Ramblings-n-Writings

I spotted our hummingbird tonight!!!! (The picture is from last year.) About 8 p.m. I was sitting at the kitchen table and just happened to see the hummingbird fly past on the way to the feeder. Unfortunately he didn’t stay at the feeder or even get a drink because Sylvester, one of our cats, was sitting on the porch rail directly under the feeder.

I hung my feeders on 4/10 when the hummingbird migration map reported a hummingbird in West Virginia. I wanted to make sure that our hummingbirds (did you know that hummingbirds return to the same locations every year?) or even those passing through would have something to eat since flowers are sparse right now. However, for the past week I’ve been feeding the local ant population because I forgot to put lubricant on the top of the feeder!

Did you know that a little dab of Vaseline or personal lubricant will keep the ants out of your feeder? Ants love climbing down from the top of our feeders so every time I fill the feeders I rub a little dab of lubricant on the metal hook at the top. I started doing this last summer, and it really works! Now if I could only find a way to keep the bees away!

People have asked what I put in my feeders since it is clear in the photos. I use a sugar water mixture (see below for how to make). It is perfectly healthy and nutritious for the hummingbird and it is a lot cheaper than store-bought mixtures. Adding red food coloring isn’t necessary either. The colors on the feeder are enough to attract the hummingbird.

The sugar water mixture is simply 1 cup of water and 1/4 cup sugar. I fill my glass measuring cup with 1 cup of water, add the sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved, and pour it into the feeder. This method is very simple and doesn’t require boiling the water or anything complicated. If you need more than 1 cup, simply double the mix: 2 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar; 3 cups water, 3/4 cup sugar; 4 cups water, 1 cup sugar. My only recommendation is if you are making larger batches like 3 or 4 cups, break it into smaller portions (one or two cups at a time) to make sure the sugar is completely dissolved. The mixture will also keep for up to a week in the refrigerator – very convenient if you have a large population of hummingbirds and find yourself constantly filling the feeders.

Have you seen your hummingbird yet?