Last weekend Carson and I purchased our first hummingbird feeder and hung it up on the front porch. This morning, while waiting for the bus I noticed a lone female drinking from the feeder. From what I can tell she is a Ruby-Throated Hummer. We also get the Rufous Hummers and the Allen's Hummingbirds here. I really did not think that we would get any, as my neighbor has a beautiful yard full of fragrant flowers. They seem to be very attracted to all of this.
They are always four or five at her house, pretty much any time of day. I have some pictures I took at my neighbors. 
Look closely at the next couple of pictures.... Can you spot her????
I finally got some pictures of the little girl visiting our house. Unfortunately, she would take off every time I went outside, so I took these from inside the house.
One thing you need to make sure if you want to attract hummers.... is to NOT use the premade RED nectar. They have discovered that there is an increase in cancers, and decreased fertility in the hummers over time when fed the nectar with the RED DYE in it. Hummmm wonder if it is Red Dye # 40. We make our own, so so simple and way cheaper too. Just use a cup of sugar to 4 cups of water. I boil it quickly and cool just to have a nice syrup instead of sugar crystals. Keep the extra in the fridge for about a week.
9 years ago
2 comments:
Hummingbird feeders are a great way to attract hummingbirds. Here are a few important reminders about them.
Especially in very hot weather, just be sure to change the nectar ever 2-3 days to ensure that it has not spoiled. If the nectar has spoiled, it can be harmful to the hummingbirds and also the birds will stop coming to your feeders because they no longer trust your nectar suppy.
You can use a mild bleech and water solution to clean your feeders or you can even run them through your dishwasher to clean them.
Also, if you want to use flowers to also help you attract the hummingbirds, hanging baskets are a great way to do this. They require very a much smaller amout of space and are easy to care for.
If you would like much more information about hummingbirds, please click the links below. The sites contain many articles about hummingbirds, video clips about hummingbirds, an informative tips booklet on hummingbirds, and much more.
Click Here To Visit About Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds For Mom
I love the hummingbird pictures!! I took some up close shots in NM one time. They are some of my all time favorites.
Thanks for sharing.
aaron
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