Should I continue feeding hummingbirds?

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds usually arrive in the Lehigh Valley in April and begin their long journey south in August and September. Most of the adults you've seen in your backyards have left by now. The juveniles stay around for a while longer, usually until the end of the month.

The hummingbirds that were hatched this summer do not have a memory of past migrations. Their chief concern is to put on weight, which they may still be doing.

They'll need a good deal of energy to make the trip south. For the newbies, this journey will be one of exploration. They'll need to determine how far to fly and in what direction. Then they'll have to find a suitable place for the winter.

Don't stop refilling your hummingbird feeder yet. Birders in the Lehigh Valley continue to report hummingbird sightings as recently as this week. Keep in mind that there will be stragglers. They'll need the energy the nectar provides.

Providing nectar at this time of year will not encourage the birds to remain here. Nature tells them when to leave. The urge to migrate is triggered by the shortening length of sunlight; it has nothing to do with the abundance of food. You can keep your feeder filled with nectar for another two or three weeks yet.