A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity The Bird Lovers Forum Hummingbirds 2013

I've got plenty at my feeder,, now they fight all the time the boys and I watch two adults fighting each other the baby swoops in and gets a drink while the adults are fighting

I laughed when I heard that, Diane---I would love to watch that. So glad you are sharing these types of experiences with the boys--you are a good grandmother-- :wink:

last night I bought a new type of hummingbird feeder. glass bottle & a type of base that comes apart for excellent cleaning.

I know it is late in the season, but I thought this way I would have it all ready for when next spring comes around.

Now if the glass portion of my current feeders fits, I will be ever so happy.---I will have replacements...YAY !!

I bought a new feeder the other day, too! This one is 32 ounces and has a built in ant moat at the top. Gotta get a picture of it...I don't know why all hummingbird feeders aren't made like this.

I still have plenty left, probably about 20-25. Used to fill the feeders sometimes 3 times a day, now once a day on the big one and the smaller ones 2 times a day.

Lola loves the fighting and 'squeaking' noises. When they fight outside her window she starts squeaking like a hummingbird real loud.

The feeder I bought looks like it has a vinegar bottle on it---a 32 oz vinegar bottle-- ...so I hope I can get a cleaning mop in it to clean the bottle, ...I saw a nicer one on e-bay that has a wide jar to it, but the jar is plastic--when the first one gets here, I may go ahead & buy the second one & then we shall see.

Cindy, that does sound nice---I had to buy 2 ant traps--they are hand made copper & you put oil in them, so we shall see about that too. BUt the feeders themselves are supposed to be wasp & bee proof...

when mine gets here I will take a photo of it too...

I had a glass feeder but stopped using it because it got the water to hot, I thought it was going to boil it lately I've changed the water not because it needed it , but because it's so darn hot here I didn't want the HB to have to drink such hot water even in a plastic feeder. When I emptied the water I thought OMG this water is so hot!. I told one of the boys to take the water hose and spray it into the air high up around the trees, and birds( mostly cardinals blue jays and HB were flying thru the water spray,

Junie, i used to have those hard to clean feeders...a few years ago i threw them all away and bought the ones with the wide mouth, very easy to clean.
Hey...i made an ant moat for one of my feeders yesterday out of the top of a can of Pam..the plastic cover. Just drilled a hole in the middle, put a coat hanger piece through the hole, bent the ends down to hook to the feeder and the hanger...then filled the outside part with water!


When Brennan was little we would go out and put the hose on 'mist" and watch the hummingbirds having a good time playing in it. I sure miss him...

Sadly, Cindy--when I got my new feeder a few datys ago the container looks much like a vinegar bottle. BUT the red base comes apart into 2 p[ieces & yo can clean it really well...luckily my old glass containers fit this base too. I was going to order another base, but I got to thinking they may well come out with something new, so I will wait until next spring to get another new base...

Sorry you miss Brennan. I am afraid I will all too soon know waht that is like. Valarie now lives 2-1/2 hours away from me.

That is quite ingenious about the ant moat---good going--did you think of that all on your own or is it from Pinterest or s someplace ???

I saw something similar homemade a few years ago on the internet, and when I took that lid off the new can of Pam the other day I thought "Instant Ant Moat"! Yeah, it looks pretty redneck but it works...

who cares if it looks like that---it works & that is good in MY book.

BAMM!!!! Two days ago, no hummingbirds at all.
Yesterday one was here most of the day.
Today there have been none.

Neighbor said his was the same way...2 days ago none and no more since.

Cindy, do you think a neighbor has put up a new feeder or maybe they've found some new flowers?

This is a strange year---could be yours have left already ???

After a week of over 90 degree heat it got really cool here the last few days, 70's during the day and low 40's at night. I think they are headed south.

I think you are right. I guess that crazy feeding frenzy they were doing was in preparation to fly south--but it was so early I didnt think it was that already.

Mine are usually here until the first week of October.

I so hope this does not mean an early winter....

last night & today I saw 2 hummers----so they are not ALL gone---Nectar sure lasts longer now a days...

They're all at my house.

alrighty then-----

I had a hummingbird at one of my feeders today. It was the skinniest hummingbird I have ever seen. I'm so glad it found my feeder, and I hope it makes the trip south OK. Maybe it will stop at Bestofour's!

yea--maybe you could give him her address Cindy---so he could find her house easier. Poor Guy...

Got up super early this morning and there were a bunch of hummingbirds at the feeders. By 8am they were gone, and didn't see anymore all day. Strange.

an that could well be---I see 2 or 3..but mainly they just sit on the tomato cage that is near the feeder.---This is surely THE strangest year indeed...

Bees have taken over my Feeders now--started that today---so I was going to take them down, but my DH said that since we need to keep the bees around this earth, to let them eat as well---so I left the feeder up. (down to one feeder now a days)
Well, this evening there was quite a few dead bees in the feeder, floating, (one of the flowers is missing) so tomorrow I will take it down & clean them both & be done with the season. No sense in killing the bees in the name of feeding them.

There are only 1 or 2 hummers left around anyway & the bees were not letting them feed, so nothing lost here if I do take them down a bit early--hopefully the people down the road still have their feeders up.

My problem all summer has been wasps and hornets and ants at the feeders.
My hummingbirds are back now...or a new batch of them are stopping here to eat. I have many again. Cleaned and refilled the feeders yesterday.

That's all I had all season where wasps and bee's so I just didn't bother with it; I figured that the mass amount of roses and other flowers should be sufficient for the bees but evidently I was wrong lol

And this is why I grow a lot of hummer friendly flowers and don't do feeders. The natural nectar is much better for the birds and for the bees too. And I am lucky in that I have some blooming all year long for the year round critters.

yes I think you may have a point--but all of my flowers are done blooming now a days---

I did buy a different type of feeder for next year--the bees cannot get into it, and it will be easier to clean also--so that will be good.

today as I was washing the dishes, & looking out my kitchen windows I saw a Hummingbird on some of my later blooming flowers----So, I guess ALL the hummers have not left here after all.