The Hummingbirds Are Back!
 

I saw my first hummingbird of the season this morning. It was checking out where I had hung my feeders last year. It nearly hit me in the head as it buzzed by. It's time to get out those feeders and get them filled!

I put my hummingbird feeders out Sunday after talking to the gentleman at the Bird Depot on rte. 25. He said that there had been sightings of them already in Sandwich. My first hummingbird arrived about 2 hours after I put the feeders out.

Back from where?
 

Here in So. Cal they are here all year round. I never thought of them migrating for the winter? Where do the go to keep warm?

Excellent! I'll have to tell my mom - she keeps several feeders out on her porch where we sit to watch them. They sound like huge bugs when they come up to feed! Amazing birds...

I Should Have Put Up My Feeder
 

Different species of hummingbirds winter in different locations. Some migrate to the southern USA, Mexico, Central America and South America. Ruby-throated - southern Texas and Florida, Cuba and down to southern Mexico.

Google Earth Maps of Hummingbird Migration

It is believed that they make the same journey as the first for the rest of their lives.

There have been a couple of times when we arrive out to the island and I am greeted by a hummingbird dive-bombing me just like Quilt Lady describes. They are the most amazing little birds and we totally enjoy watching them at the lake. One year after they had babies, we had seven of them who as they get older will start to fight with each other. Multiple feeders didn't do too much to curb this craziness. I hope they stick around until we get back on Friday!

I haven't seen a hummingbird as yet, but it is good to know they are back and will keep an eye out for them. They certainly are feisty little birds and a joy to have around.

I saw my first Oriole last week, so they are also back. I believe they are a bit earlier than usual, as I don't believe they usually return until around mid May. I always have a couple who build their nest in a large maple tree in my back yard. They like to feast on caterpillars and don't seem to mind those prickly creatures.

Quilt Lady - thanks for the news! I almost put my feeder up on Sunday - it will go up on Saturday for sure. And Chickie says the Orioles are back too! They are so worth the mess they make of the feeder. Can't wait to see them both.

What food and feeder do you use for the Orioles? We tried something like this

http://www.backyardbird.com/flite30oriole.html

but the hummingbirds decided that was for them, too.

Oriole Feeders
 

Several years ago when I first spotted Orioles in my back yard, I invested in an Oriole feeder similar to that one. It took a while for them to show any interest, but they eventually began coming and shared it with the hummingbirds.

I have since learned that they much prefer suet. I usually stop putting out suet once the winter has passed, but one year I still had a supply in the freezer and continued to put some out into May. To my surprise when the Orioles arrived that year, they began coming to the suet. They much preferred it to the orange flavored mixture I was using in the feeder. When given the choice, they chose the suet every time. They also like oranges. However, they have a definite preference for caterpillars and once there is an abundance of those (by around the first of June), they will abandon the suet and go for the creepy crawlies. I have seen them stationed in trees near nests of hatching caterpillars thoroughly enjoying a live banquet.

Rose - at our house the Orioles share the hummie feeder - nothing fancy just sugar water. Last year we tried the premixed nectar and I don't think I got as many visits so this year I'm going back to mixing my own. I don't know if it makes a difference but I skip the food coloring. My hummie feeder hangs outside my kitchen window - over the sink - so I can find myself about 12 inches from these beautiful birds - never knew I could stand so still for so long!

I've heard about the oranges too - and apples. Cut them in half and stick them on a tree. Haven't tried it - but maybe this year...

Thanks, Chickie and rrr. We must have extra agressive hummers...they sometimes chase birds away from feeders they don't even use. Maybe that's why none of the Baltimore Orioles show up at our two suet feeders.

For anyone interested in attracting blue birds, we have found this recipe works very well.

http://audubon-omaha.org/bbbox/ljrecipe.htm

We had a hummingbird feeder for several years but we got so sick of walking in the ant piles beneath it that we gave it up. We had so many ants they killed all the grass. Happily we still have the little guys around. We have quite a few flowers so they probably like them.
Anyone else have this problem?

Rose, thank you for the links. They have been bookmarked on my computer and I'm sure that I will go back to them often. I have only seen one bluebird in my life and that was 35 years ago by a bird bath in Oquossoc, Maine. I would love to see more.

Tis, we had ant problems around our hummingbird feeders. The ants seemed to find the feeders as soon as they were put out. They would crawl all around and even into the feeder. The hummers would stop using the feeder as soon as the ants began to get inside and drown. I then started using - I think it's called Tri-Axle Grease. It's a blue heavy grease that is intended for the outboard steering mechanism on a boat. I put a circle of that around the wire or bracket that holds the feeder. It is a barrier that they won't cross. One application works all season. If you didn't have access to the grease, petroleum jelly would probably work as well.

We haven't a problem with the ants on the ground. We don't have much of a lawn and if the ants can't get to the feeder, they seem to move on.

Ants!
 

We sure did!

Our solution: We cut the handle off a 1/8 cup measuring cup and drilled a small hole in the center of it. Then we took a piece of a wire clothes hanger used epoxy to attach it through the cup. After the epoxy was cured we then fashioned hooks on both ends, filled the cup with water and hung the feeder from the ant trap. The ants cannot make their way around the little moat and it works like a charm.

Or you could save yourself the trouble and just order one from Duncraft, which happens to be a New Hampshire company. :laugh:

Thanks! Glad to hear we were not the only ones. Our biggest problem was not with the ants getting in the feeder but what dropped out onto the grass drew the ants and the spot got bigger and bigger and bigger!

Saw one just this morning. He was hovering around a string of balloon ribbon that is tied to the rope lights. We get several hummingbirds that love to hang out around my rose of sharon when it blooms.

You might want to wait until the fall before trying the recipe. Now that spring has arrived, the bluebirds have gone elsewhere. We continue to put the feed out because other birds like it, too, and we don't want to miss the bluebirds' return in the fall.

I've found the easiest thing to do with the suet is to melt it, strain it, and freeze it in 1/2 cup amounts. It's just easier to make batches later on.

New Wave of Orioles
 

The new generation of Orioles has made a liar out of me. As I stated in a previous post in this threat, I had found during the past couple years that they preferred suet to the liquid nectar in the traditional Oriole feeder. This year I have both feeders set up side-by-side and they are going for the liquid nectar exclusively. I haven’t seen any eating suet. The woodpeckers are happy as they have it all to themselves. Go figure!

hummingbirds are back
 

those orioles must be teenagers.....everytime we see the hummingbirds at our feeders we stop and stare..what fun!

Veery Nice Hummingbird Photo
 

While searching for something else*, I found this great photo of a hummingbird. (Included with a spirited discussion and some additional hummingbirdy tips).

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...read.php?t=438

*(The "Veery glissando", if anyone has it stored in their "Favorites").

While out planting some flowers tonight in the yard, I heard what I thought was a large bumble bee near my ear. So I swated around like a crazy person. But then I noticed a Hummingbird droning along at the feeder I put up a few weeks ago. I hadn't seen any birds at it but one day when I got home, I noticed the feeder was half empty. I thought it was defective and that it had drained out somehow. Now I am thinking this bird found the feeder and was purging it. I had just refilled it when I heard the bird tonight. After it had taken a good drink.....Whoooooosh.......it was gone like a rocket. Man, those things are fast.:eek::D I wish I had thought to grab my camera. DOH!:( Maybe next time.

Today
 

Finally managed to be in the right place with the camera.

This is the female, the male was missing for a few days, but we saw him earlier, and didn't have the camera at the ready.

Attachment 2645

Attachment 2646

The auto focus on our new long lens wouldn't stay in focus for a "hover" shot.:(