And Now We Have Hummingbirds!

[tngirl]

http://www.wavelit.com/index.asp?ch=Wildlife&sh=hummingbirds

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y233/displacedtngirl/CRITTERS/MWSnap142.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y233/displacedtngirl/CRITTERS/MWSnap143.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y233/displacedtngirl/CRITTERS/MWSnap136.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y233/displacedtngirl/CRITTERS/MWSnap135.jpg

[buttrfli]

These are the only birds I love!

I just got my feeder out to clean it... I wasn't sure when I should put it out, but looks like it should be soon!

Thanks for sharing! :D

[mirage7000]

Awesome pictures! I just love those tiny birds! I feed them too! :D

[teenies*mom]

I love hummingbirds - thanks for sharing the pics cuz we won't see any hummingbirds where I live for another 2 months - so I got a while before I can get my feeders out.

[Specialk]

That is awesome. I have had my hummingbird feeder out already for almost a month and have had quite a few hummingbirds feeding off it already, such a joy to watch!!!

[krissy904]

I am so jealous, they look so adorable. I am 48 years old and have never seen a real hummingbird. I live in north florida and I think they "grow" them here, I've just been searching my entire life to see one. My daughter went to New Mexico last year and she said they saw zillions of them. Darn!

[mirage7000]

I am so jealous, they look so adorable. I am 48 years old and have never seen a real hummingbird. I live in north florida and I think they "grow" them here, I've just been searching my entire life to see one. My daughter went to New Mexico last year and she said they saw zillions of them. Darn!

I think the first time for me was seeing hundreds in the Bahamas at the straw market. Try putting out a bird feeder and maybe they will come! My boyfriend lives out in the country and yes they did once I set up the feeder! I just love watching them. I guess too that you have to do it at the right time of the year here in NY. May here. I would guess being in North Florida maybe in May too. Wish you luck! :)

[Willow]

Those are cool. :)

[nanajoanie]

Tice and I had a couple hummer feeders hanging at the front of the porch. The hummers would come and look at us needlenose to our eyeballs. And they really do hum and squeek. Had a GF visiting us one year from MI and she kept asking what that noise was and we told her the hummingbirds and she was amazed. I usually put mine out the end of March but guess they are early this year. First time I saw them I thought they were strange bees. Love when thee start bussing each other like 'kama kazee' fighters and you can hear their wings clip each other.

Di you know to just boil sugar water for them? No red foo dye. The feeders have red on them and sometimes yellow flowers and that's enough to attract them. I also tied red ribbon to one years ago that was a clear feeder.

[jocali]

Just bought one 2 weeks ago. Sitting on the dining room table. In New York on Long Island and dont know when to put it out.
Also what are the measurements of sugar and water to make it instead of buying.
When we lived in N. Florida I had tons of them flying around

[teenies*mom]

Just bought one 2 weeks ago. Sitting on the dining room table. In New York on Long Island and dont know when to put it out.
Also what are the measurements of sugar and water to make it instead of buying.
When we lived in N. Florida I had tons of them flying around

I'm North of Syracuse and I put mine out around the middle of May -
the first few times I start putting them out I use 1/2 sugar and 1/2 water just to get them "attracted" - then after they start coming "regularly" then I cut down (half) on the sugar. I have always done it that way but I'm sure everyone does it differently.

[teenies*mom]

Tice and I had a couple hummer feeders hanging at the front of the porch. The hummers would come and look at us needlenose to our eyeballs. And they really do hum and squeek. Had a GF visiting us one year from MI and she kept asking what that noise was and we told her the hummingbirds and she was amazed. I usually put mine out the end of March but guess they are early this year. First time I saw them I thought they were strange bees. Love when thee start bussing each other like 'kama kazee' fighters and you can hear their wings clip each other.

Di you know to just boil sugar water for them? No red foo dye. The feeders have red on them and sometimes yellow flowers and that's enough to attract them. I also tied red ribbon to one years ago that was a clear feeder.

My hummingbirds that come around fight all the time - we call it "dive bombing" each other - LOL - and I love the "buzzing" sound their wings make and even when they "squeak" at each other -
I had one last year that came to the feeder right next to my living room window - well I kept watching him and his tongue ended up getting stuck in the hole of the feeder some how - I do not have a clue how it happened - but he could not get it out - he finally got so tired of trying he just sat there so I very carefully wrapped my hand around his body and put a small pencil under where his tongue was stuck and just very lightly tugged - it came out - and he was fine - flew away and he was back a little while later - but I have never seen that happen and hope it never happens again.


another thing I noticed too when we sit out on our back deck where we have 4 feeders - if you have a red or pink shirt on - they will come really close to you - its kinda funny.

[jocali]

Thank you very much for all the information:)

[tljohn123]

my ex BIL and SIL would have tons of hummingbirds in their back yard. It was always an amazing site to see. There is a certain type of flower I think they like too but I can't remember what it is! My ex and I always put an feeder out in hopes of attracting the hummingbird, but usually only got one visitor. I think we were too close to the highway. My ex MIL always gets hummingbirds too....she's out in the country.

[tngirl]

We have hummingbird vine growing at the end of the porch. We run strings from the ground up to the eves for the vines to grow and we get hummingbirds here...and we live in the middle of a large city. It is cool to be sitting out on the porch and have them come buzzing about.

I "took" the pictures this morning off of a webcam. As you know, a bunch of us have been following the Africam and the Bearcam. They added this cam overnight and it was cool watching them. It was hard to capture the pictures though. I thought the one of the hummingbird "sitting" perched on the feeder was the best, I have never seen a hummingbird sitting still.

[Jolie Rouge]

RECIPE FOR HUMMINGBIRD NECTAR

Pour four cups of hot tap water into a large pot or pan (glass, enamel, or stainless steel).

Add one cup of table sugar (DO NOT use honey, artificial sweeteners, or other sugar substitutes).

Stir until all sugar has dissolved.

Cover the pan, place on a hot burner, and bring the mix to a rolling boil for 1-2 minutes; be careful not to let water evaporate (if you do, the mix can become too concentrated).

Let mix cool and pour into in well-cleaned feeders.

Boiling, which retards mold growth, is not necessary if your hummingbirds are draining the feeders within three days. Early in the season red food coloring can be added (let cool first!) but is unnecessary, especially after birds have found the feeders; besides, modern hummingbird feeders all have red plastic bases and yellow flowers that the birds can easily see.

Store excess mix in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (check for fermentation or mold if longer than 2 weeks); let mix warm to room temperature before filling feeders.

http://www.nicheofbliss.org/flora_fauna/humfood.htm



This site offers lots of information hummingbirds and on placing feeders

Here's their recipe for artificial nectar (syrup):

Use one part ordinary white cane sugar to four parts water.

It's not necessary to boil the water. The microorganisms that cause fermentation don't come from the water; they are transported to the feeder on hummingbird bills.

Store unused syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

This mixture approximates the average sucrose content (about 21%) of the flowers favored by North American hummingbirds, without being so sweet it attracts too many insects.

http://www.hummingbirds.net/feeders.html

[irishchick]

they are just adorable and so interesting !
a true sign of spring
some of us sooner than later !