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I took a few vaca days last week and finally had time to enjoy the back deck. Even on the hottest days, it was cool and comfy until 10 or 11 am. So I'd hang out there, iced coffee at hand, and enjoy the hummingbird antics. There are a large number of them in the trees near the deck, and they've been zooming and swooping down towards the feeders and flowers. Although there are several feeders spread out, they are SO territorial! The chases, mid-air bumps, instantaneous turns, and lots of twittering are sooo amusing. Stress drains away quickly as I'm mesmerized by these little beauties.
We've got lots of birds at various feeders now, and since I've put out water for butterflies (more like a sand/mud bath for them) and birds and squirrels, the side yard is lots of fun to watch too.
So please share, who's visiting your yard these sunny summer days?
I took a few vaca days last week and finally had time to enjoy the back deck. Even on the hottest days, it was cool and comfy until 10 or 11 am. So I'd hang out there, iced coffee at hand, and enjoy the hummingbird antics. There are a large number of them in the trees near the deck, and they've been zooming and swooping down towards the feeders and flowers. Although there are several feeders spread out, they are SO territorial! The chases, mid-air bumps, instantaneous turns, and lots of twittering are sooo amusing. Stress drains away quickly as I'm mesmerized by these little beauties.
We've got lots of birds at various feeders now, and since I've put out water for butterflies (more like a sand/mud bath for them) and birds and squirrels, the side yard is lots of fun to watch too.
So please share, who's visiting your yard these sunny summer days?
Wasn't the weather GREAT yesterday and today for being out in the yard??? I do love the NC weather
Funny you mentioned the hummingbirds...we have a feeder hanging right outside the picture window in our living room. My hubby has been glued to the couch all day watching the olympics AND the hummingbirds, lol. After a while he noticed that this big hornet was trying to keep the hummingbirds from the feeder, almost fighting with them, if you can imagine that. He got up and went outside to shoo the hornet off, which just tickled me. It worked too, after a while, though it was funny to see him battling the hornet with a dish rag. But because of him the hummingbirds had the feeder all to themselves for the rest of the day!
I had never even seen a hummingbird until about a month ago. I had bought a feeder, put it out and didn't see any, and was wondering if we'd get any at all, or if all the construction in our area had scared them all off.
Then DH comes in one day and says he saw one. A day or so later, DD says she saw one. Now I'm mad, since I still hadn't seen any, then one day I'm coming home in the early evening, and see several, all fighting over my feeder!
I was glued to them. Got my camera, got pictures, took a movie of one feeding. Then went shopping with some visiting friends a few days ago and was looking at nicer feeders (got a cheap one at Walmart, not knowing if we'd get any), and my houseguest decided, after I walked away, that it'd be a perfect present for me. I was thrilled, so now I have one in front and one in back so they don't have to fight so much.
They are a thrill to watch, so funny, chasing others away, then coming back to the feeder, looking around before they decide it's safe to try to get some nectar.
I see one flying around my house real quick. SO CUTE!!! Can I just get one targeted for them??? How do they know its waiting with food for them??? (Yea, Im blonde)
my kids and the neighborhood kids think i'm nuts, but i love watching and feeding the lil suckers...The Hummingbird Festival is coming up soon..keep an eye out for it...the guys catches 'em, and bands em, and tells you cool stuff about em....it's at the reedy creek park...either next week or the week after..
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you can get a feeder for as cheap as .99 from walmart, and make the nectar yourself...it's just sugar and water.
Ok so I went to wallyworld and got a feeder. I've read to put 4 to 1 for the sugar water ratio-4 water to 1 sugar but how much of each??? A cup? I don't want to kill the things. I guess Im a late bloomer but am excited!!
you can do 4 water to 1 cup sugar, but then fill the feeder maybe 1/2-1/3 full, until you know they're coming to use it you'll waste it. Store the rest in a clean bottle (empty water bottles work well) in the fridge. Then clean the feeder every few days, even if it's not empty. It took a while after I heard others talking of hummingbirds to find them actually notice my feeder and start coming regularly.
Ok so I went to wallyworld and got a feeder. I've read to put 4 to 1 for the sugar water ratio-4 water to 1 sugar but how much of each??? A cup? I don't want to kill the things. I guess Im a late bloomer but am excited!!
For just one or two birds I would start with a smaller amount - boil two cups of water and add one half cup of sugar (the water needs to be that hot for the sugar to completely dissolve). After it cools put is in your feeder, I gaurantee the birds will find it if they are anywhere around your yard
I have always used cold water from the tap and sugar and haven't had a problem with the sugar dissolving. I just stir/wisk it throughly. No need to add any coloring please. It may take a bit of time but they will come. Once one finds it many more will follow. It helps if you also have some flowers in your yard. They will be attracted by the flowers and then will find your feeder. But even with no flowers the little buggers seem to sniff out a feeder with a little time. I went from just a couple last year to so many now I'm filling the feeders twice a day!! Since making the syrup is so easy I make up daily portions. It takes maybe 3 minutes to mix the 1 cup of sugar to the 4 cups of water. As another poster mentioned you may want to make up smaller portions until the hummers come. The syrup will spoil in a few days in the warm weather and needs changing. Or as also mentioned you can refridgerate it in the fridge and refill bottles with half portions.
We have 3 feeders and 4-6 regular hummers. They each have a spot in a nearby tree to perch and guard 'their' feeder although while the one with the claim is off chasing an intruder another bird can easily slip in for a sip.
One day last week we were treated to a show of 10-15 hummers!! Not sure where they all came from (maybe some neighboring feeders were down??) but I wouldn't have minded if they had stayed. We are back to just the regulars now.
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