Fairly decent morning after a few days of zero HB's

13 years ago

Yesterday I was in Lowes and I saw those single port feeders that I have seen in Steve's and others photos. Someone mentioned last year that they were about a buck a piece, but it was 2 for 7 bucks at Lowes.

Anyways, this morning a male used the new feeders and returned to them quite a few times, and later into the morning that I have seen this year. Actually a female went to my 209 and the male chased her away. Seems that when I put new feeders out I get a rush of hummers. Weeks ago I got an aspects fancy and a best 1 feeder and the best 1 got a lot of use the first few days. Only saw one on the Fancy and he did not seem to like it. To me it seems that the hummers like the feeders with bottles above the ports.

I have had a jewel box in my bay window since last year never saw one on it. I had my Yankee Droll wh1 in that window last year and it got good use. I put that new feeder right by the jewelbox and it went to that, so I just put the Yankee Droll back next to the jewel box just to see if it is the feeder. I am wondering if "my" hummers just don't like Aspect feeders. I have even seen birds on my saucer Yankee Droll, but as I said, they definately prefer the bottle feeders with ports below.

Ken

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Comments (3)

hummersteve
13 years ago
Ken

Good for you, they do like those small feeders. They started out at $.97 at wally world then they got scarce and when you did see them they were at a higher price. I took down the jewel box I had it is not a fav at all. So now it is first nature, pp209 and the single port ones. Im only using two feeders at present but come july when the juvies are out I will need more. Right now they are also using the coral honeysuckle a good bit. But once all the flowers get to blooming strong they will all be used especially in august.
eigdeh
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Steve,

It was fun watching the hummer approach the feeder for the first time. The port was not facing him so he tapped the base quickly, then he flew around the feeder the whole time hovering and rotating till he found the port.

I can see these little feeders are going to be a bee magnet. The liquid most of the time is popping out a bit and I can see the bee's and wasp's just drinking it up. Plus the ants will for sure find the ground under them. So far though it looks like the hummer likes it, so I will leave them up.

I'll let you know if the hummers go to the Yankee Droll window feeder. If they do then I will know they just don't like the jewelbox.

Onloy two feeders? With these two one feeder ports I just bought I have 9 feeders out. 6 in the back, one in the front and 1 on each side. I have been trying to make a hummingbird heaven by having so many out. I thought that with so many choices they might pick my yard over someone else's. Perhaps I should take some of them down.

Ken
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hummersteve
13 years ago
Ken

Yes the one-porter will draw bees or wasps and there seems to be little to be done about it , I only use them since the hummers like them. An interesting fact I discovered on the bottle types[excluding single ports]of feeders before the hummers arrived the wasp wouldnt even land on a first nature feeder but after the hummers started using it the wasps would land on it. So the hummers either dribble or they draw some of the liquid up and out so the wasps can get it. I suppose its the natural vacuum created to drink from it. But on the saucer types there is no vacuum effect so bees get nothing if they cant get into the base. Sorry, just thought it an interesting observation here.

Fairly decent morning after a few days of zero HB's

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hummersteve

eigdeh
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Fairly decent morning after a few days of zero HB's

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hummersteve

eigdehOriginal Author

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eigdeh
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