janellelee,

You lucky thing! I'd love to have hummers in the winter, but have to be content watching videos taken last summer. To answer your question from the other thread, yes, it's just sugar water in the feeders - 4:1 ratio. I used 133 pounds last year, so I've already started stocking up for this year (WM had 5 pound bags for $1.84 - I got 8).

I googled Fire Spike, that's a good lookin' plant!

Hi janellelee...congratulations on your hummers!

These marvelous little birds are just about the best part of my summer...one or two will arrive in March and by mid July, I will have hundreds...and I do mean hundreds!

I don't have alot of permanent plants...just lantana and few other plants in pots, but I put up 12 feeders! Needless to say, I stay busy making feed and refilling the feeders everyday...it's like a war zone around here when they are here...but it's such fun and they are such incredible little birds.

Wish I had a winter hummer! I bet if you put up some feeders along with you bird friendly plants, you'll have lots of them..

Good Luck..

Donna (in MS)

I can't tell you how excited I am! It was just a project to attract the HB's. This is the first that I know of they have been in my yard! I'm using firespike and 3 feeders.
I really want to try and get some pictures but we'll see if thats possible! My HB's arn't as pretty as the ones up north but I'm happy!
{{gwi:974194}}

I live in western wash. We have anna hummingbirds all winter. I have 2 feeders out, and one is by the bedroom window, about 6 inch. from the window, so we get a great view of the 5 that come to feed daily. Our Maine Coon loves to watch the hummers feed, and the birds totally ignore us watching them.
Darlene

darlene87
Isn't it incredible watching these beautiful birds come and hang upside down? They are so much fun to observe! I now have hung out 3 feeders. We have wild iguanas here in So Florida
that like to behave as preditors in the garden, I have a butterfly garden also and some veges. I'm a vegan so I am really starting to get into grow vegetables!

Janellelee - How exciting! I finally got my very first hummer this past November. It is still here. It loves my Firespike and feeders, too! I am near Vero Beach on the east coast of Florida. I know that not many hummers are reported on the east coast, but I have one and have seen another one come into my yard as well. The one in my yard is very territorial, so it chases off any other hummers. Mine is a Ruby-throat. Probably a juvenile male. I am curious to see if it is a year round resident or will leave to migrant at some point in the year. I am just as thrilled as you to finally have one! Have fun and enjoy yours! They are such interesting little birds.

In case you didn't see my posting in another thread, I took video of my bird (which you can copy and paste into the address bar to view):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyKrsl_AKDU&feature=related

I haven't been fortunate to get a still shot of it yet.

The video is so awesome! Hummingbird can be year round??
Now I'm heading to the nursery to plant more firespike! I'm going to make my yard a sanctuary for these little guys LOL
I hope my Hummingbirds don't chase off the other ones. I am having such a great time with them!
{{gwi:974194}}

How exciting for you. I have not seen a hummingbird during the winter around here. I have about 7 weeks to wait until I could see my first hummingbird of the year.

I'm in zone 8 as well in Pensacola, I read that hummingbirds were overwintering here so I bought my first feeder this past week and I have my first (winter) hummers in my garden this morning! I just bought one packet of the pre made necter now I have to learn how to make it quick I think the nectar will not last very long...it does cheer up a chilly morning to see the little guys!

I'm so happy for you! They bring so much enjoyment into my life I can not beleive it!
So far I haven't had one come to my three feeders but as long as they are here in my yard they can do anything they want, I plan on making my yard a hummingbird sanctuary! I also have a butterfly garden and the plants that attract hummers also attract butterflies other birds and bees, I'm in heaven here LOL
Enjoy your new little friends!
{{gwi:974194}}

I am SO jealous of you all!!! We are in MO, and have weeks and weeks to wait before our birds come home. Janellelee, welcome to the world of hummingbirds! They are the most amazing little critters! I can sit and watch them for hours & hours. (I love them so much that I actually got a female ruby throated tattood on my ankle last summer!) Thanks for the postings - I'll be living vicariously through all of you until my birds arrive!

This is the first year I have ever seen them in my yard or even in South Florida.
They have me on cloud nine! I was out this morning being dreamy eyed watching them, I have now planted "firespike all over my yard. And I'm going up and down the alley to attract them throughout the neighborhood!
( Just like I did with the passion flower to attract Butterflies)
I just want to share the wealth! LOL
{{gwi:974194}}

For nectar, all you need is to boil one part white sugar to 4 parts water for a minute, then let cool. Don't buy the premade or red stuff - its bad for the hummers!!

beckygardener,

I so enjoyed the video of your hummers. Keep them coming. I am putting it under Optional Link URL so I can view it again.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hummers

You just made my day with that adorable video! Thank you so much I so enjoyed it... I noticed your milkweed frowing right below to attract Monarchs! Your yard must be beautiful!
Thanks again!
Janellelee

We are getting so excited just to think of seeing Hummers again!! lol
This will be our second yr, Never would have thought of it if we hadnt seen Hummers at a feeder at a nearby resturant. My hubby said.. why get a feeder we dont have Hummingbirds.. I said well
lets get one and see! Surprise surprise!!! We had 5 all summer!
Soon we will get the feeders out.. already got sugar not to mention
more feeders! Are we excited much? :) :)

You're not alone! I've been stocking up on feeders any time I could find them this winter...it keeps my hopes up in the cold weather!! I have to check the migration map every day and watch them inch their way closer & closer. I'm figuring a few more weeks and they'll be here (MO). I can hardly wait!!!

Congrats on your hummingbirds! It took me 3 years of planting everything I thought they would love before i saw the first one.
In Hialeah you should have them all winter long. Now that they've found your yard, I'm guessing they'll always come back. I don't know for certain about south Florida, but in Central Florida we mostly get them as they migrate through from S. America to states further north. I've been lucky the past 2 years to have a couple stick around all summer but most of them move on after a couple weeks as the weather warms up.

In addition to firespike, try firebush and coral vine. Both of those, along with the firespike are major favorites in my garden. Do you have both the red and purple firespike? They don't bloom at the same time, so having both will extend the feeding season a bit. They also seem to go nuts for any blue salvia, but especially 'Black and Blue', Salvia guaranitica. Of course, they swarm around the annual red salvia. Strange, but in my yard they don't use the feeders very much - it's all about the plants.