BADBIL wrote:
I have noticed that the number of hummers coming to my feeders has dropped off
a lot recently, and that I am seeing new birds. How long should I keep the
feeder out for the passers b y?

I'd always heard that one should stop feeding them on Labor Day to
encourage them to fly south, but someone here said that they pretty much
leave on their own w/o encouragement. You seem to be experiencing that.
I'm still filling the feeder, and I have a few around still.

Someone also reported here last year that if one leaves a feeder
out over winter, one may get the occasional non-ruby throat in migration.
I don't recall the species, but I do remember a report of something other
than a ruby throat or rufous locally (last December I believe it was).

cl