This year, you can get a good look at hummingbirds

In suburban backyards, wild bird supply stores and even among the ornithologically wise, the buzz in recent weeks has been, well, the buzz.The buzz of ruby-throated hummingbirds, that is, as unusually high numbers of the diminutive birds descended upon the suburbs on the way to winter homes in Central America."For anyone that's interested in birds, this is a big deal," said Tim Joyce, manager of Wild Birds Unlimited stores in Arlington Heights and Glenview. "Is it a once-in-a-lifetime event? No, but it's a significant occurrence."Chicago area residents spotting hummingbirds in their yards is hardly unusual this time of year as thousands of the birds migrate through the area on their way from northern Wisconsin, Michigan and Canada to warmer climes in the southern hemisphere.But what's notable, experts and bird lovers say, is the number of hummingbirds settling in locally for more than a few days on their journey thousands of miles to the south."They're sticking around longer on the way through," said Douglas Stotz, an ornithologist with the Field Museum's Environmental and Conservation Programs.And it has not gone unnoticed by suburban bird watchers.On a recent day, Joyce said, about 30 customers walked into his store in Glenview. Every one of them commented on the numbers of hummingbirds they had seen."We're getting more sightings this year than past years," added Mike Schudrowitz, owner of Wild Bird Centers of America stores in Fox River Grove and Libertyville.While there are a couple of theories about the hummingbird influx, the most popular credits the combination of an unusually wet summer with an unseasonably warm September.That, Stotz said, left behind a bounty of the hummingbird's favorite foods: flower nectar and insects."It's produced a good flower crop that has stuck around longer than usual," he said. "There's more food for them out there.""When they find the right conditions and a place where there is lots of food, they're going to put on the brakes," Joyce added. "They have two things on their mind: get plump as possible, then move on."The good news for bird lovers is that the brakes may stay on a little longer.With a weather forecast predicting temperatures at or above average for another week or two, hummingbirds could remain until at least the middle of the month, Joyce said.To take advantage, he recommends filling a hummingbird feeder with one part sugar and four parts water and making sure it's cleaned at least twice a week."Keep it clean, and they'll keep coming back," he said.