Close encounters of the bird kind
 

Anyone watch for and feed Hummingbirds? This is the first year that I want to try to attract hummers to my yard and near my windows. Any tips?

I got the special nectar and the feeder and I'm kind of debating about where to put it. Maybe get five more?

I posted some tips in the Gardening thread! ;)

you can look online and find certain plant that will help attract them cindy, we dont usually see the huming birds till fall around my house, they are so awesome to watch the ruby throated one below is the main one we get to see
this is just one of many sites

cindy if anyone in household is allergic to bees select the plant with care casue if i am correct most of the plants that will bring hummingbirds will brings bees too, i know that is like saying the earth is round, but you understand what i mean
http://landscaping.about.com/cs/fort...mmingbirds.htm

I have some hummingbird vines. This is the first year they are comming up and looking great. Grow real fast but are a bit invasive which is alright with me. I lovem!:)

They are great, and yes, they are a bit invasive if you are referring to Trumpet Vine. http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:.../06/webken.jpg

There is another plant that is also great for attacting Humming birds that also has the same common name but it botanical name is Zauschneria californica or California Fuschia or Orange Hummingbird bird plant. You can find it at http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/698.htmhttp://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:.../283/17386.jpg

How lucky you all are! Hummingbirds must be exquisite and I just cannot envisage their size, even though I've seen them in pictures and on television.

We do grow a lot of the plants that you mentioned them liking in your gardening thread FG, and I thought you might be interested to know that the beautiful orange trumpet vine pictured in your post, is a popular one in the town I just moved from. Some grow it in pots there, and a friend has it growning over an unsightly water tank in the garden. Very pretty!

We have the feeders out as of yesterday, just in case "our" birds get here a little early. We're not expecting them for a couple of weeks, but you never know.

Get the feeders with bee guards, unless you really LIKE yellow jackets and other beasties.

We don't buy the special stuff, just use 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.\

Hummingbabies. Love 'em.

Hi Cindy. I love hummingbirds.

I have a feeder that attaches to my kitchen window so I can sit at the table and watch them. They are very entertaining.

I make my own nectar. I boil 3 cups water. Let it cool. 1 cup sugar. The nectar doesn't have to have color.

I put my feeder out yesterday and by mid afternoon they were back for the season.

Have fun with it.

I thought of making my own nectar too, but some of the websites I've been reading are adamantly opposed to it for those of us who have city water. Too many of its contents don't come out in the boil.

LOL, Beth, one of the joys of condo life is just calling the guys and having them come out and get rid of nests. :D

I don't mind bees around, just against them nesting in my roofing. I think I'm going to do the fuscia thing as FG suggested along with the tiny feeder for starters.

Bee guard you say? I'll look into it, thanks!

Anne, I was just telling FG this the other day, a few years ago I was down in Arkansas camping. I had just come out of the shower and was sitting outside with my coffee when I heard the hummer very near me. I didn't dare move to see it, so I listened. He stayed near for a few seconds then all of a sudden, I felt his beak make three quick pokes on my shoulder. LOL, I must not have tasted as good as I smelled, he was off like a shot! I wish I could have looked, but it was too funny!

for a fast attracter...
 

we found putting up flags/banners to be the best.

Where we live up North in summer, the hummers who nest there were drawn to our American flag that we put up.

They will of course come to flowers, but you have to GROW those, and
that takes time.

If you have ANYTHING bright red or yellow, to put up in the windows, that helps too. (I have some stained glass flowers I hang in my windows). You also have to replace the nectar every 4 to 5 days, to prevent mold.
Mold attacks the tongues of hummers and kills them. So in the beginning of the season I only fill 1/2 or less of the feeder, until they really start coming. You can't see the mold sometimes, so don't rely on visual appearance of it.

My hummers up North don't seem to learn that Petunias don't give much nectar. They come to them every day! I have some planters up on the wall along our porch where the deer can't get them. Hummers come to them all day long. And the new fledglings practice on them too. You can plant any really nice RED thing in a pot, and it will attract the attention of the hummers to your area, then they will find the feeder. Put the first feeder near the red plant you attract with to start. Once they learn you feed, they will remember. Ours come to and hover in the windows when we first arrive up North to remind us to put the feeders out! And if one goes dry, a little hummer will hover over my bedroom window so I can see her, and remind me! I was surprised at this, behavior. But I guess they are really smart!
90% of the their diet is bugs, you know, and they use the sugar more later in the season before they migrate.

AMN,
Didn't know (but it makes sense) water thing but do know keep your feeder clean and change sugar water/Necter often, if it goes "bad" you may not know, but birds can get sick.

Call me crazy, I don't mind bees. We have bumble bees, yellowjackets (who are aggressive) and carpenter bees (big!) but no one stung in 8 years we've been here and feeder right off deck.

Know nothing about Michagan wildlife, but we have butterfly bushes off deck. They are not really attractive but we always have butterflies and I don't work, so often just sit and watch them. Right by are orange Honeysuckle vine plant DH found by woods growing naturally and it attracts Humming-birds. Of course have to watch cats who are fascinated by both.

i found one sick on the sidewalk 2 years aho

it died though

im obessed with birds i guess

there is a huge bird called a thunderbird

Nicotiana is a nice one for hummingbirds - many colors & it smells nice too
http://images.google.com/images?um=1...-8&sa=N&tab=wi

comes in differing heights so you can find a size that works
the tall ones need to be supported or they can fall over

What about bottled water Cindy? I know it sounds extravagant to be buying water for the birds, :) but I daresay it's no worse than me buying seed for the wild birds we get. Could you put out dishes next time it rains, and collect your own rainwater?

LOL, no way, I can't cross a room with a cup of coffee anymore. The nectar pre-made concentrate is CHEAPER THAN BOTTLED WATER! Only in the nation with the best water in the world do its citizens willingly pay for bottled water.

Pah leeeeze.:rolleyes:

I have a spring-fed creek nearby and my neighbor kids will fetch me a couple gallons of that now and then.

That's a much better idea. I didn't know about the creek.

I love Nicotiana, and it grows great from seeds!

the main North/South road through Belize is called the Hummingbird Highway...

in case y'all wondered, THIS is where all your hummingbirds go for the winter.

lucky me... I get to see them every day.

:D

I use sugar water in my feeders.

The little hummers love it and no artificial colors or flavors. They really like my Yuccas when they are blooming so I have the feeders next to them.

Hummingbirds are very territorial so you can place several feeders around your yard if you leave plenty of space.

I'll say they're territorial. They look so dainty and sweet, but they're mean as snakes.

It's fun to watch their aerial aerobatics when they fight over the feeder! Quite entertaining.

what amazed me, and i am a birder and have seen many birds and can tell most by calls, was how tiny they really are and fast like a cartoon fast they are wonderful to watch

They love Beebalm...Cindy but they also come to our feeder. Too early for them although the orioles suprised me by returning yesterday.

Whuh? You mean chapstick from Burt's Bees?:confused:

LOL...it's a flower, some people call it monarda. And some people make tea from it's leaves. It comes in red, pink and white but trust me..they love red the best!

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...obKline800.jpghttp://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...me/monarda.jpghttp://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...817/841948.JPG

http://pss.uvm.edu/pss123/permonar.html

I love hummingbirds. Isn't it Brain that has them by the droves???

Put something "good" in your feeder, Cin~ It just might attract me. haha

Have mercy, I'm not putting Jager in it!:Noooo:

Then you would have aerobatic Hummers!!!

http://sl.glitter-graphics.net/pub/1...b3rc8vhib9.gif

I just do the sugar water thing and they love that. They won't even touch the nectar you buy anymore. We had them nesting here for the last two years, so sugar must be okay.

Last year we watched a baby starting to fly. ou think the adults are tiny - this guy was really itsy bitsy.

:)

Wait, Brain, you're saying that the store-bought nectar is no good?

Thanks for the article, FG, it's amazing how much there is out there about this singular topic. I didn't realize how completely devoted so many people are to bird feeding and its procedures! I've always had the little house with the big bag of seeds but never targeted a certain species. There sure is a lot to learn about this avian stuff!

Cindy,
I dont know if you ever noticed here or if you remember but I want to tell you about the "MESS" the lil winged ones can make....

Make sure you place your feeders in a place that when waste is deposited its not on anything important.

The wood railing and banasters at grannies are ruined, the concrete doesnt even power wash clean anymore and her lil green truck is polka dotted with "rust" dots from the lil stinkers......(of course this is from over years of them being there by the dozens every year)

Yes they are so relaxing and fun to watch, great for videoing even.....but the can be very very MESSY..........

Also.......beware of ants......as well as the bees......they love "sugar" as well.....
We also had problems with Coons climbing on the railngs and tipping the feeders sideways to drink the nector as well.......Your "just enough" on the country's edge you may attract others besides hummers. They are amazing to watch and even the sound of thier buzzing is a peaceful restful sound......

Good luck in your new intrest........

Hummingbird housekeeping...interesting link!

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/7152.htm