A swarm of newly fledged baby RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS arrived at our hummingbird feeders yesterday 7/26 in our back yard and front yard in Darnestown, Montgomery County.  They provided lots of amusement and a great show.  Their bills are shorter than the adults, the wings are a little stubbier and they are less expert fliers.  The two male hummingbirds which have ruled the feeders, and spend most of their time and energy driving other hummers away from "their" feeders suddenly became much less effective.  Whether this is due simply to being way outnumbered, or recognizing and tolerating their own young at the feeders, or both, I dont know, but the effect is marked.  Hard to make an exact count of the babies, but I did see four together at one time.  Sometimes two young ones will perch on a feeder simultaneously, whereas I never see two adults on the feeder simultaneously.  The adult males still make desultory attacks to drive away the young, but near the end of the day, I watche
d a male sit (exhausted?) on a twig three feet from the feeder while three young ones fed and buzzed about the feeder.  Sugar water consumption shot up about fourfold in the past two days! good birding - Don Simonson, Darnestown MD