You are making it very tempting for me to become a sugar mommy! The only thing is, the neighborhood cats that lounge around my yard looking for food and snacks might not be so agreeable.
My Dear Mr. Leite (how THAT for a nickname for you?)
I have hummingbirds in my backyard here in SF. They're territorial mean little f*&*(&*s who ill divebomb and attack if I dare go out in a flattering red pull over. As another reader has noted, hummingbirds are assholes.
I had a feeder hanging outside the kitchen window for a long time. Cleaned and changed the brew every other day. One night, my cleaning, filling, replacing, interfered with a late evening snacker. Talk about a pissed off hummingbird. He stationed himself about 6 inches from my head and let me have it. If he had been the size of a Great Dane, I wouldn't have survived the onslaught. He was really good at behavior modification, though. I never filled the feeder that late again.
I have learned a lot from your tutorial on beautiful Hummers. What a joy to have one land on your finger. Our Hummers have not learned to share their food yet with others. Will keep working on this with more feeders around.
Lovely, David! I like bouquet for a flock! Sadly, this year’s bouquet is quite diminished, but I have seen a juvenile male visiting the feeder. I always worry when they go on their long journey, and I rejoice in the spring when they return.
I have several feeders and adore my hummingbirds! Because it’s so hot here I change the nectar every three days. My birdies fly around my head when Im outdoors. One even went right to David’s face, nose to beak! I always have a half gallon of homemade nectar in the fridge. 🩷
Thank you. Just so you’re not saying, “My name is legion.” 🤣 Most white sugar comes from beets—I really like cane sugar instead—does that work? Or does it have too much iron?
Brie, no worries—I'm not a legion, unless it's a swarm of overly charming humbees.
Great question re: sugar. The truth is, refined white sugar is refined white sugar—whether it started as cane or beet. Once it’s processed, it’s pure sucrose, and the impurities harmful to hummingbirds are gone. So yes, plain granulated sugar from either source is perfectly safe. Your little flappers won’t know the difference.
You are making it very tempting for me to become a sugar mommy! The only thing is, the neighborhood cats that lounge around my yard looking for food and snacks might not be so agreeable.
My Dear Mr. Leite (how THAT for a nickname for you?)
I have hummingbirds in my backyard here in SF. They're territorial mean little f*&*(&*s who ill divebomb and attack if I dare go out in a flattering red pull over. As another reader has noted, hummingbirds are assholes.
I had a feeder hanging outside the kitchen window for a long time. Cleaned and changed the brew every other day. One night, my cleaning, filling, replacing, interfered with a late evening snacker. Talk about a pissed off hummingbird. He stationed himself about 6 inches from my head and let me have it. If he had been the size of a Great Dane, I wouldn't have survived the onslaught. He was really good at behavior modification, though. I never filled the feeder that late again.
Neat post, David!!
I have learned a lot from your tutorial on beautiful Hummers. What a joy to have one land on your finger. Our Hummers have not learned to share their food yet with others. Will keep working on this with more feeders around.
Lovely, David! I like bouquet for a flock! Sadly, this year’s bouquet is quite diminished, but I have seen a juvenile male visiting the feeder. I always worry when they go on their long journey, and I rejoice in the spring when they return.
I hear you. This year has been really sparse. Our bouquet is only one or two...
"An hummingbird is an asshole"--Emperor Itzcoatl
But they are rather beautiful to look at, I must agree.
Then what kind of emperor must he have been?
Well, the Aztecs worshipped Huitzilopochtli, the hummingbird god. They're tough little bastards.
I have several feeders and adore my hummingbirds! Because it’s so hot here I change the nectar every three days. My birdies fly around my head when Im outdoors. One even went right to David’s face, nose to beak! I always have a half gallon of homemade nectar in the fridge. 🩷
Oy, that's a lot of changing. I wish they would fly around me!!! That way I can fulfill my Snow White fantasy…
Thank you. Just so you’re not saying, “My name is legion.” 🤣 Most white sugar comes from beets—I really like cane sugar instead—does that work? Or does it have too much iron?
Brie, no worries—I'm not a legion, unless it's a swarm of overly charming humbees.
Great question re: sugar. The truth is, refined white sugar is refined white sugar—whether it started as cane or beet. Once it’s processed, it’s pure sucrose, and the impurities harmful to hummingbirds are gone. So yes, plain granulated sugar from either source is perfectly safe. Your little flappers won’t know the difference.
I added an extra bit of info in the post. Thx.