Where are the Hummingbirds?

Every year we have been treated to the sight of hundreds of migrating hummingbirds stopping at our house to refuel and rest. We have six feeders that had to be refilled every day and at the peak of migration, more than once a day. A dozen birds would hover a few feet away while I refilled an empty feeder, and would begin feeding as soon as I stepped away. Our next door neighbor also had several feeders to catch the overflow from us.

This year there are no migratory birds...none! When I first put up a feeder in early September, it was visited by what I believe was one local family of Ruby-throats. We never had more than four birds visit, and that number has dwindled to one regular visitor. Typically, they are gone by the second week in October, so I imagine our one little bird will be gone any day now.

It must be the drought that's altered their migration route. Louisiana has had more rain, so they might have shifted their flight path a few miles to the east. Whatever the cause, I sure miss the entertaining little critters.