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Post by BarbK on Mar 30, 2015 12:16:20 GMT -5
Hi Everyone, My neighbor recently became very interested in Hummingbirds. I love them, but don't put out any feeders. Any basic advice for her? Hazel, I know you get beauties and have seen other members great photos. I don't believe she's ever seriously fed birds before, so giving her the ABC's in Hummingbird feeding would be great. Thank you, all.
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Post by hazelrunmama on Mar 31, 2015 11:40:46 GMT -5
Hmmm...ABCs, eh? LOL I'll try to be brief but I'm so good at novels! First, she'll want to start out with just a small feeder (or two, if she wants a spare to hang right away when she's cleaning the other). We've had the best luck with glass-globe ones--they seem to keep the nectar clean longer. 4-port 1-cup capacity Perky Pet feeders are a good feeder to start with. Depending on the amount of traffic she gets, she may end up getting more or larger feeders. We make our own nectar--1 part sugar to 4 parts water. So if you just make a cup of nectar, it would be 1 c. of water to 1/4 c. of sugar. Technically, you only need to heat it till the sugar goes completely into solution, but we use well water and usually make 8-cup batches which might last us a couple days in the early season, so we boil the sugar/water solution for 5 minutes to kill any bacteria that might be present. Cool completely before filling your feeder and store any excess in the refrigerator. Nectar made this way should keep for a week in the fridge. We store it in covered glass carafes and check it daily (if it lasts that long) for cloudiness. Hummingbirds drink nectar primarily for the calories, so always use real sugar--the no-calorie substitutes will literally cause starvation. A very important thing for feeding hummingbirds--keep your feeders CLEAN!! Even a little mold or bacteria can kill them. If you see any black on the feeder or if the nectar gets cloudy, best thing to do is empty the feeder, clean it and then soak it in a weak bleach solution for 20 minutes. We clean all of our feeders every time they're drained, and if we see suspicious flecks or cloudiness, we empty them immediately for cleaning and/or soaking and refill with fresh nectar. If you can find a spot in partial shade to hang your feeders, the nectar will last longer. Ours hang from a scotch pine so it's pretty shady there. There, how's that for a primer? OK?
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Post by BarbK on Mar 31, 2015 12:37:57 GMT -5
Hazel, I know what you mean about novels. My emails, etc., are rather long.
Your tips are wonderful. I'm going to copy them and email them to her. I'll also give her the Forum website if she wants to participate.
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Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 2, 2015 9:54:38 GMT -5
Oh, I hope she joins!
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Post by hutchgigi on Apr 12, 2015 21:04:20 GMT -5
Oh, I hope she joins! That was so good Hazel we should put it on facebook. People often ask those questions, I had a lot of hummers in Jackson Nj but here I only had 4 at most. I use the small tube so I can put them in a few places. And that way the male can't keep his eye on all of them and chase. I just hung my first one today. no sighting yet. this is one from last july and the tube feeder. Ginny H.
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Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 12, 2015 21:14:16 GMT -5
I have about 4 wks to wait, yet, before mine come back. I'm resting up. LOL We've already got 5 bags of sugar in the pantry and every week we buy one extra so we'll be ahead of the game. Same with grape jelly for the orioles!
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Post by naturelover on Apr 25, 2015 14:35:11 GMT -5
My favorite hummer feeders available at various places online or at Wild Birds Unlimited stores & onlineAttachment Deleted.
shop.wbu.com/p/wbu-large-hummingbird-feeder-16-oz-red?pp=12
I like them because 1) cinch to clean and fill, 2) ant trap in center to fill with plain water 3) the birds have a perch so they can rest and I can get a good look at them. As you can see, the titmouse, and the chickadee too, like to drink the ant trap water!!
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Post by luv2bird on Apr 25, 2015 18:52:15 GMT -5
I have about 4 wks to wait, yet, before mine come back. I'm resting up. LOL We've already got 5 bags of sugar in the pantry and every week we buy one extra so we'll be ahead of the game. Same with grape jelly for the orioles!
Hazel, I need some advice involving jelly.
Putting out, for the first time ever, something for the orioles; please, my question is, I bought cherry jelly with cherries in it, not very impressed with it, do you think the orioles would go for it?
Thanks in advance, l2b
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Post by luv2bird on Apr 25, 2015 19:00:58 GMT -5
My favorite hummer feeders available at various places online or at Wild Birds Unlimited stores & online.
shop.wbu.com/p/wbu-large-hummingbird-feeder-16-oz-red?pp=12
I like them because 1) cinch to clean and fill, 2) ant trap in center to fill with plain water 3) the birds have a perch so they can rest and I can get a good look at them. As you can see, the titmouse, and the chickadee too, like to drink the ant trap water!!
Very nice feeder Marilyn, that chickadee is so cute on that feeder.
l2b
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Post by naturelover on Apr 26, 2015 12:47:05 GMT -5
~ naturelover, [abbr data-timestamp="1429990511000" class="time recent_time" title="Sat Apr 25 2015 14:35:11 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)"]22 hours ago[/abbr] |
Very nice feeder Marilyn, that chickadee is so cute on that feeder. l2b, I get lots of cute shots of their "under-tail coverts" when they drink there!!
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Post by luv2bird on Apr 26, 2015 15:09:33 GMT -5
~ naturelover, [abbr data-timestamp="1429990511000" class="time recent_time" title="Sat Apr 25 2015 14:35:11 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)"]22 hours ago[/abbr] |
Very nice feeder Marilyn, that chickadee is so cute on that feeder. l2b, I get lots of cute shots of their "under-tail coverts" when they drink there!! LOL.
l2b
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Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 26, 2015 22:47:22 GMT -5
Hazel, I need some advice involving jelly.
Putting out, for the first time ever, something for the orioles; please, my question is, I bought cherry jelly with cherries in it, not very impressed with it, do you think the orioles would go for it?
Thanks in advance, l2b
As long as the jelly has real sugar and no artificial sweeteners in it, it should be okay to put out. Not sure if the orioles would go for it, but they might--I'd give it a try. Catbirds, robins, and grosbeaks might find it tasty, too!
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Post by luv2bird on Apr 27, 2015 8:55:27 GMT -5
Hazel, I need some advice involving jelly.
Putting out, for the first time ever, something for the orioles; please, my question is, I bought cherry jelly with cherries in it, not very impressed with it, do you think the orioles would go for it?
Thanks in advance, l2b
As long as the jelly has real sugar and no artificial sweeteners in it, it should be okay to put out. Not sure if the orioles would go for it, but they might--I'd give it a try. Catbirds, robins, and grosbeaks might find it tasty, too!
Thanks Hazel, I'll give it a try; would love to see a Catbird.
l2b
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