Sitting here at my computer, I just this minute saw my first Hummer of the season! I'm off to make some nectar! Yea!!! Spring is HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow I just saw my first Hummer!
Send some my way. LOL!! We usually see them about one month from now. I hope we have a bunch of them again this year. I can spend a whole afternoon just sitting and watching them fight over the feeders.
Oh....so can I! I adore them, and they are a sure sign that Spring is here. The one I saw must've been one from last year, as it went right to where I had a feeder set up and just buzzed there for a moment before flying off. Its a little early, which is why I haven't put the feeders up yet. Soon as it cools off, its out there! And, we have tons of butterflies right now. My grass is knee high again, so hopefully it'll be dry enough to mow again tomorrow. We have had so much rain this month. I sure hope you get plenty this year too!!!
An inch a week would be nice for the rainfall, but it never happens. I probably won't have to mow grass for close to a month.
Your fun is infectious Gretchen! Yesterday, I was out by my wisteria blooming and one came and buzzed me all around my head. I must admit I had to close my eyes for that needle beak had me afraid!
When we lived in the country I had to fill 3 quart feeders every day for the hummers, because we had so many. I used to love to watch them. I could always count on seeing my first one on March 10 every year. Now we are lucky to see 1 or 2 a day since we moved back to town. It is almost useless to put up a feeder, because the nectar always goes bad in just a couple of days. Besides that, they seem to like the flowers better. I really miss the old days.
You need to move back Sylvia! Your new house sure does not seem to thrill you!
It sure is pretty though and such a nice yard.
They go through a gallon of nectar each week here. They also enjoy most of my flowers, planted of course for their enjoyment (really mine, but I won't tell them that, LOL). The pineapple sage is blooming right now, and I guess that's what brought them into the garden today. I just made a gallon, and am waiting for it to cool down enough to fill and hang some of the feeders, this evening.
Sylvia:
If you would like to e-mail me directions, I'd like to drop off a little care package the next time I go to SA. I have three little brug seedlings and three dats with your name on them...JLMK :)
I know the hummers have been here for a month, but I've not seen a single one. They are down at my neighbors, lol. She has the most beautiful yard, and has so many flowers blooming right now that the hummers don't even give me a second glance, lol. Actually two neighbors, side by side. I'm gonna have to make a raid, their yards look like a riot of color.
I have had one for a couple of weeks. Almost got a shot of him but dogs followed me and scared him away. Darn!!!!
I went by the library to see the winners in the photo contest and I won first place in the adult nature catagory and Best in Show over all for Adult catagory with this picture. Yipee!!!!!
WOW!! what a gorgeous picture Donna! Congratulations!
Susie, take pics of your neighbors yards. Do they have a clue who just moved in next to them? LOL
Great picture Donna. We have a lot of Jays around here and one crazy dove that sits in the feeder and does nothing but eat and keep the other birds out of it.
Donna,
That pic is remarkable! Good job!
Hubby was very happy to hear that Brugs attract hummingbirds. He loves them. They scare me, lol - the way they whiz by so fast - always have this fear of one nailing me in the eye. (weird phobia I guess?)
I think they are beautiful from a distance.
This message was edited Mar 27, 2004 7:53 PM
Congratulations! That's wonderful and I do love your photo! Gretchen
Kell, I've met them, they are both really nice ladies. They have offered me cuttings! Now if they will just send the hummers down the street to my yard.......
I left work a bit early Friday and went to a little nursery that has "odd" stuff instead of the same old things. When I asked about a plant, they went and got "The Frenchman"(he is really from France). He then showed me around the nursery, told me about plants in his yard, offered cuttings and then showed me his pride and joy......a versicolor peach brugmansia(that's what the tag said). It was as tall as the roof of the greenhouse. When I told him how many different ones I had, he wanted to come see them right then. He's got all kinds of cool stuff to trade too!
You are so lucky Susie.
LOL Susie. I bet you fit right in there so well! It was just waiting for you to arrive!
Congrats, Donna. Great picture.
Wow, Susie, you'll have all kinds of different neat plants before long. I envy you. LOL
Get BiiiiiiiiiiiiG cuttings Susie. LOL!! You are going to have so much fun with the great weather and your addiction for plants. I would probably end up with pathways and a yard full of plants....no grass.
Brugie, it's already starting to look that way, lol. I have my seedlings from last year plus new ones this year to find somewhere for them to grow, then there's all the stuff I got at the nursery yesterday......I knew I should have bought that 10 acre field(except no resaca for water, so I wouldn't be able to afford the waterbill)
Gretchen, you are a real sweetie. I can't wait to meet you in person. Maybe I might have something to trade you.
Great picture Donna and Congratulations! The european Jay looks different. Susie, I would hurry and buy that 10 acre field to have lots of room for plants!!!
I put my feeders out last night, and today hummers are everywhere!
Sylvia: I'm trying to empty the greenhouse. I have ten flats of perennials started from seed and cuttings on my porch, to be planted next week (weather permitting), so all that's left are brugs, impatiens and a few odds and ends, and the BRUGS coming out of my ears. I have a little shelf in the GH with your name on it, and another little shelf with htop's name on it...I just don't want to wait too long, as when the weather warms up much more, things are going to start literally cooking in there LOL!
Well, off to mow the grass (in between raindrops). Happy afternoon to all!
i have yet to see any hummers here, but that doesnt mean they're not out yet.. hehe
but we've got several cardinals and blue jays... and dove... and mockingbirds flying about all the time
i should probably go put water in the bird bath, it's so funny to watch them flop around in it and fight over it
we dont really do feeders anymore, tho.. the hummers never really seemed particularly interested in them
guess my nectar's not good enough for 'em
lol
anyone got a good nectar recipe?
*g*
Kim - I use 5 cups of granulated sugar and one gallon of water. I boil it for 5 minutes (to prevent it from fermenting in the feeders), let it cool off and voila! Whatever's left at the end of one week gets pitched and replaced with fresh. Sometimes I fill the feeders daily. Just depends on what's in bloom. Unused portions keep in the refrig for about two weeks. Please don't use red food coloring. Its not good for us....Happy hummer watching :)
i'll have to try that recipe.. hrm.. needa get new feeders now
lol
The hummers found my yard!! There are ruby throats and buff bellied.
Yea Cala!!!!!! I wish I had the Buff Bellies. Only get the Ruby-throats here.
I'm having a bee problem at my feeders. The bees have completely taken them over and the hummers are having to fight for nectar. I don't imagine they'll stay around too much longer with this problem. I've never had this happen before. Any ideas on how to get rid of the bees at the feeders? Thanks for any and all responses!
I was surprised to see my first hummer of the year about mid March. It apparently was a bird that has been to my feeder before because at that point I didn't have mine up yet but the little bird went right to the spot where I hang it.
Gretchen take a butter bowl lid and pour some nectar in it for them. They will flock to it and leave the feeds alone. They sit there and suck it up until their bellies are red. Don't panic I didn't add red color. I use the bottle nectar that you just add sugar to.
I took this photo of a hummingbird, last New Years day! I think we must have them year round.
I love that photo of the Blue Jay! Beautiful!
Nice shot picturelady
Great pic, picturelady.
Great shot!!
Donna, you don't want the buff bellies, lol, they are mean! They chase my ruby throats and it makes me so mad! There are a bunch of different hummers that either stay here or fly thru. I have a list somewhere, but now of course I can't find it!
we've had hummers here for a couple of weeks now
..i never manage to have the camera out when they're around, though
one of these days... i'll snap a pic of one!
Cala they are all mean. I got hit by 2 rubys chasing each other this evening coming up my walk way. It amazes me to see other peoples feeders with 5 of them sitting together eating. Mine all fight like crazy. Fall is a riot when all the immatures come and the Adults. I have to put feeders all over my yard then. Right now they are hardly touching my feeders. I over wintered most of my hummer plants and they are mostly going to them but I still have 3 feeders out. I have seen a male doing the mating dance twice this month for the first time ever so there has to be at least one nest somewhere. I keep looking but haven't found one yet :-(
Donna -- thank you so much for the info and picture! I was about to give up. The bees drank the nectar to the point that its too low for them to reach and now the hummers are back on the feeders, but I'm going to have to refill them before we go back to the coast on Monday. I'll definitely try the lid idea. Doesn't it attract ants too? I make my own nectar of just boiled sugar water, and they sure love it! And, mine also fight like crazy. I have ruby throated and black chinned... Thanks again! Gretchen