A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity The Bird Lovers Forum Hummingbird Migration Map

Faaaaaaantastic photos Diane-----thanks for sharing.

I too am like Lynne--My Hummers and a stray Oriole or 2 come the first week of May--although this will only be my 5th year of keeping track in this house.

WOW awesome pics!

Awesome!!

thanks all,,,,,,,,, I potted up some nicotina plants in a pot and Planted some in ground I read these are in the top ten for Hummingbirds to love. I guess I'll find out,, I'm keeping a close eye on these and the feeders,, mannnnnnn I need about three sets of eyes here to help me

Diane - nicotiana has teensy seeds and will reseed if you let them. They are very easy to grow from seeds if you also want to collect them - just let the flower heads get totally dry. I used to grow them on my deck railing and would find baby plants the next year on the ground below!

Can't wait to see your pictures of the hummers on the flowers!

the hummers will love those flowers.

I hope so ~I have a lot of HB Plants started this year,

Love your pictures Diane! I just ordered a new feeder that has perches and I'm so excited! It matches my current feeder and they're already used to it so I consider this new one a bonus. I've seen 2 or 3 chasing each other around a lot today. I had never seen one before getting a feeder and now it seems I see, or at hear them, all the time. One of them buzzed right next to my ear today and scared me half to death. I hope to get some more pictures soon.

Chermoni, great work with quitting the smoking!

Thank you!

I keep trying to figure out why the hummer's all of a sudden stopped visiting my feeder even though I've seen them around a lot and I even got buzzed by one this weekend. I think I figured it out. 1/4 cup sugar to 2 cups of water is not a 1 to 4 mixture. I didn't even realize I had done that until I went to make more for my new feeder that is being delivered tomorrow. Maybe now I'll start seeing more of them. My b/f had brought up the idea of getting me a D60 for my birthday and I had originally told him that was too much camera and I hadn't even fully learned my P80 yet. I'm starting to reconsider after reading about setting up a tripod. Then I could sit on my porch with a remote in hand and snap away whenever they come by. I'll post pics of my new feeder by this weekend.

did you get your new feeder up? What did you decide about that camera? Can she be my best friend too?

I did get my new feeder up but didn't like the angle it was at so I moved it. Haven't had a chance to get a good picture of it, it starting raining again. I would love to have a new DSLR camera, unfortunately they are very expensive. We do have one for the kids to share and my b/f (boyfriend) said I could use it too, I just need to learn it.

It happened all at once!!!

I was outside at 8 this morning... before the rain was to start, and before my parents were to come over to get some of the free compost we got yesterday. I wanted to spread the last bags in the front gardens so it would look nice by the time they got here.

All of a sudden I was BUZZED by what sounded like a GINORMOUS BEE!!!!!
I waved my hands around my head, and said sternly yet softly (after all it was only 8 on a Sunday morning - couldn't wake the neighbors!!!) "GET OUT OF HERE!", but when I picked up my head I was so pleasantly surprised to see the first hummingbird of this year drinking from the feeder not 2 feet away!!! I quickly apologized to him, and spoke softly so he'd get used to my being there. He came back 4 more times while I finished spreading my compost, and I saw him again at about 5p.m. on the same feeder.

I can't tell you all how excited I am!!! I wait for this day every year! :ding:
AND... it is the exact same date that I saw my first hummer last year. I just love how "on the mark" these tiny birds are!

I'm so happy for you Lynne!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lynne I'm so happy for you!

Okay, here is my question for all you folks who use feeders for the hummingbirds.

How do you deal with the bees the feeders attract?


When I kept feeders in the past when Maxi was small, the bees were SUCH a problem, I had to take them down. I'd like to put them up again but I'm still concerned about that.

My sister said she just "deals with it, knowing they will be there." but I dunno!


Merme

They definitely do attract bees. I have mine in an area that the bees aren't a bother to us every day but we have a large yard and that works for us. I know that wouldn't work for you. I hope somebody comes along with a solution for you so that you can enjoy the hummingbirds!!

Merme - have you seen those glass bee traps? They are rather pretty and the bees swarm to the same liquid in there that is in the hummingbird feeders and get stuck inside. I use one near my hummer feeder and it works pretty well. Most stores sell them this season and they are very affordable.

glass bee traps

You can even make them from 2 liter soda bottles - I did this before I bought some glass ones on sale. You cut the bottle below the opening about where the top of the label is - cut it all the way off. Then you invert the mouth of the bottle inside the bottom part and staple the 2 pieces all the way around. Poor a sweet solution - juice, hummer food, etc - into the bottom about an inch or 2 high. The bees fly down into the bottom to get the liquid but cannot fly back out.

I've seen a different humming bird today,, He looks almost all Grey in color, I saw him through my kitchen window,, I still see the red throat as well,, everyday
Lynne What kind of humming bird was it on the feeder on the deck in your picture in the critter corner,,
I'm trying to keep tabs on the hummingbirds we all see and what time (month) we see them, and compare it too the Migration map at the beginning of this thread

Diane - we only get the ruby throated hummers here, and that was a male - he was here most of today.

Red throated Hummers are soooooooo pretty, I have a window feeder on ,my bedroom window 2 ft from the computer desk,, I saw one of them within an arms reach had the window been open. I didn't even bother with the camera beside me I just wanted to study it,, I saw his red throat perfectly,, everything in detail up close and personal. Something a camera can't capture is a delighted feeling .

I love the irredescence of the ruby throat - especially when the sun is shining on it just right!

I just wanted to say that I put my Hummingbird feeders out today (well Val helped) and by this evening at 6--I saw my first Hummer. as usual he was sitting on my tomato cage that is in my large pot just to the side of my one HB feeder. This hummer was short & fat , just like the one I call "pete"--so I told Rod that this was my house & so I could decide if this was indeed "Pete" or not--and I have decided it is.--

Welcome back, Pete!!!

So happy for you Carol - gotta love those itty bitty creatures!

Hummingbirds return to the same yards each year, so that IS Pete. I'm still waiting for my three. Hummercane Camille and Fra Hummer, my two females, and Bubba Hum my lone male.

I am so very Happy for you Lynne----I too just love seeing the little guys when they return.

Thorny: How soon until your little guys return to your yard???

Wonder if these little creatures realize we humans wait with anticipation for their return each year. if you didn't get your mixture right last year they make you wait a while for punishment or visit the neighbors yard. :wink:

They usually come around July 1st but two years ago
TODAY Camille showed up, on May 5, 2007. Then we had the worst drought in Nashville's history and I didn't see her again until July 2008

I am lucky in that no one else on my street or nearby feeds them.
I have 3 feeders out for them and plant many flowers that I know they like, and they reward me each year by returning - good deal!

I just read this in Birds N Blooms.


If you have more than one hummingbird feeder, place them out of sight of one another. This will keep an aggressive male hummingbird from dominating additional feeders.

Paint yellow bee guards on hummingbird feeders with red fingernail polish to discourage bees and wasps that are attracted to yellow.

Yep Sheri - I have one on my deck, one in my front yard, and one down by the pond garden.

They keep looking for the one on the deck, but Don had to take it down so he could fix the pole that the bear bent down again the other night!

sounds right, Sheri--
I have 2 feeders and they ARE in sight of one another---My Pete sits on the Tomato cage that is closest to the one feeder on my deck and doesnt't let too many other hummers feed on that feeder---However HE eats at the feeder out in the flower bed---Strange bird.

I've got some on the window so they are in sight of one in the yard.


What about this part - Paint yellow bee guards on hummingbird feeders with red fingernail polish to discourage bees and wasps that are attracted to yellow - One of my feeders came with yellow the other didn't.

well personally I think I would not want to use fingernail polish
--how long would it be before the birds were ingesting the polish???

if it were that easy to get rid of bees/wasps the flowers would not be yellow, don't you think??

I was thinking the same thing Carol Jean.

have not had much luck so far this year with my humming birds return i did see him a couple of times early in the morning around June 1st but nothing since I have put a feeder out perhaps the mixture is too weak could someone give me the recipe, thank you oh last year I also had a humming bird moth on my rose of sharon which frequented around the same time each evening for about a week and then it was gone Iwas well pleased at seeing this it would lovely to see this again but do not know of its life cycle perhaps I was lucky and it was just a one off,stelbel. ont .Canada.

have not had much luck so far this year with my humming birds return i did see him a couple of times early in the morning around June 1st but nothing since I have put a feeder out perhaps the mixture is too weak could someone give me the recipe, thank you oh last year I also had a humming bird moth on my rose of sharon which frequented around the same time each evening for about a week and then it was gone Iwas well pleased at seeing this it would lovely to see this again but do not know of its life cycle perhaps I was lucky and it was just a one off. ont .Canada.

Hi there, Dont give up.. it is breeding season, and when mine first showed up in may they again were scarce until the past week or so. I have bunches now..
I boil 4 cups of plain water then add 1 cup plain sugar once the water comes to a boil Store it in a quart plastic juice pitcher, like the rubber maid ones.. And refridgerate. Just keep the feeder fresh and in a space that is in the shade most of the day, other wise the mixture will not keep as long and you will be changing it more. Do not let it get cloudy, a sign of bad bacteria growing. If you dont have hardly any birds now, just fill the feeder half way. When you start attracting them you can fill it up or even add another feeder in another part of the yard.
One last note, I find the 4 to one mixture is just right, but I do know some watchers that use a 5 to one.. and the hummers will still go for it. Remember its just an energy boost so they can hunt for insects, its not their main diet. I also know some fils that use a 3 to one mix, thats almost like syrup, and they dont visit as often, too sweet. Good luck and dont give up. they are around!

I make 4 cups boiling water and 1 cup sugar also.