Melanie - I didn't realize you were on the west coast of Florida. I was thinking you were directly north of me. LOL! If you are on the west coast, you could be getting hummers from Mexico. (Flying across the Gulf.) And they could be breeding in your area. I know folks who live on the west coast and toward the middle of the state who get hummers in the Spring and Summer that are breeding there. The females are raising their young in those areas. Keep an eye out. Time will tell whether yours are just passing through heading north or sticking around.
I had a breeding female who I believe was raising babies during a summer several years ago. (Rare for that to happen over here on the east coast.) I kept a feeder up for her the entire Spring and Summer months. She would come to the feeder late in the afternoon and sometimes early morning to eat. But I wouldn't see her any other time of the day at the feeders. For nesting females, they like being able to get a long drink at one nectar (sugar water) source, so I believe she would come for her first feeding and her last feeding of the day since the sugar water feeders were so convenient for her. It also enabled her to get back to her nest quickly. I had no idea where her nest was though. I am sure it was some distance from my yard. But it was definitely a female Ruby-throated hummingbird.
So you never know!
