Hummingbirds.....

They will be dodging snowflakes later today or tomorrow morning and I'm not talking the type with 2 legs either!!

Saw one Saturday put the feeder out.

The first bird of the season just showed up and I just put the feeder out.

Heck, I just had the first barn swallow show up this week.

Not seen my any for about a week now. We do have a half dozen grosbeaks on our feeder. They started hitting it this morning. Neat birds! I just wish they would stick around longer..

I use to feed the hummers a solution of 1 part granulated sugar and 4 parts water.  I stopped using the red dyed stuff that Walmart and other stores sell.  I just use a red colored feeder. I fill the feeder up and then take it down a few days later, wash it out really good with vinegar for 30 minute soak to kill fungus and mold spores then wash it with soap and water really good. Rinse it out good with fresh water and the refill with the sugar water.  I keep the sugar water in the refrigerator to keep bacteria and mold growth down.  Hummers trust us to feed them properly.  We want to help them.


Now this year I've not put the feeders out as I'm not staying at my houses this summer.  I may bring my feeders to my new location and start feeding some new birds here.


I've been feeding and taking pictures of the hummers for about 10 years and it's always interesting to watch them feeding and  protecting their food source from other hummers.  They also protect their food source from bees.  I watched a hummer fighting a honey bee and then later fighting off a bumble bee from the feeder I put out.


Bees can't find the feeder as easily as the hummers if you move the feeder around in the back yard.  The honey bees can be a pest later in the season if the scouts find the feeder.  Certain type of feeders are harder for honey beeds to feed on them.  So that's the kind I buy now.  Since I switched to the non yellow flower type feeders I had less problem with the honey bees.