Doing the Happy Hummingbird Dance
Forum Archives
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-12-2004 at 2:47pm
Yes! I did it! I brought a hummingbird to my garden! I was outside, watching the flowers grow, and saw a tiny bird flit into the butterfly garden, but didn't see it after that. So I got up to look, and there was a hummingbird, hovering at the garishly red, annual Salvia "Bonfire". I have not been able to attract them with feeders at all, and none of my neighbors have tried to attract them, so I figured it was a lost cause. I have never even seen them at the hardy fuchsia. But the Salvia brought them (well, at least one!) in.
Debbie, you wonder why I was so delighted to read that you were planning an article on plants to attract hummingbirds?
I guess I will be planting garishly red annual Salvias after this!
Barb
Trish
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Jun-12-2004 at 11:00pm
Congratulations, Barb! I think it's a Salvia thing -- you grow it and they will come. They visit the pale violet blooms of culinary sage at my house. They also vie for the blooms on Centranthus ruber Jupiter's Beard. Just can't see enough of the little guys.
Phlox
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Jun-12-2004 at 11:54pm
So far the favorite flower in my yard for hummers is Heuchera (coral bells), red, drk. pink, light pink (names?), and today I watched for the first time a female Rufus hitting almost all of the beautiful flowers on my Penstemon Campanulatus 'Garnet Red', another reason why I love that plant so much.
Good luck with your Hummer garden, Garden Spider!
Carolyn
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Jun-13-2004 at 11:47am
The hummers come early for the flower spikes of ajuga (purple), even are attracted to the red foliage of the Japanes Maple (maybe their little claws can fit around the narrow branches), and don't give up on fuchsias as they will fight over them later in the year. Oh, what about Phygelius, Cape Fuchsia?
Go forth and grow well!
Carolyn
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-13-2004 at 1:13pm
Carolyn, now that I have more in the garden to attract them to begin with, they may come for the Fuchsia. I've never grown Phygelius, so I may have to give it a try.
Barb
mdvaden
Location: Oregon, Western
Posted: Jun-13-2004 at 4:17pm
The cause behind my post down the list - SCARLET RUNNER BEANS - hummingbirds are half the reason for having planted those this year.
Already 6 to 7 feet tall climbing the bamboo. Flowers are out down around the 2 foot level.
Now I'll see if they bring the birds around.
Even if not, the vines and flowers are quite interesting.
I made room by putting zucchini in the front landscape instead. That's always taken a lot of space.
M.D. Vaden
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Jun-14-2004 at 11:44am
Love those hummers. We have been blessed with a pair of Annas that make our arborvita their winter home. Luckily, they happen to like all the stuff we have planted around the yard--they have good taste! The neighbors, with a minimum of suggestion, have all added hummingbird feeders to their deck decor. In February when the Rufus hummers return from the south, we have the beginning of hummingbird wars, as they stake out their territories--which includes dive bombing anybody near the feeders. Even my non-gardening neighbor who keeps our feeders filled when we are gone got interested in the hummers --she put up a feeder that attches to the dining room window and hung a fuchsia right next to it and now has a front row view of them coming to feed at the window. Fantastic.
Carol
Red Hare
Location: Oregon coast
Posted: Jun-14-2004 at 11:58am
When we lived in Arizona, I moved a big schefflera out onto the back porch so it would get more light - it didn't look happy inside. A hummingbird built a nest in the crotch of the leaves, just a little thing. Unfortunately, we had a windstorm one night that knocked the nest against the wall and the eggs were cracked and the parents abandoned the nest. I still have it (somewhere).
It's not unusual for me to be working in the garden and get buzzed by a hummingbird, thinking my red hair held something edible. Try wearing a red hat and see what happens.
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-14-2004 at 7:53pm
Red Hare, I got a laugh from your post about Hummingbirds and your red hair/red hat. When I was in high school, my parents and I went hiking in the southern Coast Range in Oregon (south of Coos Bay, probably around the Myrtle Point locale). Anyway, I was wearing a bright red windbreaker, and heard this alarming, loud buzzing sound. I was certain I'd disturbed a hornet's nest, and tried to figure out which way to run . . . and then there was a little Hummingbird, staring me in the face, trying to figure out how to get lunch from my windbreaker. "Dang--lookit the size of THAT flower!"
Barb
Carolyn
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Jun-14-2004 at 9:30pm
Speaking of red flowers, my friend, Lana, was touring the back yard one day and was wearing cropped pants with huge red hibiscus flowers on a black background fabric. A hummer buzzed right up to the hibiscus thinking he/she was in for a treat but found it was a disappointment instead! It delighted Lana, however.
Carolyn
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jun-17-2004 at 3:38pm
YAAAAAA FOR YOU GARDEN SPIDER! I love this subject!!!
I am taking notes here. The more hummers the better!!! I have worked very hard at attracting hummingbirds. I have currants, coral bells, lithadora- graceward, columbines, and piggybacks. They love all of these! I know they also love the wild??? sweetpeas that I grow on my fence. (Not blooming yet.) I don't have enough June to Aug. bloomers and I am hoping to add more.
This year the payoff really came. We have at times 24- yes I said 24 hummers that come. This has not only been a treat for us but also esp. the grandkids! I have got to really enjoy photographing them this year! Hang in- work at the flowers- and they will come.... I have found they like my 'flat feeders' from Fred Meyers better than the others. I think because they can see over them???? I am replacing my other feeders and buying more of these. (Easier to get pictures too!)
In the process of redoing some of my beds I am adding cape fushias Phygelius. I pinched them back to get them to bush, so no blooms yet!
I had a bizzare thing happen too. VERY COOL!!! I was spraying water and had two hummers, I swear- taking their showers in the spray. I was blown away. I have had birds land on the ground and 'bathe in the spray, but never had hummers hover in the spray or even come near the spray. A photo would of been great. LOL. Since this happened I am making a hanging bird bath to hang near the window feeders to see what happens... Time will tell. Seems a spray of water might be better? I may have to think about a water feature underneath with a spray of water. Hmmmm. ???
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-17-2004 at 3:48pm
Sydnie, seems you have exhibitionist hummers! LOL Hummers like to take showers, not baths, according to Abby Crouch, hummingbird expert. She hooked a mister to her bird bath just for them. The mister came from Backyard Bird Shop, I think.
Jeannean, Barb and Carolyn - great stories about confused hummers!
Phlox
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Jun-18-2004 at 12:02am
Hey 'Sydnie', your Grandpa H. used to watch the hummers go through the spray while he was watering his garden and got quite a kick out of it.
And I think they will bathe if the conditions are right, like hot, late August, no one running sprinklers, etc.
I was sitting in front of my pond last year when a hummer came down and sat and bathed where the water wasn't so forcefull. What a precious moment, and me without my camera, aauuurrrggghhh!!
Seems strange too, I used to have quite a few hummers but don't see as many nowadays........bummer! Now where is that list of hummer plants I had......time to go plant shopping !!!
....................Linda
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-18-2004 at 7:50am
Aaaarrrrggggh, is right, Linda! What a great photo op missed. I've had many of those, too. It's so aggravating!
The year the hummers were missing (sounds like a movie title) I asked lots of bird experts why and learned there is a whole slew of reasons. Some I can do something about - more nectar rich flowers in the garden - and others are beyond my control. It was eye-opening to realize that loss of habitat along their migration route can have a huge impact on them. Lack of food along the usual way could mean they could take another route while searching for food or that they don't make it at all (oh, no!).
My 7-up plant, Stachy hidalgo is blooming, which is one that the hummers love in my garden. This plant will bloom almost continuously until frost - what a power house. Unlike lambs' ears, another Stachys, it doesn't spread into a huge mass. The plant itself gets big with arms reaching out several feet but its base stays put, MOL (it does politely self seed). It absolutely requires good drainage.
btw, ya gotta love the site I sent you to - Wit's End Growers! This plant is listed by several names, Stachys hidalgo and S. coccinea and combinations of it as you see at the above link. I've never heard it referred to as betony but I only learned the common name of 7-up plant (the leaves smell 7-up-y when crushed) last year.
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-18-2004 at 8:21am
Hummingbirds are so cool! I didn't know the hummers liked to shower! I guess I need to turn the sprinker on for the little guys. I have another reason for turning on the sprinkler!
I normally water with the drip irrigation but I notice that the garden does seem to benefit from a hour every couple of weeks with a little overhead water. Maybe to get some of the dust off? Certainly does cool down the air on these really hot days!
Jeanne
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jun-22-2004 at 10:06am
looks like a good plant to try Lisa! I am not lacking in good drainage. Good info!
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-22-2004 at 8:31pm
Lisa, I've seen the 7-Up Plant in nurseries, and yes--it really does smell like 7-Up! (I sometimes think the only reason I like herbs is because I like to crush a bit of leaf and smell the different scents!). Those flowers are beautiful, and I think I will put it on my list of must haves . . . but I really need to improve the drainage in my garden first. I'm working on it gradually. Compost, good topsoil, sand . . .
Haven't seen another Hummer since that first one, but they could be visiting when I'm not home. Sydnie, I am SOOOOOO jealous--24 Hummers at once???????!!!!!!!!!!! Could you send a couple over to my place, LOL?
Barb
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jun-25-2004 at 4:48pm
Would be glad to Barb!! I'll have to post some pictures later. This is the first time I ever took them of hummers. It's been tons of fun. Just remember I started with just one lone little one showing up. Your time will come. The hardest part is the one- they tell all the others. LOL. The pay off is awesome. Interesting note- they are so thrilled with the sweat pea's blooming in the back yard now, that they are almost not hitting the feeders. But they're still hanging around. I will remember to go for most of my pictures in the spring next year. They have to be pretty close with my camera. I drool over more zoom!!!!!!
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jun-25-2004 at 7:52pm
I have a fountain I made with small terra cotta pots hung in a series going down a chain that is hung from an arbor. The water is pumped up to the top and trickles down into each of the pots and then into a a big pot at the bottom. The hummingbirds sit on the little pots and bath in the trickling water. I have a chair underneath and almost everyday I can watch them bathing.
Oh and the chickadees and goldfinches love to bathe there too. Besides the sound of the water trickling, the birds are a delight too.
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jun-26-2004 at 1:08am
MY GOODNESS!!!!!! Get out of town! Barb's going to be crying?!!! That is Wonderful!!! Will you Please post a picture of your water feature?? Maybe when we do the TOTW. I think that my honey and I could manage to make one. At least we could give it a shot! That is soooo awesome! My camera is already shaking in anticipation! LOL
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-26-2004 at 7:29am
Debbie, that water feature sounds wonderful! I AM almost crying--I really have to start working on my DH to get a water feature of some kind. Or just build it myself, and not tell him what it is. "Oh that thing? It's just garden art . . . The pump? That's modern garden art . . ."
Barb
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-26-2004 at 10:23am
It is a wonderful water feature, Barb! Debbie, you promised you were going to take pictures and write up how you made it (or so I wishfully - is that a word? - recall). I wish you would because this water feature would be a perfect addition to my view out my den window. TIA!
LOL, Barb - modern garden art!
Debbie
Location: Washington Coast
Posted: Jun-26-2004 at 2:42pm
Ruh roh! I did? Shame on me for not keeping my promises. Ok will try to do that soon. I have lots of pics of it, oh wait that's on the old hard drive that crashed and burned. Wahhh! Ok will try to work on it.
Debbie
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jun-28-2004 at 7:22am
How could I leave out my 'Pink Lemonade' Honeysuckle Lonicera x heckrottii !!! The hummers love it! I am thinking about a start for my front yard. But I am not sure if I can make that work... yet. I have it in the backyard in a corner on the fence by my fruits and berries. It's an easy care climber! I love this plant!
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-28-2004 at 3:46pm
Debbie, I may have pics I could post but the details of how you put it together would have to come from you. Don't panic about doing this asap. Whenever you can get to it will work for me. Thanks!
Debbie
Location: Washington Coast
Posted: Jun-30-2004 at 2:31pm
Lisa, If you send them to me, I will work on a how-to this next week. I have it marked on my calendar. I want to add a few more "cups to it" so I can demonstrate the bending the wire, etc.
We have the baby hummingbirds at the feeders now. They are such a riot. Mom sits off on a branch and keeps a watch out for her babies. A couple are practicing their territorial spats, although not as intense as the adult males. It seems early for them to be out of the nest already and the adult males are already gone.
Barb, LOL! Modern garden art.
Sydnie, I am not familiar with that cultivar, will have to look it up. Love the name L. 'Pink Lemonade'.
Debbie
Phlox
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Jun-30-2004 at 11:39pm
I'm waiting too Deb
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jul-01-2004 at 12:17am
I'm glad your going to do that too Deb. Thank you so much for taking the time to do it!!!
I posted a picture of my Pink Lemonade Honeysuckle in the photo gallery. It's been blooming for months! I am going to try start cuttings this year. I'd like more of it along the back fence! If not more places!
Linda- we both need this hummingbird water feature!!!! Hmmmm. Maybe you need my honeysuckle.... too??
I BOUGHT some 'Lucifer' croscosmia! LOL LOL. I have an orange kind. It doesn't bloom until much later in the year. It's going out by the feeders in front of the picture window.
And LOL Barb!!!!
Debbie
Location: Washington Coast
Posted: Jul-01-2004 at 12:19am
No pressure! Lisa, hurry send me pics! Actually I should get it running again. I stole the pump for something else and haven't had it running, the birds are using the bigger little pond right now but I think the prefer the splashing terra cotta cups.
Debbie
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jul-01-2004 at 10:11am
Okay, I'll hunt for it today.
Oh, how much easier this would be if I had taken your advice on how to organize garden photos! Where was that article again, Debbie? I think I need to reread it.
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jul-02-2004 at 1:18am
I wouldn't mind reading that myself- organization is not something that I am good at. That doesn't happen to be on this site does it?
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jul-02-2004 at 2:20am
Here you go Lisa and Sydnie, click here.
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jul-03-2004 at 12:01am
Great Debbie! Thanks so much. I esp like the ID/date save to computer idea! Every little bit of organization helps. My picture organization- just one big mess. LOL. This will help for sure!
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jul-03-2004 at 12:27am
Oh, I almost forgot. I knew the hummers loved my sweet peas. I'm going to google and try to find out exactly what they are. (I don't think wild, but gone wild.) They grow here and there along the roads- but I think 'people' have started them. I planted some seed along two spots on the back fence and it all came up last year. We mow both sides and it climbs the fence. The clumps are huge this year. The hummers fight continually over it- and I've even seen them chasing off the occasional big bird that wanders by! LOL They could care less about the feeders now with that and the honeysuckle in the back all blooming! This sweet pea you definately need room to have. It spreads very well.
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Jul-03-2004 at 2:01pm
Yesterday I watched a rufus steal a spider's lunch. I thought at first the hummer was going after the spider who was hanging out on his web that stretched from the hook on the hanging basket to the tips of several flowers, but, instead, he hovered and neatly nipped a tiny gnat from the web, spider didn't even move, and the hummer zoomed off without stopping at the feeder.
Carol
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jul-03-2004 at 2:07pm
Cool, cjmiller! I would have loved to have seen that!
Debbie and all, my humble apologies. I can't seem to find my pic of Debbie's water feature. I've been tearing the den apart looking for pics of her garden, plus the year's Bainbridge in Bloom tour of the same weekend and have come up with nada. They are hiding somewhere - I likely stashed them somewhere "safe" - ha! - but so far I haven't found them. Yes, I'm getting a little nervous but I'm trying to remain positive that I will find them soon (I hope!).
Now if I were garden photos, where would I be? . . .
Salvia Guy
Location: Oregon, Western
Posted: Jul-04-2004 at 9:53am
Trish,
"...I think it's a Salvia thing -- you grow it and they will come..."
May I have permission to use this...hehe!
Salvias are the way to go for hummers.
The hummingbird wars have begun in LE JARDIN des SAUGES.
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jul-07-2004 at 1:53am
Very cool CJ! I'd of loved to seen that! Can you imagine catching photos of the hummer stealing the poor spiders dinner!, that'd be wonderful. Lucky you getting to see that!!! That by itself had to be great!!! Since the sweet peas started blooming well, the hummers started chasing off the bigger birds! They're tough little buggers. LOL! They're really quite unique- aren't they!
Salvia guy- what I'd like to know is-- if you could choose only three salvias to have in your garden considering good fragrance- attracting hummers- and 'prettyness'- what would you choose???? Oh- and hardy for freezes. Oh- and long bloom time. LOL. I think that about covers it.
The dueling - the fighting is spectacular! (I got to get a better camera. Looked at a cannon a guy had this weekend with a 12x optical zoom. It was to drool for.) I have a hard time catching them in flight, because I need to get so dang close. I have managed some photos at the window feeders tho', that I like.
Someone said they had Anna's- back on another page. (CRS I'll have to look.) I meant to ask if anyone else knew what kind they had. I was curious about what locations with in the PNW different kinds humg out in. I think I just have rufus. No Annas for sure.
LOL Lisa.
Barb are you still here. I think she's out buying more hummingbird plants! LOL.
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jul-07-2004 at 9:23pm
Originally posted by Sydnie
"Barb are you still here. I think she's out buying more hummingbird plants! LOL."
LOL, I'm still here, enjoying reading the responses. And yes, I DID go out and buy another hummingbird plant--a garishly red Penstemon from Lowes. And the following week, I went to Homeless Depot and there was a Phygelius! Darn, I would rather have had the Phygelius (Phygelia? Cape Fuchsia!), didn't have the money or space for both . . . yet. Need to get the rest of the yard cleared out. Am considering breaking the new dog to harness and hitching her to a plow. She has enough energy to power a dynamo--might as well use it!
Anyway, I haven't seen anymore humminbirds. But they could be coming around when I'm at work. My neighbor across the street seems interested in gardening for humers, so I may be able to talk her into garishly red Salvias or Fuchsias or Phygelia/us.
Barb
Trish
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Jul-08-2004 at 1:16am
Didn't I get that quote from you, Salvia Guy? (BTW, great article in the Oregonian last week -- you're famous!)
I was buzzed by hummers last week when spritzing the vegetable garden. One little Anna's hummingbird was quite insistent on showering. He sat on a tomato cage and spread out feathers for the full dip. Very cool.
Debbie, I took a picture of your fountain when I visited two years ago. Is it significantly different now? I have to grin at the vision of little birds soaking in individual tubs all along the chain.
debbie's terra cotta chain
Debbie
Location: Washington Coast
Posted: Jul-08-2004 at 7:09am
Trish, The only change right now is I stole the pump to use on something else. I remember those pics, they were nice. I found a few myself, one closeup and one with a hummingbird on it. But not a good one that showed the whole fountain.
Debbie
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jul-08-2004 at 10:12pm
LOL Barb--- someday lots of hummers in your yard for sure!!!
Trish--- Great picture of Debbie's hummingbird fountain! That is so cool about your hummer showering! They are such wonderful little creatures!!!
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jul-08-2004 at 10:52pm
Originally posted by Trish
"Debbie, I took a picture of your fountain when I visited two years ago. Is it significantly different now? I have to grin at the vision of little birds soaking in individual tubs all along the chain.
debbie's terra cotta chain"
Sheesh Trish, I completely missed your link. I am going blind. Thanks for the link it is a really good shot that puts the fountain in perspective. I am going to go add it to the other thread.
Sydnie, Your lonicera is divine, if you are ever up for doing some cuttings and making a trade I wouldn't mind a piece of that one!
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Jul-09-2004 at 9:36am
In Michigan we had Bee Balm, the very common self seeding get mildew variety, BUT the hummers (there was about two females a couple of males and all the babies) would dive bomb you if you got in their way of it. There is a hummer here that has visited the dark eyes fushia and I do have the cape fushias Phygelius along with salvias, hostas, foxgloves and so on. Although I only see her once in a while, I just do not spend enough time sitting still outside to see her more.
Now question, which hummer(s) are in this area?
Oh and do they like sweet peas and morning glory? I have those climibing the post next to the fushia.
thanks
~BakingBarb
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jul-09-2004 at 10:29am
We have the Rufous and the Anna hummingbirds in our area.
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jul-09-2004 at 11:00am
Debbie- I am always up to trades and such !!!! I am wanting to plant more along my back fence anyhow. I am trying to start some right now. Or I could trade cuttings- no problem! They will probably start by the time I manage to 'see' everyone for trades. You don't know how glad I will be to have "the wedding" over with. LOL. I really don't know how to go about this. I know you talked about a meeting with trades later on... ?? If it was sometime in September- that would be GREAT!!!!
Hey Baking Barb- I just noticed they like my hosta blooms. I can't remember the variety. I wish my Bee Balm would grow faster. LOL.
And oh Barb... (Garden Spider Barb)- Also- meant to tell you I'm working on those 'pink lemonade' starts. All my cape fucshias are too little yet..... but there's always next year!!!
mdvaden
Location: Oregon, Western
Finally...or, maybe I just noticed them.
But the hummingbirds are buzzing the scarlet runner beans.
I'm glad I put poles in that were 14' tall, because our second floor kitchen window views into the garden.
The birds buzz between the beans and the gladiolas.
My wife said there are a lot of people that are amazed by the scarlet runner beans - the color, and how tall they get.
M.D. Vaden
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jul-13-2004 at 9:15am
The beans are wonderful aren't they! So easy to do and so beautiful.
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Jul-15-2004 at 2:06pm
It must be that gardeners all come with a soft spot in their hearts for hummingbirds--or maybe its a soft spot in their heads.
A couple of years ago, I was sitting in the powder room when I heard a humming bird who was checking out the fuchsia hanging just to the left of the window. It stimulated a genius idea. I moved the hummingbird feeder so that it hung directly in front of the bathroom window next to the fuchsia, and it has been a total sucess. Even if the translucent window is closed, you can still hear them. When the weather turns icy cold in the winter, I always leave the bathroom window open just a crack and have been rewarded by the male Anna who comes to warm his toes and drink the nectar, which needs thawing about every 2 to 3 hours --I just exchange the frozen container with the the thawed one. It is very pleasing to get my hummingbird fix even in the worst winter storms.
Carol
suektwo
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jul-20-2004 at 10:08pm
I remember a very special moment a couple years ago when a hummer kept flying back and forth through the spray from my garden hose. Magical!
The hummers visiting my garden this year seem to really enjoy the nasturtiums that I have in planters along the railing of my back patio and also here-and-there in the garden beds. (Nasturtium trailing single, from Lilly Miller seeds.)
My hummingbird feeder doesn't seem to need filling as often as it did a month ago, is this because of all the natural food, do you think?
Susan
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jul-24-2004 at 1:41am
such a great experience cjmiller! Is that a joke??? I guess I just thought hummers all went to South America or Texas for the winter???
Susan, that is very cool, the hummers in your hose spray. They do that here, too. It is truely magical!!!
My feeder isn't visited that often now either. I have a ton of flowers blooming that they really like. I think your conclusion is right. I would think that there is a lot of natural nectar blooming right now as well.
**** I have a FANTASTIC IDEA. I think so, at least.
My girlfriend just got back from Arizona. While there- they bought a mister. They use them where it's hot a lot. You put them up where-ever and string them like x-mas lights. ( I sat under hers in heaven for two hours on the patio.) I was thinking... later we will move some of the feeders to the pond patio And... Why not add a mister for us, LOL, and for the hummers!!! And for the hosta bed that I'm adding there. (too close quarters with us for the gunnera- darn) I would guess that on hot summer days the hosta's maidenhair ferns piggybacks etc. would thrive with a bit of a mist! I don't think they would mind overhead spray when it's 80-100 degees out. I think that I can probably find one out there somewhere !
My crocosmia Lucifer is blooming. Boy the hummers do love it. Thanks to all who recomended it! It is beautiful besides! Hmmm..... now what shall I get. I'm getting blue salvia from an Aunt. Maybe I'll search out the 7-up plant. I got some penistem (sorry about the spelling) from my girl friend. Oh... maybe next year I'll try scarlet runner beans, they sound enchanting! I have morning glory (annual) poppa otts and also a brilliant pink one whoms name escapes me. I haven't noticed if they like them or not, yet. The swallowtails have arrived, maybe I'll think about them for a while!
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jul-24-2004 at 9:12am
This morning, while sipping a cuppa, I witnessed a first - a hummer visiting my cosmos! I'm assuming it was visiting for nectar since it visited many flowers and wasn't going after the insects (another important food source) that visit the flowers. If it visited my tubular hummer flowers, it was before I was aware it was in my garden.
Has anyone else seen them visit cosmos before?
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Jul-26-2004 at 7:49pm You can normally find misters in the garden dept of Home Depots (unless they are out then you will not get a decent answer as to when they will be in again). They are around $9.00
~BakingBarb
What a man needs in gardening is a cast-iron back, with a hinge in it. ~Charles Dudley Warner, My Summer in a Garden, 1871
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Aug-01-2004 at 11:10am
Misters are great around a pond, especially if you want to encourage a lot of moss, which I do. They are also great to turn on your face when it is hot!
I still have the babies hanging out in the garden. The male rufus moved on quite awhile ago, so the moms and kids have the feeders. That's when it gets very lively with the kids playing mock territory fighting and mama sits off on a branch and keeps an eye out on her children. I love watching the juveniles and lots of activity at the feeders.
I moved this thread to the Native plants and wildlife forum and I hope we continue this great discussion.
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Aug-10-2004 at 12:48pm
Observation: Hummers tend to drop "ballast" just before they take off from where they are feeding. I have been observing where there is a shiny substance on the leaves and have concluded that the bush with the most shiny leaves not caused by aphid or the plant, is the phygelius or cape fuschias! I have several and even the yellow one is attracting a great number of hummingbird hits.
Carol
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Aug-10-2004 at 1:39pm
Hmmmm Looks like I am looking forward to next yr. after my wee cape fuschias grow CJ!!!
I will have to check out home depo Barb.
Around the upper part of the pond would be grand. Hmmmm. I have to think about the how to: maybe along something I add to run the wisteria across it from the huge trellis to the left side? Working on this idea. LOL. I'm having a hard time figuring out the waterfall and upper pond area. But I am sort of leaving it for Sept. When I have more time. LOL. The mister by the pond area- is a great idea to consider
Debbie. Have you noticed that any birds/hummers like it esp.?? Is yours above ground or does it run along the ground? Just curious.
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Sep-17-2004 at 4:17pm
The Ruffus's (plural? Ruffi?) have gone South, The man at Backyard Bird shop keeps track of dates, he says they are programed to leave in early Sept., so if you havent noticed, the only ones left hanging around are the Anna's. However, that doesnt mean you can put the feeders away, because, as the numbers of gnats, and flowers decrease, they still need a source of nectar.
I was interested in the observation that the hummers prefer the flat feeder, as the ones around here seem to prefer the really old one with the red flower and the yellow cage around the drip tub--They are not available any more, according to Perky Pet Hummingbird feeder mfg. Just to check, weekly this summer I rotated the 3 feeders, and no matter where I put the old one they seemed to go to that one in preference to the two newer ones that hold more nectar. Anyway, the message is, if you have Anna's keep that nectar flowing.
Carol
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Sep-19-2004 at 11:44am
CJ nice information. LOL on the spelling. roufus. I only know because I looked it up! I didn't go back through the posts- so maybe this site was already posted. I have been saving it to read. Seattle Audubon's Online Guide to Birds. It's has info hummers and a seach by state. An interesting site. It's added to the bottom of this post. I haven't seen any rufous for a bit.
I am already looking forward to next year. Too bad I can't attract some Anna's- but there is always next year! Besides- next year there will be even more flowers for them!!!! Through this winter I will have to be content playing with their photos. LOL.
The Bird Web
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Sep-19-2004 at 9:49pm
I had a hummer feeder on my porch next to the fushica it/they were visiting. Now I do not know if they went on the feeder or not as I never saw them there.
What I did see was wasps allover the hummer feeder so I had to take it down. I will try hanging it next summer next to the fence where some new plantings are. But will the wasps keep the hummers away? thanks
~BakingBarb
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Sep-20-2004 at 5:17pm
Do wasps keep the hummers away? Not entirely, We have both hummers and wasps and I think the hummers do some tricky things to get the wasps off the feeder, A fly-by and then a return to a diffrent nipple or to the other feeder. I have never seen any contact between the two, but the wasps dont seem to mind flying off and right back as soon as the hummer is gone. I think we had a pretty good crop of baby hummers this year, as the little ones seem to like the easy touch of the handy nectar bottle! The wasps have not been very active with the rain this past week, Pretty sluggish, lots of them are not moving very fast.
Carol
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton