The hummingbird arrival...

[lesa]

I have had my hummingbird feeder up since March... I know it was ridiculous, but I was so afraid they would arrive early with that crazy warm weather we had. Well, yesterday I was thinking, oh no, it is way too late, where are the hummers. So, I looked at my gardening journal and saw that they arrived last year May 22nd. Phew, I breathed a sigh of relief. Then, last night I look out the window and a male and female are at the feeder. Holy miracle- really mother nature? Those tiny creatures arrived at my doorstep within a day of last year?? How? I am constantly awed by nature!! (And no thistle, I did not get any pictures!)

 

[Detlor Poultry]

That's so neat! We may think we are the smartest creations in the world, but really, we are stupid. Could I or you or anyone have done something like that with such accuracy without special equiptment? I should say not! And then there's the magnetic orienteering of the waterfowl, the social intricacies of the gallids, the sun/star-radar of pigeons and doves, the pee and blood analyst qualities of canids - it's amazing! And now it seems as hummingbirds have calendars! God does a good job of making things act very scheduled and directed! :happy_flower

 

[Carol Dee]

lesa, our hummingbirds have been back a few weeks now. I need a new feeder. Do you have any suggestions?

 

[Detlor Poultry]

Yes, I'm intereested in that, too. I've never fed my hummingbirds - they just sorta are attracted to my garden - they especcially like Jacob's Ladder, Bluebells, and Evening Primrose. What do you feed them?

And my Humminbirds have been back for a couple of weeks as well.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Our hummingbirds were right on schedule here too! I ususally put the feeders out on May 14th (my little sisters b-day, easy to remember) and I did not. But on Tuesday the 15th, my hubby said, "Oh, there's a humming bird out there!" So I went right to the closet and got the feeder right out.

 

[so lucky]

I, too, was anticipating early arrival of the hummers. They usually arrive at my back door on April 15th or thereabouts. Saw my first on April 16th this year. They have been kind of scarce till the last few days; now I have several. I also still have that female cardinal now hovering at the screen door. No question of her seeing her reflection now.

 

[desertlady]

That explains it !! I was wondering where my hummingbird went! They flew up North for the summer !!

 

[momofdrew]

I need a no fail formula for feeding hummers...Every year I put out the feeders and nothing...they dont like my formula... I know there are hummers around they love my mock oranges in the yard but think they'd go to the feeders after the flowers are gone NO what am I doing wrong????

 

[desertlady]

when I was younger, we used the old fashion was to feed them, we boiled some sugar in water and add red food coloring, let it cool before filling up the feeder.

 

[lesa]

I bought my feeder at a garage sale for a buck... I think it is a good idea to choose a feeder that has some red color on it. I boil 2 cups of water and add 1/2 cup of sugar to it. I let the mixture cool, before filling the feeder. Since my feeder is red, I don't add coloring. Don't ever use artificial sweetener (they claim it will kill the birds.)