Garden

[Susan Louise]

Hi KJPA,

I'm guessing you are in PA?

As for the ratio of sugar water, I do the 3:1 too....everyone is different regarding that...some do the 4:1.

Your place sounds lovely for hummers...maybe they don't breed in your area like us here. I suggest you look at a breeding and migration map for the Ruby-throated. For example, even though you may live in a state where they breed during the summer, your location may have vary few, where others area of the same state have higher concentrations/#'s where they will breed. A lot is just location, location, location...and they return to their same breeding grounds...unfortunately. The breeding grounds change for birds depending on sources of food/changes in the environment, etc.

The #'s grow, like at our place since they return to the same place year after year to the food sources when they migrate (the ones that survive the long treks, that is).

We feed birds all year long, but it changes from season to season. From November 1st-April 1st, we put out our seed/peanut/suet feeders. By April 1st, we take those down. Additionally, about the 2nd week of March, we start to feed our Robins mealworms...5 mated pairs this past Spring and until 'they' have had their fill and have finished feeding their 2nd broods and start molting...it varies. Some have stayed to eat mealworms til mid-September...this year it was mid-August before the last Robin left. We put out our Hummingbird Feeders at the end of April til mid-June, then bring them in til mid-August til the end of October.

It all depends on where you live and what birds frequent your yards. Some folks leave out the seed feeders all year long...again, it depends on your local area and birds. You have many of the same birds we do.

The hummers don't need a birdbath to bath. Their type of birdbath would be a large leaf with a few droplets of water and they roll in it...no joke! Or they will fly through a mister...

I do suggest adding some flower gardens that have honeysuckles, salvias, scarlet runner beans, false vervain (porterweed), and some tropicals plants like cupheas. Do some reading. For example, some salvias have barely a drop of nectar in the blooms while others have lots...like black and blue salvia.

As for putting out your feeders, you may need to put them out sooner than me...again, it all depends on your location/state/area. Check for specific info online. There is a hummingbird forum too that will be helpful...just google for it

[blueskies]

On 9/11/2014 Susan Louise said:

On 9/11/2014 blueskies said: Susan Louise , lol, I enjoyed reading your comment about the hummingbirds . Yes , it's too bad they don't learn to share ! We used to put a feeder by the kitchen window & loved seeing them visit . It had 4 feeding ports , but if a 2 nd bird showed up , omg ! Lots of fluttering ! ........Even after we stopped hanging the feeder a few years ago , every Spring they'd visit that window , looking for the feeder for a few years . They have amazing memories . Unreal . ..........enjoy the Fall weather ! The weather can't make up it's mind here yet .....Summer,Fall, Summer, Fall .....lol.

Hi Blueskies, Oh my...why oh why did you stop putting out that feeder? Yes they have amazing memories...so do all the birds. They go back to the same places year after year where they found the food sources that helped sustain them through their migration journeys and/or their breeding season. I feel so sad that you didn't think or want to put the feeder back out for them

Hi Susan Louise , a chronic illness has made it difficult , to do all the things I once was able to do . That's why the feeder hasn't gone up the past few years . I once read that they are able to obtain all the food they need from the environment . It's also said the feeders are mainly a way for us to see them up close . We live near hundreds of acres of woods & all the neighbors plant flowers , so I'm sure they'll be fine . Animals are better at survival than we are , unless humans pollute the environment , they & us depend upon .

[Big Sister]

Susan, thank you so much for posting this. I really enjoyed reading about your lovely day.

[Susan Louise]

On 9/11/2014 blueskies said:

On 9/11/2014 Susan Louise said:

On 9/11/2014 blueskies said: Susan Louise , lol, I enjoyed reading your comment about the hummingbirds . Yes , it's too bad they don't learn to share ! We used to put a feeder by the kitchen window & loved seeing them visit . It had 4 feeding ports , but if a 2 nd bird showed up , omg ! Lots of fluttering ! ........Even after we stopped hanging the feeder a few years ago , every Spring they'd visit that window , looking for the feeder for a few years . They have amazing memories . Unreal . ..........enjoy the Fall weather ! The weather can't make up it's mind here yet .....Summer,Fall, Summer, Fall .....lol.

Hi Blueskies, Oh my...why oh why did you stop putting out that feeder? Yes they have amazing memories...so do all the birds. They go back to the same places year after year where they found the food sources that helped sustain them through their migration journeys and/or their breeding season. I feel so sad that you didn't think or want to put the feeder back out for them

Hi Susan Louise , a chronic illness has made it difficult , to do all the things I once was able to do . That's why the feeder hasn't gone up the past few years . I once read that they are able to obtain all the food they need from the environment . It's also said the feeders are mainly a way for us to see them up close . We live near hundreds of acres of woods & all the neighbors plant flowers , so I'm sure they'll be fine . Animals are better at survival than we are , unless humans pollute the environment , they & us depend upon .

Hi Blueskies, Sorry to hear of your illness *Hugs*. Sure, the hummers will do quite well with nature itself...they did fine without us for thousands of years. I wish we lived closer, I'd maintain a feeder or two just for you and your visitors!

[Susan Louise]

On 9/11/2014 motherinlaw said:

My husband and I recently saw a documentary on the migration of hummingbirds.....it was fascinating!

Hi motherinlaw, Was the documentary on PBS? I saw a few of those too...BBC and National Geographic put out a couple...I think a 'Nature' show on PBS had one too...not sure. They are very fascinating and fun to watch I agree!

[Susan Louise]

On 9/11/2014 Julie928 said:

Susan Louise ~ I really enjoyed your post! I was just talking with a friend of mine about how many hummingbirds I've seen at our feeder recently. I typically keep the feeder up until Halloween just in case there are any stragglers, although they are usually gone by mid-October. Just in the past few days I have seen a yellow warbler, a couple American Redstarts and a Hermit Thrush in our backyard. The Hermit Thrush has been a Spring/Fall visitor for about two years now. They're all so beautiful, I consider it an honor to have them stop by my garden for a drink and snack on the elderberries! I've worked hard to make our backyard a haven for wildlife, and when I have these visitors it makes me feel as if I'm doing something right...

It's very chilly here in Illinois as well. We had a pond with a waterfall put in our backyard this past May. We have five koi and one goldfish in the pond. I'm concerned about how they will fare this winter so I am off to the pond store tomorrow morning to pick up a heater, aerator, and some cold weather fish food.

Your backyard certainly sounds like a beautiful place to relax and unwind. Thank you for always sharing such wonderful posts with us!

KJPA ~ Is there an area in the front of your house where you can place your hummingbird feeder & still be able to watch them from the house? I've heard that hummingbirds typically don't like to feel crowded, and sometimes when there are other feeders nearby that will keep them from visiting. We have nine feeders in our backyard, and LOTS of birds everyday. We keep our hummingbird feeder just outside our front window and have had the pleasure of feeding them for the past three years. Good luck with your hummingbirds! Hope this helps!

Hi Julie, Thank you...bless your heart! I would love to see your pond/waterfall with the Koi! Sounds lovely and soooo relaxing. Do you have a deck/patio nearby that you can hear the sound of the water? I wish our backyard was bigger for something like that...oh well. I shouldn't complain.

If I have time later, I'll post a few bird pics from this year

[Winifred]

Have been so disappointed last year and this year due to the lack of many Hummers. I live in Sou Cal and they have NEVER migrated - they stay all year, snow, heat, you name it. But this year and last they are super scarce. They are a tad scare for about two weeks in May, that has been all but they are just scare period now.

Yes, I have zillions of flowers but they just have not been here much. I have called or visited all the experts - and NONE have an answer. Only thing I can think of is we have such overbuilding - so many homes standing empty and nature's gorgeous hills which were pmce awesome until so many cement slabs were put down. The old graceful trees are mostly gone replaced by newer smaller worthless trees.

But at any rate, no one seems to have any answers as to exactly what is happening. I sure miss them. Still have four feeders and days go by without me seeing any - my goodness but they use to swarm about and argue with each other.

[motherinlaw]

On 9/11/2014 Susan Louise said:

On 9/11/2014 motherinlaw said:

My husband and I recently saw a documentary on the migration of hummingbirds.....it was fascinating!

Hi motherinlaw, Was the documentary on PBS? I saw a few of those too...BBC and National Geographic put out a couple...I think a 'Nature' show on PBS had one too...not sure. They are very fascinating and fun to watch I agree!

It was either PBS or Nat Geo. We were so fascinated by the program we really didn't notice where it was coming from!!

[Susan Louise]

On 9/11/2014 Winifred said:

Have been so disappointed last year and this year due to the lack of many Hummers. I live in Sou Cal and they have NEVER migrated - they stay all year, snow, heat, you name it. But this year and last they are super scarce. They are a tad scare for about two weeks in May, that has been all but they are just scare period now.

Yes, I have zillions of flowers but they just have not been here much. I have called or visited all the experts - and NONE have an answer. Only thing I can think of is we have such overbuilding - so many homes standing empty and nature's gorgeous hills which were pmce awesome until so many cement slabs were put down. The old graceful trees are mostly gone replaced by newer smaller worthless trees.

But at any rate, no one seems to have any answers as to exactly what is happening. I sure miss them. Still have four feeders and days go by without me seeing any - my goodness but they use to swarm about and argue with each other.

Hi Winifred,

Maybe the drought in your state may have played a part...don't know how much of a part, but along with your local loss of trees, it all plays a role. I mentioned in a few of my earlier posts in this thread how the drought here in the mid-west in 2012 played a HUGE role in the # of hummers we had that year.

I hope you will see your visitors come back to the #'s you are used to soon

[Susan Louise]

On 9/11/2014 motherinlaw said:

On 9/11/2014 Susan Louise said:

On 9/11/2014 motherinlaw said:

My husband and I recently saw a documentary on the migration of hummingbirds.....it was fascinating!

Hi motherinlaw, Was the documentary on PBS? I saw a few of those too...BBC and National Geographic put out a couple...I think a 'Nature' show on PBS had one too...not sure. They are very fascinating and fun to watch I agree!

It was either PBS or Nat Geo. We were so fascinated by the program we really didn't notice where it was coming from!!

PLEASE watch a video on youtube...google "Hummingbird David Attenborough BBC". There is a 1:48 minute video you will enjoy...I LOVE IT and play it often (don't forget to listen to the narration and turn on your volume...very cool info tidbits!)