My Apologies
I wanted to apologize for not posting in a very long time. Last November 29th, we lost our 20 year canine companion, Maggie, rather suddenly to illness. It has been very tough on both my wife and I. I’ve had issues with anxiety that are just now starting to resolve. Grief can be a powerful reset for your mind and soul. I’m finally feeling like nearly my old self again, good or bad-LOL!
So without further ado….
Two Quick Hummingbird Migration Tips
- Providing hummingbird nectar.
- Reducing your work for doing this.
Providing Hummingbird Nectar
This just doesn’t have to be the challenge some people make it out to be. Don’t spend money on that red crap you see at the store. Not only do they not need it but the dye is not good for humans or them. Instead, Make Your Own!
Recipe
Four cups water.
One cup plain sugar.
Heat the water to a boil, turn it off and mix in your cup of sugar completely. Let it sit until it cools. Next, on to the second step. This is easily the best tip I’ve heard in a LONG while.
Reducing Your Work
Buy Nectar Defender on Amazon or wherever you shop for your birding supplies. This stuff helps the nectar stay edible and safe for more up to two weeks in the feeder outside, even in hot weather. It also provides, copper sulfate, a micronutrient the birds need. Plus it will allow the rest you keep in the fridge to keep until you’ve emptied it. I have two medium sized feeders that are not attacked all day and the nectar keeps in the fridge until mine are both empty.
All you need for a quart of nectar is one tablespoon added to your homemade nectar after it cools! The last part is critical to remember. If you put it into a hot pan of nectar it will lose it’s ability instantly! Trust me, I’ve made this mistake-LOL!
To Sum Up
Make your own nectar. Easy as pie and CHEAP too!
Buy and add Nectar Defender to your homemade nectar. I LOVE this stuff! Not only does it provide a micronutrient the little ones need but it will reduce the amount of time you spend taking down feeders, making more nectar and watching it turn bad in three days outside. Just remember to wash your feeders about every two weeks or when your nectar needs changing. I’m betting on the two weeks myself. This stuff really IS that good!
Let me know how you go with this and enjoy your backyard animals, especially your hummers, this season!
Best,
Jeff
Get Your Free Copy of
Birdwatching for Beginners
Click Below To Be Taken To The Signup Page
Hey Jeff, the numbers did a big jump here near Lake Conroe last week. The numbers keep growing each day with nasty physical combat to guard a feeder, mostly by young male Rubies. We use straight well water 5/1 in high heat periods.
Hi Jeff,
I’m so sorry for the loss of your beloved companion…. 20 years is an amazing life! You we’re SO lucky to have had that sweet companion for so long… I too lost my beloved golden retriever/shepherd mix in February… he would have been 16 last month. He was 100% a family member to us.
And you are so correct… Grief is indeed a reset.
Take good care of yourself – thank you for all that you do here.
Hi Desiree,
I’m sorry for your loss as well. Correct me if I’m wrong but 16 years is a very long life for that beautiful combination companion, right? We know they’ll never leave us.
Thank you for your kind words and empathy. I hope you’re navigating carefully through grief’s waters. Know that you’ve absolutely made my day!
Best,
Jeff
Hey Kenneth,
Good to hear from you again!
Glad to hear your numbers have picked up. And I don’t believe there’s any way to avoid the fussing either. I went from one to two medium sized feeders and some birds just think the entire area is theirs, you know?
I’ve never heard of 5/1 but I can tell you they like the extra calories of the 4/1 and you don’t have to worry about it going bad with the Nectar Defender either.
Enjoy them while you can. Mine are already starting to look a little pudgy-LOL!
Best,
Jeff
Hello Jeff and welcome back. I am so sorry for your loss of your family pet. I understand…
my hummingbirds deplete the feeders daily. They share with the orioles (they drink out of each other’s feeders) and I haven’t seen as many orioles as of late so they might be on their way south. I live in southern California and most of my hummingbirds stay all year. They are currently eating me out of house and home! 8 cups of nectar a day at least. Do you suggest continuing to feed them all “winter” since we don’t really even get cold here?
Hi JoAnn,
Thank you for your kind words. They all help!
I wasn’t aware hummingbirds stayed anywhere all year. Hmmm. I still think the bulk of them should migrate for the winter. At that point you might not even see them. If this has been going on for years then I’m baffled.
As long as there are interested hummers I would continue to feed them. I’ve heard some people speculate that feeding them too late in the year causes them not to migrate but I don’t believe it.
Jeff
Aloha Jeff<
Although I am sure some time has passed since losing your furry companion of 20y, the weight of missing them can trickle in no matter the distance that has lapsed. Unsure of when you originally posted this article on your blog, but am new to your site & to my home in Greenbrier, TN. Thank you for sharing about this copper additive!
I had hung a hummingbird feeder, taking it down yesterday to clean it & was planning on refilling & putting it back up. Which now I will await the Nectar Defender’s arrival to do so. Realizing that you are not too far from me, as I lived in Nash for 18y but it has gotten too maddening for me & needed to live where life is much quieter and less busy (albeit I can join in the busy-ness of Nash in a crowded line in less than a half-hour amount of time). From what I’ve learned thus far about Hummingbirds, is that they will return to their “hunting grounds” season after season. I have not yet seen one here, but my thinking is by having food available for them, I might be able to witness if they actually do. Any tips you have for a novice hummingbird feeding gal that you could share would truly be appreciated.
Hello again Ku’ulani,
Both my wife and I have been making our ways through the grief of her loss. As it turns out, working with an animal communicator has been really helpful. I learned that not only did Maggie miss us terribly too but she was wanting to come back to us. My wife and had decided we were ready last year and we began working with various leads to find another companion. It was the night before we got her when she told me to look on the Nashville Humane Association site on a day they weren’t even open and look for her. Sure enough, Tippy was there! The next day, I went and got her and she’s been with us ever since. All humans have the ability to communicate with animals and other not human beings. We’re just told it’s nonsense or we just suppress it. Nancy Windheart, the animal communicator I mentioned, assures me that Maggie and Tippy worked out an agreement so it’s all of Maggie’s soul in Tippy’s body. Apparently, Tippy’s life before us was not a good one and she preferred to return to the spirit world rather than continue in her present form. We are constantly reminded of Maggie in little ways and little things Tippy does.
You are correct. Hummingbirds WILL return to their hunting grounds year after year. I would recommend putting out a couple of those dish type feeders with the treated nectar in them. That reminds me that I haven’t put mine out yet either-OOPS! You’ll see hummers in no time! They’re here now!
I agree and it’s becoming increasingly maddening for me to be here as well.
Let me know how this goes, OK?
Jeff
Thank you for your response Jeff!
As a mother of a daughter who is a psychic medium, I am more aware than many about spirit (i.e. communication, sightings, etc) and right you are – spirit is not limited to only the human form. There are just as many animal spirits sharing this same fabric of time that we are frolicking through now. What a delight that you’ve aligned to your new friend Tippy! I hope you are all finding your groove as a family.
Here’s to hoping that indeed there are some hummingbirds who see my little yard as a cafeteria! Hoping that I’ll get lucky to spot one or many???? Although patience will be key
Hi Ku’ulani,
I could just feel that energy in between your words. It comes as no surprise to me that you are “dialed in” to the energy around us that moves through us.
We are finding our groove. We’ve needed and continue to need Maggie’s help in getting Tippy used to her new way of being. It’s taken Maggie a while too to adjust to the boundless energy she finds herself immersed in-LOL! It’s hard to know at times which one is acting out-HA!
Make sure you have the feeders close to a window where you can delight in their antics. They WILL come!
Jeff