thanks. i put my red dot on the map but it was too close to some others so oh well .
i am glad they are back. i miss the little guys and gals
Hummingbirds are Here
I usually bring it to a boil in the microwave then let it cool - is that acceptable? Somewhere I read that microwaves don't get water as hot...
pelletory, I usually put a little extra sugar in my mix too for when they are first arriving back.
Debnes_dfw_tx, Thanks for the up-date on the water-boiling, I'll keep that in mind.
I think the main reason for boiling the water is so it is easier to get all the sugar dissolved. Even if you boil it until it's sterile (which means 10 minutes, I think), the nectar just isn't going to remain in sterile conditions very long, so I'm not sure I see the point of that. IMO the microwave will work just fine. :-)
So much fun to read everybody's reports! I can't wait for the hummers to arrive... but they'd better hold off for a few more days... snow flurries just now!
TAAAA DAAAA first hummingbird this afternoon....I didn't have feeders filled and he was on the orange and red lantana...........ran straight to the kitchen and mixed sugar and water (we don't boil...just use warm water and stir).....waiting for him to come back....have camera ready....so excited....
You go Gail!!!
Yaaaaaaaaaay!
Hope they stay!
Congraltualtions on all the sightings. Isn't it wonderful.
Suzy I used to boil my water but after reading what Nancy and other hummingbird pros had to say I just add hot enough water to disolve the sugar. No reason to boil it. As soon and the hummingbirds feed at the feeder in has germs introduced to it. Just think of all the nasty insects they eat. Just keep you feeders clean and keep the water fresh. Right now I am only adding small amounts because I don't have heavy feeding so I just exchange the feeders about once a week with clean ones. Later in the season I will exchange feeders with clean ones every few days.
This little guy or one of his buddies has been visiting me for weeks. Yesterday the wind was so strong I could see his little feathers blowing in the wind. This feeder didn't get much use last year but so far this season it is being hit all the time. I love being at my computer and looking out the window to see a hummingbird drop by to feed and say "hello" to me.
oh, oh, oh.... now I need a window feeder! How cool is that??!? I'll keep an eye out and see if I can find them locally, and if not I think I'll just have to order a couple... my father would love one!
I ordered this little one and a larger one that looks from Heritage Farms. I was going to post the add but I don't have it in my favorites. You can do a Google search and easily find it..
I seen one!!!! The first one of this season, And I seen him at 1:00 this afternoon!!! I tried to get a pic, But, He didn't hang around alot! I sat on a chair in the backyard for an hour waiting to get a picture, I kept my eye on both feeders, When I had finally given up, Something had caught my eye in the garden area, And there he was, At the columbine plant!! Of course he took off before I could get a picture, But, So happy to have seen my first one even without the picture!!!!
Iris that is why I keep a couple of feeders outside my computer room window. That way I can get a picture without their knowing it.
Congratulations, IRIS! Isn't the first one exciting?
Thanks for the info on Heritage Farms, Mimidi. Wild Birds Unlimited also carries the window mounted feeders. I think that covers Mothers' Day and Fathers' Day for DMIL and DFIL! Gotta get one for myself, too. At the computer room window.
Debra
Debra I would highly recommend on at the window. I is so much fun to sit and watch them feed and look as if there are looking in the window at me.
I keep my camera handy to try and get a picture.
Oooh - they are getting closer! According to the map they are all the way up to Iowa! Another week or two and out come the feeders... I can't wait! Hope the deck is done in time so the construction doesn't scare them off.
I don't know if anyone knows the answer to this question ......
I have heard that some Ruby-throat hummers live year-round in Florida. So that means they nest and raise their young here as well. Since they are quite territorial, does that mean that the youngsters have to find new territory to call their own?
I guess basically what I am asking is ...... What are the chances of a young hummer finding my yard after the parents have already become established in a particular territory and nectaring area? Is it possible that young hummers "could" discover my yard and all the nectar plants I have blooming in it?
This message was edited Apr 10, 2007 7:58 PM
Mimidi, I have two feeder's out, One is at the dinningroom window and thats the one I seen him at, I believe I could have gotten a picture of him because I don't think he could see me because of the way the sunlight was on the window, But, Unfortunately, The heater/air fan is kind of close to where the feeder is hanging and it came on and blew air as he was at the feeder and I think "That is what scarred him off". So tonight, I'm going to go and move the feeder to the next window over. I would put a feeder at the puter window, But, I'm not usually on the puter during the day, Once in a while I am, But not all that often.
fleursdefouquet, Thanks! "Yes it is" exciting to see the first one! Actually, That makes 3 favorite birds I seen today and I couldn't get a pictuire of any of them, Very dissapointing!!! I was out searching for a tree to photograph for a class project and I seen the biggest owl I have ever seen in my life!! ( Huge Great Horned!!) As soon as I got the camera ready and got a little close, He flew off!!! Same happened with a Large hawk that I seen right after the owl!! It "was not" my day for pictures!! But, On the Bright Side, At least I did get to see them!! Hoping that the HB comes back tommorrow!! ( I'll be ready!! lol!)
I have learned over the years that hummingbirds will come back to the same place a feeder was hung the year before. I have moved feeders to new places and watched as a hummingbird would come up to an empty space and just hover. My responce was that if that is where they wanted the feeder that is where it was going to be. I moved my feeders back to the old place. I did add other feeders.
At a hummingbird workshop this winter I did learn that a hummingbird will come back year after year to where it was born. The first year I hung a feeder I had two hummingbirds. The number of of resident hummers has grown over the years. This verifies what I though I knew.
Iris I am looking forward to seeing that picture of your hummingibrd.
Those Great Horned Owls are so cool. We had a pair that lived near us when we were still in town. The hoo-hoo'd back and forth every evening from the tops of tall loblolly pines then flew (silently) over the top of our house. They did it every evening like clockwork. They nested in our neighbors back yard one year and we got to see the babies. Huge babies with big yellow eyes, giant beaks and fierce claws. When threatened, they would 'clack' their beaks very loudly.
Forgot to mention seeing another hummer this weekend. I didn't get a good look at it so don't know if it was male or female. I was working on the new pond and was suddenly aware of this loud buzzing around my head. It always takes a second for my brain to realize the difference between a bee and hummingbird! Once I looked up all I saw was the hummer flying off.
Debra
mimidi, I guess he was just passing through and stopped for a drink as I have not seen him since ( Darn!) Been pretty cold the past few days and rainy yesterday and last night, But it]s starting to warm back up, Hopefully he/ or another will pass through again and maybe stay this time ( I hope so anyway!)
fleursdefouquet, Yes they are pretty neat, One of my favorite birds of prey!! I have seen them and other types of owls in the area I use to live in ( I had screech owls that would use the nestbox every year) But, Have never seen one as BIG as the one I seen the other day! I really wish I could have got a picture of him!! How neat it must have been for you to see the babys when they nested in your niehbors yard!! I have heard and read stories of how very fierce the parents could be when it came to defending there nest!!
Another hummer? Congrats!! I'm hoping another will be coming around for the feeders here soon! I had to laugh when you wrote about the buzzing between the hummer and the bee, "Ït is" scarry when you hear that sound close and fast like that and your not sure of which one it is!!! What size pond are you building??
IRIS, be patient. They will return. We are starting to see ours on a regular basis now. Don't have a window mounted feeder yet, but did hang one in front of the dining room window. Forgot it was there and walked right up on a hummer and scared him away. Darn it. I'll have to learn to look before walking up to the window. We have 3 feeders up now. I want to hang more than we have in the past. It is so fun to watch them chase each other from feeder to feeder. They're like little heat seeking missles flying by.
Our pond is just a little 10' x 5' garden pond. We hope to trim the liner this weekend and start some landscaping around it. DH is anxious to put fish in it. My color scheme for flowers in that area is pink, purple and white. Anyone know where to get pink or purple fish? The orange ones will clash! LOL! Here's a shot of the pond with a hummingbird feeder in the foreground.
Debra
Paitience is a vertue huh? lol!
Thanks for posting the pic of the pond!! It looks so nice so far!! You must have a sitting pretty close by it?? You could always get the tri-colored shubunkins, At least they would be colorfull. Hope to see more pics when you get more done.
I would really like to put in at my place too, Love to hear the sound of the water and watch the fish!
Iris he will come back and bring others.
Nice pond Debra. I would like to have a water feature.
Wow, Debra I love that waterfall pond setup of yours!
mimidi, That would be great if he brought others! The more the better!
We had our first hummingbird on Tuesday. They may have changed their minds and gone back south after the weather we are having now. LOL
What do the little things do when it gets below freezing at night?. It worries me.
Susan
=^..^=
Saw my first hummer of the year yesterday! Jealously guarding this patch of iris. I'm getting started with spring clean up late this year, but went in and immediately put up my feeder.
LadibugZ9 - Your Irises are lovely!! I am trying them for the first time this year. I have a question for you ...... (since I know NOTHING about Irises) ....... do they just bloom once or do they bloom off and on all season?
Pretty iris, ladybug. Congrats on seeing your first hummer! You, too, Susan! I've wondered the same thing as you when the temps drop.
Thanks for all the nice comments on the pond. It's a project that keeps getting delayed because of this crazy weather. One good weekend and we could get it done. We are working on making the whole courtyard area a butterfly/hummingbird garden. They are already frequent visitors and I think we can attract a lot more. The pond can be seen from the diningroom window and we will really enjoy it.
Has anyone ever seen a tree Lantana? I had a great time yesterday meeting several DG members at the Memphis Botanical Garden plant sale and visiting several local nurseries. I bought a pair of these tree Lantana thinking they will be butterfly/humminbird magnets! I'll try to post a photo when I get them potted up. Here's a view of the pond area (before the pond was dug) from the dining room window. Imagine lots of butterflies and hummingbirds buzzing around.....
Debra
Debra, what a beautiful garden, love the fountain and the pond! You should have lots of winged visitors!
I've never heard of a tree Lantana, can't wait to see it.
Welllllll, I'll be doggone, Debra! .. I had no idea!!
I'd given serious consideration to visiting the Memphis Botanical Gardens .. but we'd passed on the idea, due to time limitations.
We'd jes left from the town of Horn Lake, Mississippi on Friday ..
We'd gone to meet up and visit with some family that drove up to Arkabutla Lake, from Louisiana. (A spectacularly beautiful area, I mite add!) Nice, paved, long, level, and spacious campsites .. and soooo clean!!
Our first two hummers, this year .. have stuck around even thru several days of freezing temps, a week or so ago! One feeder iced up a bit, but the one on the south side of the house stayed mushy enuff for them to feed .. with no problem. Gonna have more freezing temps tonite!
Debra ..
Luv the new garden pond, and the view of your courtyard. It's gonna be super-spectacular .. once our 'real' Spring arrives and stays!!
- Magpye
This message was edited Apr 14, 2007 7:39 PM
Hi Magpye! Poor little hummers - having to break through ice to feed. :) Your camping trip sounds nice. Did your campsite look anything like this painting of Horn Lake by the Mississippi artist Walter Anderson ? http://www.walterandersonmuseum.org/hi_edu/hi_images/pages/001.htm
He was an interesting personality from all I've read. He tied himself to a tree during hurricane Betsy to experience it's power. He painted fabulous wildlife scenes. Here's a link to some of his works from and about Horn Island. One features butterflies but I couldn't find one with hummingbirds although I,m sure he painted them.
http://www.walterandersonmuseum.org/vanishingpoint.htm
Oh yeah Debra,
I saw some tree Lantanas just last week at a nursery...really nice! Must take some time for them to grow like that. The ones I saw were yellow, about 4.5 ' tall, with a long woody 3/4" trunk...with a 12" plantball of Lantana on top. Would be a great addition to your lovely courtyard. What color did you get?
Deb
This message was edited Apr 14, 2007 5:58 PM
Deb, that sounds like the same size tree Lantana. These are multi-colored. Don't recall the name. Pink, yellow, orange, etc. They are going to have to be staked well so they don't blow over in a strong wind. I'm hoping it branches out quite a bit. Do you remember how much they were? I paid $22 each for these and thought that was a good price. Please tell me it was a good price........LOL!
Ok,,, now I need to grow a tree lantana.. Your new patio should be lovely Debra..
Love those Horn Lake pictures,,, except the dead fish and pelicans LOL,,,
We have had hummers now for about 2 weeks.. only 2. I have plastic window feeders (Perky brand I think) from Walmart.
I think it is true that they come back to same place.. My hummers really love Cypress Vine and phlox..
Elaine
Debra.
Sounds like a good price to me, I respect the time and work it takes to train this kind of thing.
Sound like you have Lantana camara
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/578/index.html
It's my favorite of the Lantanas
Deb
okay i saw my first little girl hummer today and yesterday i saw a new male in the yard too. no its not the same male either. the reason i say this is the first one was early and very much a butterball still this new male is very thin and the female wow she is a fst little thing. she will buzz you when you are near the feeder. and i have 3 out.
i love it.
Yes, Deb, that's it. Interesting info on Plant Files. I never knew it was considered invasive or a weed and definitely didn't know it was toxic. Glad it will be where our dogs can't get to it.
Happy dance for you, imzadi! What is a girl hummer called? A hummet? LOL!
:-Debra~
I have grown Lantana for years, and never had a problem with it being invasive. Of course I trim on them a lot to keep them blooming all the time. You will probably do the same with yours to keep the shape nice.
Yaaay imzadi!!!! How wonderful!!
Okay, I want to know more about the Lantana "Tree". Is this just a regular lantana that is grown in tree form or is it a new cultivar. I hadn't heard of them as "trees". Please give me more details!
They are still in the garage waiting to be potted, but here is a photo of the pair I bought yesterday.
