Neighborhood Hummingbird Habitat!

Well, I wanted to say that over the last 5 seasons of putting together an environment that makes hummingbirds interested, this is what I have offered:

1.  Plants, plants, plants......fuscias in the spring, lithadora, daphne, freesia, violets, daffodils, tulips, color and a promise of more to come.  Right after that, blossoms on the early fruits and the kiwi leaves start to grow. The clematis blooms and the first wisteria. We haven't hit summer yet. I do this in the fall also.....I make sure that I have pineapple sage all over the place until it hard freezes and turns into slop.

2. I keep my feeders up and running all year round. They stay busy, so I do it. I know mothers like the nectar when they are on nests nearby. I know that during really cold times, I am really careful about keeping the nectar from freezing (I just bring it in at night and put it back out in the early light). I see the males enjoy a big drink after doing that crazy mating fast flying they do. It seems to me that sugar water is just back up all the time around my place.

3.  I have a few bird baths around that are shallow. One is actually deep, but I keep it mostly empty. I also have a fountain that I keep running now all year. And on occasion, some hummingbird is dunking his head in it. I have actually seen a hummingbird take a bath in a sunflower leaf while my sprinkler was on.....I have pictures, they are blurry, but they are very very cool.

4.  There are lots of trellis rails and branches around for hummigbirds to perch and watch from.

5.  I am not in control of this, but there are lots of conifers and places for hummingbirds to nest nearby and willows and moss to get nest materials.


Below, I am showing you the basic feeder I like to use and the easy way I can attach to deck rails. Also, a trellis I like to stick in planters and grow clematis on. Also shown are a couple of bird baths and my fountain. I am also trying out the copper cover for when it snows so I am not running out and brushing off the feeders for the hummingbirds all the time. I am such a softy....

This picture was submitted by a hummingbird lover that wrote me after the Register Guard Article came out a couple months ago. What a hilarious picture. 

The next two pictures are from my garden a couple summers ago and a Rufous female is taking a bath in a sunflower with the sprinkler on full blast!