On 7/18/2014 1:59 PM, Doris Night wrote:
> On Fri, 18 Jul 2014 08:09:47 -0700, "Cheri" >
> wrote:
>
>>
>> "Julie Bove" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Cheri" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>
>>>> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
>>>> ...
>>>>> On 7/17/2014 5:00 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>>>>> On 2014-07-17 4:54 PM, Susan wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> One, just ONCE, I'd kill to see ONE!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On vacation, the moment I left the porch of a b and b we were in, Tom
>>>>>>> saw one. I got that close.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm thinking of making a hummingbird/butterfly garden inside a barrier
>>>>>>> we installed after removing an invasive bamboo grove.
>>>>>>> There's also trumpet vine climbing around the back wall there, so
>>>>>>> maybe...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> If you want to see hummingbirds you should plant lots of the sorts of
>>>>>> flowers that attract then, especially flowers with trumpet shapes. We
>>>>>> often see them around the Rose of Sharon, day lilies and sun flowers.
>>>>>>
>>>>> Hummingbirds have very far ranges of migration, too. Of course it
>>>>> depends on which coast in the Americas you're on as to which types of
>>>>> hummingbirds you can attract. The right (bright) trumpet type flowers
>>>>> and bright red feeders definitely call to them. The sugar water/nectar
>>>>> does *not* need to be dyed red (contrary to popular belief). But they
>>>>> are attracted to bright feeders just as they are to bright flowers.
>>>>>
>>>>> Jill
>>>>
>>>> I've actually had them come after a blouse with red flowers on it before
>>>> they realized it wasn't food.
>>>>
>>>> Cheri
>>>
>>> Hahaha! That's how I got a bee sting. Made the mistake of picking pears
>>> wearing a large flowered muu muu.
>>>
>>> I once gave my bro a hummingbird feeder as a gift because I thought it was
>>> pretty. I had no idea how high maintenance they are. That stopped me
>>> from getting one for myself. The instructions actually said not to make
>>> the nectar yourself and only to purchase it or you could sicken the birds.
>>> And it had to be cleaned and disinfected so frequently that I wouldn't
>>> bother. I'd be afraid that I'd forget or for some reason be unable to
>>> clean it and kill the birds./
>>
>> I've always made my own. Has to be changed often in the heat, but other than
>> that, easy.
>
>
> We make our own, as well. I don't even bother boiling it - just heat
> until the sugar dissolves.
>
> Ours has to be changed quite often because we get ants in the feeder.

If you get a HummZinger feeder (no, I'm not affiliated with the
company), less problem with ants. It has a built-in ant moat.

> I empty it every 3-4 days, and only use about half a cup at a time in
> the feeder.
>
> Here's a neat hummingbird video:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJEA_kAqUso
>
> I had no idea hummingbirds would ever put up with a crowd - the ones
> around here guard their feeders ferociously, and any interlopers are
> quickly chased off.
>
> Doris
>
That's a neat video, thanks! I never see two hummingbirds at the feeder
at once. I do see some territorial battles, usually amongst the females.

Jill