Connect with Nature!
Connect with Nature!
March is double the fun for hummingbird watching as our hardy resident Anna’s Hummingbirds are joined by newly-arrived Rufous Hummingbirds, back from a winter spent as far south as southern Mexico. We admire these tiny birds for their stunning flying abilities and their feisty behavior! They zip around at 60 mph, flying up, down, sideways or backward with equal ease, or halting motionless in the air.
While the fledglings of many bird species must be coaxed or pushed from their nests for their first flights, hummingbird fledglings just do it! Anyone feeding hummers can see how a bird will lay claim to a feeder, perching nearby and flying menacingly at bird rivals. It’ll fly within inches of you, too—especially while you’re dutifully repositioning a full nectar feeder!
This spring, watch for aerial courtship displays! The males perform a series of diving, pendulum-like maneuvers to woo a prospective mate. These living helicopters will dazzle you with flashes of color, and astonish you with their aerodynamic maneuvers!
Hummingbird Hospitality
• Place a feeder near brightly colored, tubular flowers like fuchsias, begonias, and foxgloves.
• After hummers find the feeder, you may be able to move it to the best spot for viewing. If hummers are slow to follow, tie a red bandana to the hook.
• To resolve territorial squabbling, introduce another feeder out of eyesight from the first.
• Replace the nectar every 4 or 5 days. The Recipe: dissolve one part granulated sugar in four parts boiling water, stir well, cool completely.
• Thoroughly rinse feeders as you refill. For mold or algae buildup, use a solution of water and mild dish detergent, and if necessary, a few tablespoons of bleach. Rinse, rinse, rinse! A hummingbird feeder brush designed for small nooks and crannies can come in handy.
• Ant Moats eliminate the ant problem. We have a number of options, including a cute upside-down mini umbrella.
• For wasp or bee problems, use a feeder with Nectar Guards. Two popular hummingbird feeders, the Hummzinger Ultra and Droll Yankee’s Little Flyer, come with nectar guards as well.