A Big Fallout in Texas
For over week the Texas coast has been abuzz. Low pressure brought days of rain and drizzle. You may be familiar with the sound of one hummingbird, but can you imagine hearing one hundred?

"The noise was amazing," report Altus and Harlen Aschen whose 8 feeders hosted an estimated one hundred hungry hummers this week. "The Ruby-throats just sat down here along the coast! Not a good time to jump off and make the flight to the Yucatan, or down the coast to Mexico. They've had to cancel their plans for a few days. When the feeder went empty, Altus told me she was going out into the danger zone (with a refill). Have glasses on, watch your back, and don't wear any red!"

A few miles away in Port O'Conner an observer reports:

"They have stacked up here and I am having to fill my 8 feeders every day, sometimes twice. This is the most I have had at one time this year and I expect them to stay for a while considering all the rain coming in from the Gulf. One hummer is trying to protect all three of my feeders at once. A friend got spooked when he went on the front deck and was bombarded with all of them whizzing by his head."

A little inland in Kenefick, Texas:

"Have had upwards of 50 birds. Going through 12 cups of food every 12 hours. Am wondering if any one else in South Texas has had so many birds this year."

More on the Way
Nearly 1,000 people reported hummingbirds this week. Many saw clear clues that these were travelers. Notice how hummingbirds explore the world as they go:

Looking in the window in West Virginia:

"One came up to the kitchen window and seemed to just look in at me. She went out in the yard a little then came back to the window and did it again 3 or 4 times. This happened again the next day or two. I almost felt she was somewhat tamed at someone else's feeder this summer."

Looking for flowers in Pennsylvania:

"They were looking for flowers and did not seem to notice the feeders, which were freshly filled, hanging just over their heads."

Overlooking fresh flowers in Illinois:

"A Ruby-throated Hummingbird dive-bombed into a group of white blossoms, and tried for 15-20 seconds to force open a wilted blossom with its bill, although there was a perfect, fresh blossom just a few inches away. It never did try that one!"

Finding red irresistible in Indiana:

"I saw a hummingbird at my garage looking at the red tail lights on my vehicle."

Thanks to everyone for sharing their first-hand, backyard observations of North America's favorite birds! Please continue to tell us what you see.