Nectar Recipe and Hummingbird Migration




This is a little friend I rescued last summer.  Remember all of our garage visitors?  Snakes and toads, oh my!

The first 2011 hummingbird sighting in our state was reported yesterday.  Time to get the feeders out!  If you don't remember how to make your own nectar, here is the recipe I use:

• Boil 2 cups of water for a few minutes
• Add 1/2 cup of sugar.
• Let it cool and fill the feeder.

      Basically: 4 parts water / 1 part sugar

Check out this neat site for migration maps or become a citizen scientist!

Hummingbird - Journey North

Which kind of hummingbird is in your area?  We only see Ruby-throated  here.

Tree Swallows Find a Home

Tree Swallow Waiting for Partner

We have a pair of tree swallows nesting in one of our birdhouses.  We first noticed them when they were competing with bluebirds for a nest box. Bluebirds and tree swallows nest in cavities they find.  They are unable to make their own. The bluebirds won the first box and the swallows moved into the second.

Back with Food

A couple of days ago we saw a little head peaking out and both parents chirping encouragement.  Finally the fledgling took flight and floated to the ground.  Mom and Dad swooped down and helped it find its way into the tree. The kids had so much fun watching as the birdhouses are the ones they made me for Christmas.

Parents Ready to Help Fledglings 

If you have a bluebird nest box and get frustrated by swallows taking up residence just put up a second home.  Bluebirds defend a larger area from other bluebirds but will live close to other species of birds. Tree Swallows are great to have around for insect control.

Hummingbird Feeder Recipe

My mom asked me for the hummingbird feeder solution I make and it occurred to me that you might want it, too. I boil 2 cups of water for a few minutes and then add 1/2 cup of sugar.  Let it cool and fill the feeder.

Basically: 4 parts water / 1 part sugar

I love the Stokes Birding Blog and they have a nice post about it. You can see it by clicking here.  The Stokes have wonderful field guides and bird identification books which helped me to identify my first Blue Grosbeak earlier this month.  I, also, took a tip from another one of their posts about filling a suet feeder with fiber for birds to use for nesting material.  Lovebug and I did that together this morning.  It was fun mother/daughter time.  She took a couple of pictures for you...

Maybe I should make up some nesting balls using alpaca fiber for the Etsy shop.  Or maybe kits for families to do together... hmmm... off to think...