Answer Man: Where are the hummingbirds? Short McDowell Street issue?

Today’s batch of burning questions, my smart-aleck answers and the real deal:

Question: After 14 years in Tennessee, we recently moved back to Western North Carolina in April, to Hendersonville. I watched as my neighbors hung their hummingbird feeders around the first of June, so I did likewise. Since then, we have not had one hummer come to our feeder! I have only seen one female flitting about, and she was not at a feeder. Likewise, my neighbors have not had any come to their feeders, either. Where are our little hummer friends?

My answer: At hummer camp? God, please forgive me for that one ...

Real answer: These types of questions come up periodically, whether it's about squirrels, chipmunks, bees, butterflies, groundhogs or Bigfoot. OK, I made up that last one, but it does seem like certain critters just go MIA on occasion.

In nearly all of these case, the experts say we have nothing to worry about. That's certainly true with hummingbirds.

"According to the metrics we have for tracking hummingbird populations and movements, there aren’t any indications of anything out of the ordinary here in North Carolina this year," Falyn Owens, an extension wildlife biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, said via email. "I’ve personally seen (and heard) plenty during my local travels this summer, and we regularly get reports of sightings from across the state, including via eBird and even small citizen-science groups like Hummingbird Central."

I'll echo those sentiments, as here in Fletcher the hummingbirds are hitting the flowers and feeder regularly.

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"We do get localized reports from time to time of homeowners who aren’t seeing the 'normal' activity of a particular species (hummingbirds, songbirds in general, squirrels, etc.) and are concerned that it might be part of a larger issue," Owens said. "Fortunately, most of the time these can be accounted for by local dynamics in animal movements and all the factors that can account for that."

For example, Owens said if "it’s nesting season and hummingbirds need plenty of insects to feed their young, they might avoid an area they historically nested because the homeowner recently started spraying insecticides, so there’s just no food in the immediate vicinity for protein-hungry nestlings — or a wide variety of other possible factors."

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Tom Tribble, past president and at-large director for the Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter, said when these questions arise he feels like he's in the "Groundhog Day" movie.

"I get this question every year — numerous times," Tribble said via email.

Here are the answers Tribble typically shares:

• "They are nesting right now," he said. "Most people don't know that 50% of a hummingbird's diet is insects. This is especially true when they are raising their babies. All songbirds must feed their babies protein — that is insects — so that the nestlings can grow their bones and feathers. This is true even if the birds grow up to be primarily seed eaters, such as goldfinches and sparrows, or primarily fruit eaters — such as orioles or cedar waxwings. A diet of nectar for the babies is insufficient. So right now the female hummingbirds are more interested in catching insects than getting nectar."

• "Much of Western North Carolina is experiencing good weather and therefore a good growing season," Tribble said. "Lots of heat and, at least recently, lots of rain. When that is the case, the widespread abundance of nectar plants provides a tremendous natural food supply for hummingbirds. This may reduce their activity at feeders."

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• "Birds fly! Have I mentioned this to you previously?" Tribble said, being sure to include a smiley face emoji. "I see them in my yard, sometimes for a couple of days in a row, and then they disappear for a while."

He too has seen no reports suggesting hummingbird populations are down this year.

"I suspect that, as the summer continues, the hummingbirds will be back visiting your reader's feeder," Tribble said.

Both Tribble and Owens said the best way to attract hummingbirds and keep them healthy is to plant native plants in your yard.

"Native plants support many more insects than non-native plants," Tribble said. "For example, our native trees provide 35 times the weight of caterpillars than non-native trees. Native plants and insects have evolved together over eons and insects have evolved to deal with the leaf chemistry of native plants but not non-native plants."

Owens added a note of caution about feeders, too.

"Hummingbird feeders can spread some nasty pathogens if they’re not thoroughly sanitized on a very regular basis," Owens said. "Native wildflowers, on the other hand, don’t require much maintenance at all once established and offer a lot more — shelter, nectar, insects — than a feeder ever could!"

Question: In 2018, you wrote an Answer Man column that addressed a question about the "chaotic minefield" known as Short McDowell Street, the road that runs from McDowell Street near the viaduct to Meadow Road. At that time, the city of Asheville said a fix was near, but a major water line project had to occur first. Well, it's four years later and nothing has happened. The street is still a chaotic minefield, and no utility work has occurred. I drive that road all the time and it's still terrible. Is there a fix coming any time soon, like in this decade, since the last one has already passed?

My answer: From what I hear, the 2030s are going to be a great decade for road repairs around here.

Real answer: "The major project your reader referenced has not yet been completed," City of Asheville spokeswoman Kim Miller said via email. "The primary hold-up deals with getting encroachments approved from NCDOT and easement negotiations. As these approvals and negotiations are still underway, the city of Asheville cannot issue an accurate completion date."

This is the opinion of John Boyle. To submit a question, contact him at 232-5847 or jboyle@citizen-times.com

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Answer Man: Where are the hummingbirds? Short McDowell Street issue?