Hummingbirds galore

beneteau

That's a lot of hummers


Hummingbirds

asop

Wonder just what's in his feeders[:0] Neat video.

v35

Last year we had about 4-6. This year we have 1 or 2.
Also ours are smaller.

spasmcreek

i think the drought in the sw has affected their travel...2 main varieties at the lake place ...one winters on the gulf coast and the other stokes up and flies to the east coast of mexico ..either makes it non stop or drowns...really enjoy setting feeders and watching

Smitty500mag

We've only had a few this year. Most years our feeders are busy.

TooBig

Not many seen here and 4 feeders out but no hummers[V][xx(]

montanajoe

That's cool,,[8D][8D]

cbxjeff

Not as many as usual here in at my place in IN.

He Dog

two feeders out and plenty of hummers, mostly black-chinned, but the rufous will be along soon.

The proper mix is 1 cup of sugar to 4 cups of water. Boil and refrigerate.

Humming birds like a cold drink now and then too.[}:)]

asop

He Dog-Have the 1 to 4 ratio but never boiled it. What does this do to the final outcome?

He Dog

Kills bacteria in the water as well as mold spores. Once in the bottle and in the sun and warm air, they will multiply quickly into millions.

Also, between fillings rinse the bottles and fill them with a solution of water and and 3 or 4 ounces of vinegar. Let them soak for an hour or two. That will help kill mold and bacteria in the bottles.

We always have 2 bottles out and have 4 so we can rotate them. Clean one out and the once coming in gets soaked and dried.

tccox

Beneteau et al: Was listening to "the bird man" on MPB yesterday and there is a house in Rockport TX that puts out 20 gallons (yes 20 Gallons) of feed a day!

He said it is best to use distilled water and use no coloring and no need to boil. I personally have always boiled and used coloring but I may change my ways.

Strawberry Planes in HOLLY SPRINGS MS has a hummer festival every year and it is really interesting. They catch and band the birds there and will even let you try a hand at banding.

Rockport TX also has a festival which is the next weekend from the one in Holly Springs. Tom

He Dog

At the price of distilled, that is nearly 20 per day. I think distilled is a bad idea because it lacks any minerals. Amphibians cannot live in it. There is some evidence that food coloring MAY be harmful to hummingbirds, but the evidence is preliminary. In any event they don't need it, so save your nickels for another gun.

I should also have mentioned, that it is best to change the food every three days (or sooner if the water becomes cloudy) to prevent the build up of bacteria and mold. Better to half fill and change frequently than fill and leave it until empty. Obviously no one who feeds them wants to cause them harm and clean fresh food is key.