A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity The Bird Lovers Forum Time to get the Hummingbird feeders out

here we are in Feb already, I like to get the HB feeders out the first week of Feb, sometimes I see them in Feb, sometimes not. But this weekend I'll clean them and set them out to let them know they are welcome in my yard!

got the feeders out , I looked at the migration already reported have seen them in Houston and San Antonio Tx

Share pics when they land

Oh OH,, Just saw my first hummingbird of the year,, and I had just changed the water, walked away and there it was I haven't bought a new camera yet since mine and Jimmy's got stolen in my house robbery, I've got to get a NEW one SOON!

Bill posted he has seen them too. Gotta get my feeders cleaned. I leave them out in the winter too but I haven't cleaned and changed them lately.

On another note, I saw some guy on the nature channel just last week say he wished people would stop feeding the hummingbirds liquid sugar water of any kind and start planting trumpet flowers instead. He said the sugar water isn't healthy for them - the home made or the bought.

I know the red dye water isn't good, don't know why home made isn't.. I always boil my water then let it sit till it completely cools, ( I put the sugar in while it's still slightly warm so it will dissolve faster)

My hummingbird feeder attracts more bees than hummingbirds...

I thought I read somewhere that one should put the sugar in the water stir to disolve and then bring said water mixture to a boil and boil for 1 monute & then cool.---and that is what I have been doing every since I read/heard that.

'
but I will not be putting out my Hummingbird feeders for a few months---early for me will be the last week of April

He said it wasn't nutritious for them anymore than drinking sugar water is nutritious for us. He said as long as there are flowers around they're probably ok but in areas where they are mostly drinking the sugar water they're in trouble.

Yes, this is why I grow flowers they like and need and don't put out feeders. I do have them all year long here, just fewer in winter.

When they land here there are no flowers in bloom...it's kind of a no win situation if we don't use the feeders. Wonder what the recommendation is for this kind of situation???

I don't know, Sunny. I even tried a little research on nutrition alternatives to maybe add to a feeder and there just wasn't much info available. I do think they would not show up and stay if there was no food at all available in your area. So they are finding something they need there, even if you are not seeing it. weeds have flowers too.

I'm still using my feeders. They come back every year so they're not dying off. I have flowers too but they love the feeders.

Exactly I will continue to use the feeder too Sheri.

I cant wait to get my humming bird feeders out here....need the darn snow to melt first!

We had 6 more inches now.
Today
50 over the weekend they say, an next week snow again....only joy i get of it, i plow the snow with my atv an a drag behind it that I invented.
LOL
Nothing like snow fun.......
It must of caught on , 2 neighbors put blades on fron of their atvs.......I like drag better.
dodge

all the nursery's around here are really promoting Hummingbird gardens right now,, I bought a plant today don't think I've heard of it before,, Red Ruellia supposed be a hummingbird plant I guess we'll see

I just looked it up Diane - looks like a nice plant and is perennial in your area. Not in mine unfortunately, which is probably why I've not heard of it before. Good luck with it!

In online pictures it looks similar to salvias.

it does sorta kinda look like that Lynne ,remember that seed you sent me years ago,, I think it was pineapple sage? it had red flowers it reminds me of that as well. I know the hummingbirds loved that,, I can't remember if that is the right name of it,, but I wish I had more of it. I don't even have seeds now,

Yes pineapple sage - so funny you mentioned that - I started some seeds of that in peat pellets indoors this morning BUT... they are from 2001!!! I will be shocked if any of them germinate! I haven't seen that plant for sale around here in years!

I might have a little of the seeds left. If they germinate for me, I will send you some.

Thanks Lynne, I haven't seen that around here at all either

Lynne, you sent me pineapple sage one time too. So far it comes back.

Sorry Diane, I thought there was a hummingbird thread started but I couldn't find it the other day and started another one when I saw my first bird. Wonder if Cindy or Bill can still merge them.

Wow I'm glad they come back for you! I started a bunch in peat pots the beginning of the week and something very odd happened. The first day they were all enclosed in a gelatinous substance. Can't figure out what it is? Only these seeds and all my seeds are started in new and clean peat pellets that are simply soaked in fresh water before planting. Very odd. So far none have germinated.

I agree with this. I have loads of flowers that hummers love, but they also like a quick sip at the feeders. Especially at dawn and dusk.

I will put out my feeders soon, as mine usually arrive the first week of May.

Mee too--I have both flowers and feeders, but my hummers LOVE the feeders---so I will be putting them up as well...

Omg I just saw a Juvenile hummingbird at my feeder, I was sitting outside it was 5 feet from me,, little black head, greyish green around his neck and grayish black body.. Little little one. So sweet It just hovered around me then went to the feeder and sipped and sipped,,

Yep the males have red rings around the neck.....They love your flowers.
They say red but I have seen them on lots of colors.

now the adult and the juvie is out there,, I just changed the water,, It must have been born right here near my yard, because he is so little I'm sure he could NOT have flown far to get here could He?

I find it funny I have a red mandivilla plant in bloom Under the hb feeder and the HBs go for the feeder every time,

I find it clever..Genius Diane......

yep and I posted pictures of him then too LOL