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Oh, tell me theyll be fine! (1 Viewer)

E

ebtammy

Active member
I had three or four hummingbird feeders up last year, I had at least 10 humming birds each day feeding, however this year I will not have time to get involved in the feeding ,and wondered if those birds will remember that I fed them and will again nest here. If I dont put feeders up, will the still nest or will they move on to nest elsewhere where there are feeders nearby? I will be crushed if they come looking at the poles I hung them on only to find them empty, I do so enjoy the little darlings. they are not here yet its too cold here in north west P.A..
I also would like to stop feeding my backyard birds next fall and winter, mostly because I live in the state gamelands and between deer, coons and squirrels ect ect , I cant keep buying seed, it just attracts too many critters to my yard. I am nearly broke each week feeding the birds, and trying not to feed the other animals. but I am worried they will all come back here now that I have fed them.thanks for any positive feedback!!!
ebtammy
 
Couldn't you just put up one or two feeders? It doesn't take THAT much time to do....especially if you've had the good fortune of having hummers nest there in the past. I would think the time would be well worth it!
 
melaniecb said:
Couldn't you just put up one or two feeders? It doesn't take THAT much time to do....especially if you've had the good fortune of having hummers nest there in the past. I would think the time would be well worth it!
Click to expand...

I make my nectar ahead of time and put it in the fridge, so when it comes time to change the nectar it doesn't take long at all. I had dozens of hummers coming to my feeder for years. Then about 5 years ago I was having health problems and couldn't get my feeders up. I'm finally getting about 6 hummers at my feeders again. If you don't get your feeder up they will find somewhere else to go! They're real creatures of habit and like to come back to the same place every year.

I know what you mean about attracting all the critters. I have racoons, squirrels, snakes, the neighbor's cats, hawks, fox, and coyotes here to deal with, but I just can't take the feeders down. It just brings too much enjoyment for me. I'd give my right arm to have hummers nesting here!

Julie
 
Ill just have to see what happens,
what sort of mix do you use for your feeders? i was using plain white sugar in water, accept it was costing me a bag a week, or more and I live on a real tight budget, so if I only put up one feeder instead of the three I had , itll be empty in about three hours and Ill have bird fights all over the place. there were several males fighting for the feeders last year usually would be ten on the deck swooping and chirping, you can get your eye poked out walking out there! [theyre just too cute for words.]
youd think there wasnt any other food! do you have a plant to suggest, that I could plant that would give them nectar? I have a lot of shade. I have hostas, I m hoping deer dont like them.
I still plan to stop feeding the yard birds, im on my last bag of seed, its a shame I love watching them and taking pictures, but I just cant afford it any longer.
I f I knew some plants to plant with seeds Id just fill my whole back yard up with them so the birds could eat off that, but then the deer would come graze and we have MANY deer.
thanks
 
Here's a list of Hummer plants.


Azalea
Cardinal flower
Cleome
Columbine
Cypress vine
Dianthus
Foxglove
Fuschia
Hibiscus
Hollyhock
Honeysuckle
Impatiens
Lantana
Larkspur
Lily
Malvaviscus (Turk's flower)
Monarda
Morning Glory
Nasturtium
Petunia
Phlox
Primrose
Salvia (any kind of sage)
Snapdragon
Sumac
Trumpet vine
Wisteria
Verbena

Tritomas ...
Red Hot Poker Plant
Kniphofia uvaria


Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) produces one of the highest known volumes of nectar per blossom.





The 10 Best Plant Families for Attracting Hummingbirds*
Mint Family
Salvias (Salvia spp.)
Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)
Giant Hyssop (Agastache spp.)

Columbines
Aquilegia spp.

Honeysuckles
Lonicera spp.
esp. Trumpet Honeysuckle
(L. sempervirens) Bignonia Family
Trumpet Creeper
Cross Vine
Desert Willow
Yellow Bells

Penstemons
Penstemon spp.
Lobelias
Lobelia spp.
esp. Cardinal Flower (L. cardinalis)
L. laxiflora

Mallow Family
Turk's Cap
Flowering Maple (Abutilon pictus)
Hollyhock (as Alcea rosea)
Hardy Hibiscus
Rose of Sharon
Evening Primrose Family
Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)
California fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)
Fuchsias (Fuchsia spp.)

Morning Glories
Ipomoea spp.
esp. Cypress Vine
Red Morning Glory
Scarlet Creeper
Bush Morning Glory
Acanthus Family
Desert Honeysuckle
Flame Acanthus
Chuparosa (Justicia californica)
Mexican Honeysuckle (J. spicigera)
Shrimp Plant (J. brandegeana)



http://www.hummingbirds.net/221.html

http://www.hummingbirds.net/feeders.html
 
Here's a list of what I currently have:

Azalea
Cardinal flower
Columbine
Dianthus
Fuschia
Hibiscus
Honeysuckle
Impatiens
Lantana
Lily
Petunia
Phlox
Salvia (any kind of sage)
Sumac
Wisteria
Verbena
Red Hot Poker Plant
Bee Balm
Columbines
Lobelias
Hardy Hibiscus
Rose of Sharon

Be careful where you plant trumpet vines...they will spread and take over things.

I also plant sunflowers and the birds just love them.

I use sugar water to as nectar in the feeders. Just feed them what you can afford. They'll fight over feeders regardless how much you put out.

Julie
 
To cut down of the cost of the sugar, you could decrease the concentration of the nectar you make for them. From what the experts here say, you should be able to go down as low as 1 part sugar to 6 or 7 parts water, which would actually be closer to what these birds get from flowers.

To save time on feeding the hummers, you can boil a concentrated solution (1 volume of sugar + 1 volume of water). That keeps well in the fridge, and all you need to do is dilute it (at least 1:4) when needed.
 
Spica said:
To cut down of the cost of the sugar, you could decrease the concentration of the nectar you make for them. From what the experts here say, you should be able to go down as low as 1 part sugar to 6 or 7 parts water, which would actually be closer to what these birds get from flowers.

To save time on feeding the hummers, you can boil a concentrated solution (1 volume of sugar + 1 volume of water). That keeps well in the fridge, and all you need to do is dilute it (at least 1:4) when needed.
Click to expand...



To save time in feeding the hummers, there is no NEED to boil the water. Take it right out of the tap and add the sugar. It will disolve with stirring and the only thing you loose is MAYBE a day sooner you will have to fill the feeders again.
 
EBay Tammy You might be able to get some funds from the state, I think I read on our Pa bird listserv that they will give you native plants to plant for the wildlife If you improve your habitat management, Sounds like you live in paradise!
 
free plants from the state huh? well wouldnt that be nice, no I dont live quite in paradise,[yet], but its not bad! I think I will investigate those flowering vines though, trumpet creeper? I have a few dead trees that the birds like to pick bugs from, they could climb up those, I have rocky soil, and lots of pine needle compost, not a real great lawn, though I dont care really less grass to cut. I havent seen or heard the hummers here yet, too soon I guess to put up feeders. north west P.A. kinda cold I guess. I have been trying to wean my yard bird from the feeders, the mating games around them are fun to watch. I dont want the expense off seed all summer, especially with the gold finches, when they see a feeder, boy we have a lot of them.I have a lot of shade on my property so I have to only use flowers and plants that can tolerate 70 percent shade or more.
ebtammy
 
yes, I have a pileated woodpecker our there today, it isnt here every day but I can hear him! I saw him once a few days ago, he is elusive.and two days ago, I got one hummer, so I hurried and put my feeder up for it, havent seen any more though, but thats o.k,
I hope I can grow tumpet vine Ill try to find some.
ebtammy
 
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