Put Your Humming Bird feeders out!

The hummingbirds show up in my yard every year around April 15. One year they came on the12th. We always put our feeders out a week or two before the expected date. Sometimes we will see a little scout scoping out the neighborhood!

I have three (sometimes four) feeders in our yard. This one I can see from my kitchen table and when we sit on the deck in the afternoon we often have to duck to keep from being dive bombed! Our art studio is in the background and there is one hanging from a small tree in front of the porch. The swing provides a perfect place to watch the hummers and other bird feeders too. This blue glass one on the front porch is where we usually see our first hummers of the season.

Don't waste your money on the premixed or powdered humming bird nectar. Here is a simple recipe that will attract tons of hummers, is easy and cheap to make.



Humming Bird Nectar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup filtered water

Combine the water and sugar and either bring to a boil on the stove top or microwave for 1 minute. Allow to cool to room temp. Fill your feeders and watch! I multiple this recipe by 4 and make 2 quarts at a time and keep it in fridge.  

I also plant flowers near my feeders and in the yard that I know attract hummingbirds. I place hanging baskets of Petunias near the feeders too, as you can see in the photo above.

Some flowers that hummers like are:
Petunias
Trumpet vine
Butterfly bushes
Honeysuckle ( it's invasive)
Bee Balm (Monarda)
Zinnia
Lilies
Tropical Hibiscus