Garden

[queendiva]

My two regular hummers have been MIA over the weekend. Put in fresh nectar and thoroughly cleaned the feeder with white vinegar & water. Hope to see them back soon!

[depglass]

My hummers have been very quiet this year.  Suddenly they started showing up like crazy about two weeks ago.  Had to put out a second feeder and they can still empty both of them in a day.  We go away to the cottage for the weekend and I feel guilty when I come home to empty feeders.  

[FastDogWalker2]

We have had SO many lately - they are spunky and seem to enjoy chasing each other!

[blackhole99]

This year I put my Shepherds hook with the Hummer feeder in the pines and have not seen any bugs around or in the feeder. I wonder if it's the pine tar that repel them. We have a pair of Hummers that come every year and I think I counted 5 birds in all at he feeder after the Mum gave birth.

[NickNack]

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@blackhole99 wrote:

This year I put my Shepherds hook with the Hummer feeder in the pines and have not seen any bugs around or in the feeder. I wonder if it's the pine tar that repel them. We have a pair of Hummers that come every year and I think I counted 5 birds in all at he feeder after the Mum gave birth.

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@blackhole99   I've never heard of a hummingbird having more than two babies.  They always say that you usually have double the hummingbirds at your feeder than you think you do.  I don't know if that's true, but I've read it many times.

[blackhole99]

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@NickNack wrote:

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@blackhole99 wrote:

This year I put my Shepherds hook with the Hummer feeder in the pines and have not seen any bugs around or in the feeder. I wonder if it's the pine tar that repel them. We have a pair of Hummers that come every year and I think I counted 5 birds in all at he feeder after the Mum gave birth.

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@blackhole99   I've never heard of a hummingbird having more than two babies.  They always say that you usually have double the hummingbirds at your feeder than you think you do.  I don't know if that's true, but I've read it many times.

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@NickNack  yes, I just looked that info up and you are so right, it mentioned that she could lay 3 eggs but she couldn't take care of 3 eggs, makes sense. I didn't realize the birds can't go more than a few hours without nectar. The 5th bird I saw may have been passing through or I didn't really see 5 birds. I've never seen more than 2 birds at my feeder at once so I no doubt miss counted when they were flying back and forth to the feeder.

[NickNack]

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@blackhole99 wrote:

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@NickNack wrote:

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@blackhole99 wrote:

This year I put my Shepherds hook with the Hummer feeder in the pines and have not seen any bugs around or in the feeder. I wonder if it's the pine tar that repel them. We have a pair of Hummers that come every year and I think I counted 5 birds in all at he feeder after the Mum gave birth.

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@blackhole99   I've never heard of a hummingbird having more than two babies.  They always say that you usually have double the hummingbirds at your feeder than you think you do.  I don't know if that's true, but I've read it many times.

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@NickNack  yes, I just looked that info up and you are so right, it mentioned that she could lay 3 eggs but she couldn't take care of 3 eggs, makes sense. I didn't realize the birds can't go more than a few hours without nectar. The 5th bird I saw may have been passing through or I didn't really see 5 birds. I've never seen more than 2 birds at my feeder at once so I no doubt miss counted when they were flying back and forth to the feeder.

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@blackhole99   Another interesting hummingbird fact is that the female usually never sees the male again after they mate.  She takes care of the eggs and the babies completely by herself.  Hummingbirds fascinate me.  I've got a feeder on my front porch and outside my kitchen window.  I love to watch them.

I bought a hummingbird perch recently but have never seen them use it.  The reviews on Amazon said they would use it, so I was hopeful. I do know where they perch in my trees though.

[blackhole99]

@NickNack  I didn't know that about the male, now I have to wonder just how many hummingbird families are in our woods. I have an idea they have a nest or nests high in the pine trees next to our house. I saw one of the birds waiting on a lower bare branch while I hung the feeder one day, it does look like they are coming out of the woods.

[jannabelle1]

@Mary Bailey, I haven't seen the "moats" fail to keep the ants out. Did you fill them with water and also attach them to your feeders? I had a horrible ant problem in past years, but have used the ant moats (filled with water) for the past 2 years and have had no ants whatsoever. There is just no way that the ants can get to the feeders. I have to make sure though, that the moats are always filled with water.

[NickNack]

@Mary Bailey   Is this the type of ant moat you're using?  I started using them years ago when I started having ants get in my feeders.  The ants can't get past the water and can't get to the feeders.