Migration over.

Well the migration is over here at my house for this year. I will still leave 1 feeder up for awhile for any stragglers.

Migration

Well the height of the migration in my area is almost over. There are still a few birds hanging around and a few passing through. Hate that I have been busy and did not get updated video. But in case you have not seen the video I took a few years ago it is in the archive.
I would suggest that next year around the end of July that you place your large order for the hummingbird food mix at that time to get you through the migration period. Because if you wait until too close to time for migration you will have a tough time finding it on the store shelves because the stores just haven't figured out how to keep their shelves full during migration time.

Migration is begining.

Make sure that all your feeders are kept fresh and full as they are trying to fuel up for the long flight back to the south for the winter. It is already getting busy at all 3 of my feeders with around 20 birds fighting over them. This may be another busy year like the one I saw a few years ago that I took video of which you can see in my earlier posts.

How to keep ants off your feeder.

I have waited till now to post this because I have been trying several methods to see which one is not only effective but which one is the easiest, most reliable and longest lasting.
After trying numerous methods researched on the internet and in books, I have found that by taking Vaseline and spreading it on the pole that holds the feeder works perfect. If you put a good coating all around the pole and covering about 3 inches in length about half way up the pole does the trick. Make sure to make the coating at least close to a 1/8 of an inch thick or thicker because it acts as kind of a quicksand to them. It is very simple and takes only a couple of minutes and will last for weeks, even through 90 degree+ temps and severe thunder storms. Make sure that nothing is touching the pole above where the Vaseline is applied or for sure the ants will find this bridge to circumvent your Vaseline road block. CAUTION! do NOT apply above the feeder as it will run down the pole some in the heat and would end up on the feeder. Reapply when the thickness gets below 1/8 of an inch.

Hummingbirds are back !

If you don't have your feeders out by now, you need to get them out today. Starting to see a slow return already of a couple of birds. I had a late start this year and last year because a blue-jay decided to build a nest and have some babies in the bush where my feeders are so the hummingbirds stayed away until she and her 3 little ones had left.
Don't forget to change the nectar in your feeder weekly, especially in the heat of summer as the nectar will spoil, also small bugs will accumulate down in the reservoir where you can't see them and die, which also contaminates the nectar.
They don't like to eat dirty food anymore than we do.

Hummingbirds Return

Well it's that time again to put out the feeder and start shopping for those flowers again. Of course if your like me and planted a few of the flowers that are bulbs, they will be starting to sprout up about now. In fact this is a great way to determine when you should put your feeders out for the new season. When the sprouts from the bulbs first poke out of the ground you should put out at least one feeder. Then when the birds start to show up then you can put out more feeders to accommodate them. I haven't spotted a bird yet but I'm sure it won't be long now. This year I hope to get a live web-cam up and running or at least I will try to get new video to post.

So if you are anywhere in the southern U.S. you should start getting ready NOW for the hummingbirds return migration northward.