Hummingbird 2021

[RickN]

Ah, makes sense. I will start doing this too. I got some black mold looking stuff in mine. I cant reach inside to clean it so I think I'll soak it in bleach a minute.

I read up on it because we got that mold too and to much of it can kill the birds. We bought a bottle brush to scrub it out. Then soak in 1/4 cup bleach to a gallon of water for an hour. Rinse several times and never use soap. The birds can taste the soap and will stop coming. I confirmed our first bird this evening. Brown with a black band on it's chest. Flew right up as I was standing on the porch then over to a Mulberry tree just outside the fence.

 

[OKCHunter]

Ah, makes sense. I will start doing this too. I got some black mold looking stuff in mine. I cant reach inside to clean it so I think I'll soak it in bleach a minute.

I use an old toothbrush and pipe cleaners when I see any black mold stuff starting to grow. But, weekly cleaning of the feeders seems to prevent the mold from starting to begin with.

 

[dlbleak]

I’ve got honey bees battling the hummingbirds for one of my feeders. I’m not interfering - I like both [emoji3].

It gets real interesting when the male hummingbirds start to claim a feeder. I watched 2 fighting for several weeks last year. It was most impressive when one was on his back, a foot off the ground all the way across the backyard, with the other one in his face. Here is a picture of those two.

View attachment 205248

I watched two of them wrestle each other to the ground and kick up dust under the crepe myrtle last season. Toughest fight I’ve seen from these little guys.

 

[chadh2o]

Wife sent me these today. Cant figure out the big fella.
Bonus from her class room.

 

[Star.46]

Oh man you had an Oriole!!! They are nectar feeders also, but require a different feeder since their beak is shaped differently. We have had a pair of them in our neighborhood for a few years now.

I live in Perkins and put a feeder up last night and we had a little one this morning. A ruby throat I think, I just saw the back of him for a second.

 

[$$$$$]

Orioles also like jelly. I put out grape jelly when they show up and that seems to keep them around longer.

 

[SMS]

Still just one dropping in every day. He’s enjoying having two feeders to himself for now

 

[Hodrod]

Still just one dropping in every day. He’s enjoying having two feeders to himself for now

Seeing only one or two everyday but the weather has been cool and they don't drink as much....hotter weather will be here soon and we'll have them at the feeders all the time in groups of two or more...

 

[SMS]

Seeing only one or two everyday but the weather has been cool and they don't drink as much....hotter weather will be here soon and we'll have them at the feeders all the time in groups of two or more...

Yup...we often have full blown aerial hummingbird battles taking place over the pool in the summer time!

 

[dlbleak]

Mold in the feeders has been mentioned. To reduce it, you can use distilled water or boil. We went from OKC water to Edmond water and have had some mold issues with Edmond. I stock distilled water for my CPAP and have been using some. Not as much mold now.