@openwheel I've had this discussion with Hooky but I think the ruby throats we get are a lot more combative than western hummers. I remember when on vacation in Utah noticing how many birds would be at the feeder at the same time without battling like mine did. I tried building a fountain for the hummers and never saw one come to it, and discovered most of the videos I'd seen of hummers using fountains were also out west, so they just seem more adaptable to me.
@openwheel I've had this discussion with Hooky but I think the ruby throats we get are a lot more combative than western hummers. I remember when on vacation in Utah noticing how many birds would be at the feeder at the same time without battling like mine did. I tried building a fountain for the hummers and never saw one come to it, and discovered most of the videos I'd seen of hummers using fountains were also out west, so they just seem more adaptable to me.
They do seem to be more chill out west. You still get the occasional dude that is over the top, but it's usually just 1.
Wifey has 3 up out at her dad's house. 1 at the front of the house and 2 at the back about 40' feet apart. Going through a gallon of sugar water every 3 days at this point. Only one of them has a male chasing the others off.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
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@hooky They also have some that stay year round, so that's another benefit out there. I remember seeing them feeding in the snow at my sisters house in Bellingham WA.
@hooky They also have some that stay year round, so that's another benefit out there. I remember seeing them feeding in the snow at my sisters house in Bellingham WA.
There are three different types that are year round in the Bay area.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
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I saw one female finally. Two males, one guarding both feeders, even chasing away the female. Ill need to move one further away to make it easier for the less aggressive ones to sneak in.
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Most disappointing thread I've ever opened. This is like opening @bradstevens Baddies thread and finding nothing but arrest reports.
This morning two sweet looking birds were sucking hard at my tube feeder.
Up to at least two females now, still two males. So at least four.
Two feeders about 5 feet apart. Ill put up one more across the yard I guess, or move one.
@openwheel or hummer friendly flowers. Although I've been looking for flowers that would attract them for several seasons now. I'll occasionally get them looking at the flowers, but rarely do they feed. I try and find native plants that attract HBs and that complicates it too.
Planted some ruby red salvia that I thought they'd love along with some columbine and blue/black salvia and have yet to see a hummer there. Last year I tried the salvia and lantana and saw 1 HB all year.
I havent had a seed bird feeder up for a few years. The seeds on the ground always brought mice and then into the house. But quite a few birds land on the hummingbird feeders and try to sip.
Had a Baltimore Oriole this weekend trying to get some sugar. That was cool. I've never figured out a great feeder for them, I guess my cousin just puts jam in a jar lid up on a post. When I did that I just got a bunch of ants and no Orioles.
Long time no see! I thought that I’d come over to get a hummer…. Update.
I just put out my feeders last Saturday. In only 5 days, several of my old friends have showed back up and have ate about 1-1/4 gallons of food. I’ve got 11 feeders. They are already in full dive bomb mode. I think they really missed me being out last year!
anyway, I told my legacy piece that I needed a shit ton of sugar. This is why I keep her around, she gets me!
***. Edit to add. This is 25# of pure hummer gold.
If men were any more stupid, we would have breed for the extinction of women. Proof yet again that WE are the best thing they have going for them.
The biggest hummers I've ever seen!
A hooded oriole found the feeders yesterday. And today, he brought his lady with him.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
POTFB