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Blue Jays passing through this past week. Other than that not many birds around although we have seen them gathering and practicing for the long flight.
This was the first summer in a very long time that I put up a humming bird feeder. We had a few humming birds but none touched the feeder. Can anyone explain?
I'm just guessing, but sometimes it can take them a while to find feeders. Did you have other "offerings" in the yard for them, i.e. flowers which attract them? Generally I toss out more feed than they consume, until they get ready to migrate. They seem to prefer flowers. Do you make your own feed? One part sugar to four parts water? If so I'd suggest making it a bit sweeter to attract them. You have to toss it out and replace with fresh feed every 5 days or so, more often in the heat.
I hope they visit you for a while next year. We love them, they are most entertaining.
Don't give up, Tachus. Keep putting feeders out every year and they'll find them. If you have a lot of yummy flowers they prefer the flowers and feeders just offer supplemental food. I used a 50/50 mix to attract them the first year I moved here and gradually reduced to the one part sugar/four parts water solution. It took me a couple of years to lure them to the feeders.
Thank you both. I put the feeder close to the flowers that the humming birds love but I did not know to change the water - no wonder they did not want it. I will rectify that mistake next year. I think the humming birds have migrated south, all though we have had such a "hot" fall up until today. I mean hot, it has been in the 80's and even 90 one day. I'm going to bring the feeder in, clean it thoroughly and try again next year. Thanks for the help.
Thank you both. I put the feeder close to the flowers that the humming birds love but I did not know to change the water - no wonder they did not want it. I will rectify that mistake next year. I think the humming birds have migrated south, all though we have had such a "hot" fall up until today. I mean hot, it has been in the 80's and even 90 one day. I'm going to bring the feeder in, clean it thoroughly and try again next year. Thanks for the help.
You are welcome. As long as the feeder has a touch of red, or is near something red, the hummingbirds should find it. One of my feeders that is most active is right outside my kitchen window, not all that close to the flower buffet either. Make that feed sweet and they should visit!
At present I'm thinking I will keep it near the flowers until they find it and then move it closer to the deck. Is that a good idea?
Not sure, actually. I have two, one near flowers, the other across the yard. Increase the odds, buy another feeder.
I have a local bird feeding buddy and she tells me if one has two feeders, they should not be in the same sight line, as the hummingbirds are territorial, and will chase each other off. I think that's true, but I don't see too many turf wars until they get ready to leave me. I like keeping both feeders where I can easily see them from my kitchen window or if I'm on the deck. I guess it works OK as they come back every year.
10-09-2017, 06:56 AM
