Anyone else have an unusually large number of hummingbirds this year?

[ultrarunner]

I use 2 cups water to 1/2 cup sugar. 4:1
bring to Boil and cool, fill feeder.
Hummingbirds hit the feeder all day, no dyes or chemicals.

Any downside to municipal chemicals added to the drinking water?… it will kill aquarium fish.

 

[ponytug]

Any downside to municipal chemicals added to the drinking water?… it will kill aquarium fish.

Not in my experience. FWIW: Most of the disinfection byproducts are removed by boiling.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ultrarunner]

Good to know…

 

[ponytug]

@ultrarunner, I should clarify that the thing that is most toxic to fish is the chloramine, which is not a problem for air breathing animals. It is harmless to hummingbirds.

All the best,

Peter

 

[CalG]

First Ruby Throat at the feeder yesterday! He was in the peach tree flowers earlier today, but returned to the feeder for a sip of sugar at dusk.

(might be more than one, but I've only noted a single individual.)

 

[goeduck]

I religiously use the 4:1 ratio of tap (from well) water to pure cane sugar, even to the point of reading the bottom of the meniscus. The only twist that I have always done is that I boil the water in the microwave without sugar. I pull it out while still boiling and dump the sugar in immediately. Then stir with a clean spoon until dissolved. I once got distracted and ended up with a pot of caramelized and burned sugar smoking up the kitchen. Never again since.

 

[sixdogs]

First Ruby Throat at the feeder yesterday! He was in the peach tree flowers earlier today, but returned to the feeder for a sip of sugar at dusk.

(might be more than one, but I've only noted a single individual.)

I wonder how many there actually are compared with how many birds you see? I have seen them in the yard or at the feeder before dawn and after dark, when most of us aren't looking. And I've seen them flying in the yard and around Norway Spruce trees when I don't see them at the feeders.

 

[ultrarunner]

Appears a lot make their own…

 

[jyoutz]

The nights are still too cold here for those fair weather birds. We usually start seeing them in June, and it seems like they’re gone when the nights cool down in the fall.

 

[ArlyA]

Ruby's are pretty tough birds, temperature wise.
-----------------------------------------------
Ruby-throated hummingbirds have a normal body temperature of 105°F (40.5°C) during the day. They can lower their body temperature and metabolism to enter torpor on cool nights, dropping it as low as 50°F (10°C). This allows them to conserve energy when food is scarce or temperatures are low.

 

[Oaktree]

I religiously use the 4:1 ratio of tap (from well) water to pure cane sugar, even to the point of reading the bottom of the meniscus. The only twist that I have always done is that I boil the water in the microwave without sugar. I pull it out while still boiling and dump the sugar in immediately. Then stir with a clean spoon until dissolved.

Gotta say I never go to all that much effort, I'll get the granular store stuff, proportionally mix it, shake well and call it good. Birds don't seem to care.

(might be more than one, but I've only noted a single individual.)

Same here. Usually by now there are more, but so far May's been cold, raw & rainy for the most part.

 

[LouNY]

I'm also in the 4-1 camp. However I don't boil it, tap water (well) from the hot tap. Stir in the plain everyday sugar let cool and feed.

 

[psvfd]

I use the 4 to 1 mix
well water
Microwave 1 minute
then Stir
let cool

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Nothing at the feeder

Ever since the formula changed the birds which were Jon stop a few years ago stopped coming…

Nothing here either. We have a couple of Annas that wintered over, but the migrants never showed up. Last night I was attacked by mosquitoes! The last time I saw a mosquito was years ago, thanks to the murderous little hummers clearing them out. We would normally have a big population of rufous by now. We have had feeders out for years, and I have never seen so few hummers.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I religiously use the 4:1 ratio of tap (from well) water to pure cane sugar, even to the point of reading the bottom of the meniscus. The only twist that I have always done is that I boil the water in the microwave without sugar. I pull it out while still boiling and dump the sugar in immediately. Then stir with a clean spoon until dissolved. I once got distracted and ended up with a pot of caramelized and burned sugar smoking up the kitchen. Never again since.

Boiling the solution is essential to kill the yeast that otherwise starts brewing alcohol almost immediately. If it gets cloudy in the feeder, that's yeast. Clean and change it. I use a disinfecting bleach solution soak on the feeder. The factory red around the holes bleached out, so I replaced it with acrylic nail polish, which is more durable. They do like the red.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I cleaned and filled our lone feeder with fresh sugar water about three-four days ago but it does not appear to have gone down any? I kind of do not think that it's going to be a 50-70 bird year?

We do not use our garbage municiple water. We buy the Crystal Geyser brand as it leaves no limestone residue in our electric heater. We heat to a boil, add sugar, stir, cool. We usually buy cane sugar from an Amish market in 50lb bags.

 

[goeduck]

Boiling the solution is essential to kill the yeast that otherwise starts brewing alcohol almost immediately. If it gets cloudy in the feeder, that's yeast. Clean and change it. I use a disinfecting bleach solution soak on the feeder. The factory red around the holes bleached out, so I replaced it with acrylic nail polish, which is more durable. They do like the red.

We are both in the pacific northwest. I have loads of hummingbirds, including Rufous, going through 3/4 quart a day. You report you used to have many and now hardly have any. No offense, but I'm sticking with my method. The birds are there. I met someone yesterday that goes through over a quart a day basically using the same method that I do.

 

[ultrarunner]

For years I bought off the shelf red nectar and went through a lot.

One year red was no more and bought clear but the birds didn’t take to it.

Last year I noticed red was back at ACE hardware so I bought… not much luck…

Bought a new bottle this year and zero luck and also notice the new red fades clear in a few days.

The formula changed and the birds seem to know it… also tried new feeder with no change.

Are the home brews mentioned above clear or red in color?

 

[goeduck]

Are the home brews mentioned above clear or red in color?

The only home brews I see are 4:1 water to cane sugar ratio. So clear.

 

[ultrarunner]

The only home brews I see are 4:1 water to cane sugar ratio. So clear.

With your feeder success my guess is red color isn’t a factor…