Marsha C. Salett
Ruby-throated Hummingbird. All photographs by the author.
Autumn through mid-April, I keep feeders with sunflower seeds and suet cakes next to my back deck. I remove them around April 15 and give the resident birds a couple of weeks to realize the food is gone and stop sitting on top of the pole. Most years, I bring out the hummingbird feeder on May 1, and within 12 hours it usually attracts a pair of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. In 2026, I was away until May 17 and did not put out the feeder until the morning of May 18. By 5:00 pm, a pair of hummingbirds was feeding.
To view the rest of the article you'll need to
subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work.