mister or bubbler in a small bird bath will give the birds a place to drink and preen. Perches provide places to rest, and with the right plants, it is possible to attract nesting hummingbirds.
In addition to making your viewing location attractive to hummingbirds, it has to be attractive to your views as well. It should be in good, clear light, with an unobstructed line between where the birds appear and where you will be to view them. To make the location even more attractive…

• Trim excess branches and flowers to concentrate birds’ activity just where you can see best
• Choose a location away from strong breezes that can swing feeders, make flying difficult or cause other branches to block the view
• Keep the area safe from cats, wasps and other potential predators that can scare away the hummingbirds or put them in danger
• Keep other bird feeders away from the hummingbird area to prevent conflicts between small and large birds and to keep larger birds from claiming the area as their own
• Add a gazing ball or other colorful ornamental structure to the area to add more color that will attract hummingbirds
• Hang fine cotton nesting material for hummingbirds near the viewing area to encourage nesting birds and to watch them gather material for their nests.

More Tips for Watching Hummingbirds

Getting great views of hummingbirds can be hard. To make the most of your hummingbird viewing…

• Be Patient: It make take the birds several days or weeks to discover your viewing location, but once they find it they will be regular guests. Be sure to have your viewing location ready early every spring to catch the first returning migrants who remember it from the year before.
• Be Bird-Friendly: The more bird-friendly your landscaping, the easier it will be to attract hummingbirds into great locations. Plant flowers that attract hummingbirds and use other landscaping tricks to attract the birds.
• Keep the Birds Healthy: Always clean your hummingbird feeders and use a suitable hummingbird nectar recipe to ensure the food will be attractive to the birds without causing any health problems for them.
• Keep Insects Away: While hummingbirds do eat a lot of insects, they will glean these from your plants and flowers, not from the feeders themselves. Control the insects – ants, bees, wasps, etc. – near your feeders and viewing area to keep the birds coming back.

[CarolinaWoman]

We have our feeders out and not as many hummers are in attendance. We do have the one kamikaze that feels the feeders belong to him. He will hover up and out sort of in the middle near a maple tree where he has visibility on both feeders. When another hummingbird gets close to either feeder the kamikaze will dive bomb to the feeder. I guess times are hard in the hummingbird world too. We love to watch them including the crazy kamikaze. He is the King of his domain. Including him we have only had two other hummers here which is rare.

We haven't seen many butterflies either. Boy oh boy do we have a squirrel revolution. They are all over the place. It will be a battle this year with our pecan trees.

[Mrs. P]

I have hummingbird feeders up. I also planted wild flowers for butterflies and hummingbirds. I'm just not seeing them this year. I believe the very cold winter we had may have had something to do with this (the whole SE USA had a rough winter remember it snowed in Florida this past winter). My neighbor says the same thing...where are the hummingbirds? I do believe they are declining.

[naeem5]

Originally Posted by Mrs. P

I have hummingbird feeders up. I also planted wild flowers for butterflies and hummingbirds. I'm just not seeing them this year. I believe the very cold winter we had may have had something to do with this (the whole SE USA had a rough winter remember it snowed in Florida this past winter). My neighbor says the same thing...where are the hummingbirds? I do believe they are declining.

Here are some comments I found about the overall hummingbird population and scarcity:

low branches because the flowers they choose for their nectar can become scarce in some parts.

Sugar water feeders are very very bad for hummingbirds. Firstly, it fills them up without providing any actual nutrition thereby weakening them. Also, because they will remember the source, they will return again and again to a "feeder" making this a chronic problem. And lastly, if they are feeding solely or predominately from a sugar water feeder, they aren't pollinating as they should if they were getting nectar from flowering plant life. If you want hummingbirds in your yard, then I recommend you plant native plants that attract them. If you really must have a feeder - there is hummingbird nectar which you can buy that will at least provide the nutrients they need. However, I strongly discourage feeders as it interferes with natural behavior.

The widespread use of certain pesticides has caused some birds to lay eggs with dangerously thin shells, which can be broken by the weight of the bird sitting upon them. Pesticides have been responsible for reducing the bird population in our area a few years back as they were spraying for mosquitos but we noticed that there were *far* fewer birds of all species in the neighborhood. I learned that birds are extremely sensitive to chemicals including household cleaners, the toxins emitted by nonstick cookware, & pesticides. Apart from the hazards of thin eggshells, birds can become poisoned simply by being in proximity to pesticides, or by eating an insect that was exposed to these poisons.