Hummingbird - 2019

[Dumpstick]

When I first started dating the beauty that would become Mrs Dumpstick, I pondered a gift to give her.
I didn't want to come on too strong, she was as skittish as a colt. I cogitated long, then settled on a Hbird feeder.
I hung it on her front porch, where she could see it from her favorite chair, and gave her a good supply of premade food..

She loved it.

I am convinced that the gift of the Hbird feeder, combined with my natural charm and Adonis-like good looks, are why she consented to become my better half.

That's my side of the story. Hers may differ.

 

[MacFromOK]

I am convinced that the gift of the Hbird feeder, combined with my natural charm and Adonis-like good looks, are why she consented to become my better half.

That's my side of the story. Hers may differ.

Lol, I like your side just fine.

I still remember the first time I was outside and heard one flying nearby. Blew me away that they sound like tiny lawnmowers.

 

[ronny]

I love it when they chirp. Squeak is a better word for it.

Sometimes in the heat of Summer, it's cool to watch one settle in on a swarm of dog pecker gnats like a shark on a bait fish ball, except they single them out one by one.

 

[kroberts2131]

Do the feeders attract wasps at all? We talked about putting one up on patio but thought we may fet more bees and wasps?

What does one need to get started and actually get them to come in

 

[MacFromOK]

Do the feeders attract wasps at all? We talked about putting one up on patio but thought we may fet more bees and wasps?

What does one need to get started and actually get them to come in

We had little trouble with wasps, because they can't access the nectar.

You do have to wash the feeder when you refill it. Otherwise, wasps will show up for the dribbles left around the feeder holes.

Any red or orange feeder will attract them. I've had them fly into my shop and hover around an orange chain hoist.

FWIW, we had better luck with sugar & water than the prepared powder mixes. I'm guessin' it's like the difference between regular chocolate milk and vitamin-fortified Ovaltine.

Just because it's better for them, doesn't mean they like it.

 

[dennishoddy]

We put our first feeder out today. Should have had them out a week ago.

 

[MacFromOK]

I love it when they chirp. Squeak is a better word for it.

Lol, indeed.

There was a steel T-post at the corner of our patio, and I had made a cat toy from a piece of stiff coat-hanger wire sticking out 18-20 inches or so, with a ping-pong ball hanging from a string at the end of the wire. The string & ball had disappeared when we ran out of cats, but the wire was still there.

The more aggressive birds would perch on that old coat-hanger and try to run off the competition. Sometimes when we had a lot of birds, the "boss" would get so tired that he seemed to be moving in slow motion.

The only times I heard them chirp was when they perched on that wire, or the shorter one I eventually replaced it with.

They are a hoot.

 

[lasher]

the male's wings make a whistling sound when they fly their courting flight, they fly in a U pattern over and over displaying to the female

 

[MacFromOK]

the male's wings make a whistling sound when they fly their courting flight, they fly in a U pattern over and over displaying to the female

Cool. Never saw that. I assume they're on migration when they show up in our area though.

I did see an active nest in southern Colorado once, where we stayed overnight at a lodge with another couple. Teensy-tiny little eggs.

 

[TerryMiller]

If they stay in your area, one can actually get close to them. When we used to camp in Purgatoire River Campground in Colorado, we would put feeders out. We would set one close to where we had chairs around the fire pit. Once they got used to us being that close, I would go stand a couple of feet away from the feeder. Once they got used to me there, I would take the feeder down and go sit down in a chair, holding the feeder by its base in my hands.

After they got used to me holding the feeder, I would remove all but two perches (opposite of each other) and put Scotch tape over the "stations" that didn't have perches. Once they got used to only the two perches, I would remove the perches and hold the feeder with my index fingers "crooked out," and they would land on my finger to feed. That could usually be done over a period of just 2 or 3 days.