hummingbird feeder

Glass hummingbird feeders

2008-08-14T01:32:00.000-07:00

During spring time till summer I will be spending most of my time in the garden watching humming birds flew in and out of the hummingbird feeders. This tiny birds with its beautiful colors and the sweet sounds its birds make for courting, calling its partners and so on make your time watching this bird a hobby.

Today's most of the humming birds feeders can be brought in many places and birds shops. Most of the colors are bright and most people prefer red, pink and orange colors. There many style and patterns sold and its comes in three types, glass, woods and steels. Glass hummingbird feeders are most prefer by most humming birds admire. For its beauty and easy to clean but the disadvantage is, once drop its gone.

Spring is here and hummingbird feeders is up again.

2008-05-28T01:36:00.000-07:00

Watching hummingbirds flying in and out of the feeders is a parts of hobby. During spring time I used to hang up many hummingbirds feeders around my garden so that I watch the birds in the evening when I finish works. I had three feeders outside the garden and four along my house corridor looking out from the windows. To attracted hummingbirds to the feeders. First we must hand up the feeders in places under the shape and away from other big insect. The feeders must be clean and attractive in colors because hummingbirds like attractive and bright colors such as orange, yellow, pink and red.

Next a nectar juice make of sugar stir with warm water and must be change everyday or twice a day. The hummingbirds must be clean everyday as the birds likes clean area. Small insect such as spider are food for them. If your garden are full of gloom flowers, this added to another addition attraction to the birds of returning back to your garden every spring time. If you put hummingbirds feeders in your garden this year, you will definite to put it back again the next year as you will find it fun to watch the colorful birds flying in and out of the garden.

More hummingbirds feeders going up this coming spring

2008-03-25T22:21:00.000-07:00

Spring is on the way as more household will be hanging out there hummingbirds feeders in their garden or places which their hang up last year to attract the hummingbirds to return to the feeders this year. In recent years more more people became interested in feeding this tiny and beautiful hummingbirds that more and more shops are mushroom up. Today we can see many shop displaying their latest models in their shop front to attracted their customers.

Today we can see there are difference design and color feeders on the market, even the price are very comparative. Most of the feeders are design of colorful glass of a house, fruits or any models that can attract their customer. Most hummingbird feeders design for easy to clean and hang and most design this year has bright colors such as red or even attach a red ribbon to the feeders. Job became quick easy even the nectar juice to feed the birds are ready made and food such as incest can be purchase.

Humminingbirds feeders comes in many design and colours

2007-12-12T22:29:00.000-08:00

Hummingbirds is a tiny birds which has beautiful colours on it and this birds will returned to their nest every spring time if cares is taken off. Humminingbirds fedders comes in many beautiful bright colours to attracted the birds to the place and this humminingbirds fedders are make of glasses which is easily to clean and make its easily to watch the bird when inside but ones its drop its gone. Others are make of woods and steel which lighter to carry about. Todays humminingbirds feeders comes in many design that will make your garden beautiful.

If your hobby is to attracted humminingbirds to your garden every spring time a little works has to be done everyday. First humminingbirds like their nest to be clean, so you had to clean everyday. Make sure that your humminingbirds feeders is aways from other insects like squrrils and mouse. The food that the birds take are small insects and a kinds of juice make of warms water mixed with sugar and had to change it everyday.

Change my hummingbird feeders into lamp during christmas

2007-10-04T01:43:00.000-07:00

Last year I brought several glass hummingbirds feeders and put it my garden to attracted the hummingbird to it. Hummingbird is a tiny birds of beautiful colours which you love this tiny creature to return to your feeders every spring time. The glass hummingbird I brought is in all shape of variety of fruits and the colours is of bright colours and colours of fruits.

When the spring time is over and the hummingbird is gone and when Christmas arrived I change it to lamp. I put a candle inside the hummingbird feeders and light it, it looks very beautiful at night and if attracted many walked by to admire my creation. Even some of my neightboor start to follow me and its makes the whole area very beautiful to watch.

glass hummingbird feeders look more attractive than woods and plastic.

2007-10-04T01:36:00.000-07:00

If you are beginners and who have the love of attracting hummingbirds to your garden or your house area it is best to buy small hummingbirds feeders as it is much easily to mantain like cleaning the feeders and so on. It is a good ideals to buy severals smaller hummingbird feeders and putting in diffrence location. The best location to place your hummingbird feeders is under the shape of of your house tree and make sure it is from the reach of other insect or squirrel.

Hummingbird feeders comes in many design, design of shape of fruits, house or lamps. The colour of today's hummingbird feeders are of bright colours which easily attracted the birds to your feeders. There are made of glasses, woods and plastic. Plastic and woods are lighter and easily to move and carried but will tend to discolour with age. Glass are heavier but when drop its gone. Glass feeders are easily to maintain and clean and besides glass hummingbird feeders are more attractive then the woods and the plastic. The price of glass feeders are more expensive than the woods and the plastic.

Seening hummining birds back to your feeders every spring time

2007-07-29T20:39:00.000-07:00

Attracting hummining birds to your feeders all you needs is a small house, it can be make of glass or a glass bottle, plastic or woods with bright colours such as red is the favourite for the birds or yellow or orange. The most important is to see that the hummining birdfeeders is at all time clean and dry. A home make nectar juice is a mixture of four parts of water and one parts of sugar stir in boiling water and let it to cool. Hang the humming birdfeeders under the shape of trees or under your house corridors freed from squrrial or others insects and easily for you watch the cute little birds from a short distance.

If having a garden full with flowers as this birds delightful visitor to any flower bed or garden patio will definate return to your place the next spring time as these small beautiful and colourful creatures are always busy looking for nectar and if your garden is full with flowers and home make juice and small insects as food is prepare for them and beside a clean and bright home, you can expect to see them return and returns again to your feeders every spring time.

Hummingbirds makes many people as their hobby

2007-06-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

Hummingbirds is a very colourful and one of the tiny bird in the world. This beautiful birds attraced many bird lovers to make this as their hobby and to have them in their garden during every spring time. To attract this hummingbirds to return every spring time we had to prepare a hummingbirds feeders under the shape of the tree and also see that the feeders are safe from squirrels.

To get your hummingbird feeders you can get it from bird shop or online. There are many design, shape, and colours of hummingbird feeders. If you choose your feeders make sure the feeder is bright in colours as one of the attraction for hummingbirds to your feeders. Hummingbird feeder are make of glasses, plastic or woods.

The nectar juice for hummingbirds is home make water mixed with sugar. The nectar juice had to change every two days and also the hummingbird feeder.

Hummingbird feeders can be obtain from bird shop or online

2007-06-06T23:15:00.000-07:00

Hummingbird feeders can be obtain from bird shop or online. Hummingbird feeders are made of ceramic, plastic or glasses. Glass feeders are very beautiful when you place it at your house or on top of the tree and is very convinent when washing but once a small error occur or when its falls its gone. But with glass feeders you can watch the beautiful tiny fly in and out of the feeders. Plastic humming feeders are more cheaper then glass and ceramic and stand force, shake and falls.

If you are placing a hummingbird feeders at your home make sure it is up before spring time as spring time attracts humming birds to the feeders and that the humming feeders must be at all time clean. Design your hummingbird feeders with bright colours such as red, orange, yellow or pink. You can also paint your feeders with two or three coulours.

Hummingbirds requires small insects as their protein and nectar juice as a source of energy. Man make nectar juice such a part of sugar mixed with four parts of water and place inside the feeders to attracted the birds. The nectar juice must be change every one or two days. For small insects you can get it from bird shops.

Its fun to watch the hummingbirds fly in and out.

2007-04-20T01:20:00.000-07:00

Watching the hummingbirds fly to your hummingbirds feeders is quite very intersting as humming birds comes in many beautiful colours and one of the tiny birds in the world. I took the hobby to watch the hummingbirds fly to my feeders a few years back when I was at my friend house seening him watching hummingbirds.

I build myself a few hummingbird feeders around my house. I even brough two glass hummingbird feeders and place it on top of a tree and under the shape of my house. You had to be careful when placing the hummingbird feeder so that squirrel or other insect will not disturbed the birds. Other then that, the colours must be bright in colours and the humminingbird feeder must be clean most of the time.

A nectar juice, water mixed with sugar is place inside or outside the feeder and much change and refill quite often. If the humming is attracted to your hummingbird feeder this spring time the birds will definate returns the next spring. Its fun to watch the hummingbirds fly in and out.

Hummingbird feeder a hobby

2007-03-14T01:11:00.000-07:00

Hummingbird feeder is taken up as a hobby for many retired persons as its only a season hobby. Hummingbird is one of the smallest birds in the world and the colours of the hummingbirds is so beautiful that its attracted many people to take up as a hobby and to attracted the birds back the next spring.

In orders to attract the hummingbirds back in the next spring ones has to see that the hummingbird is happy with the present feeders. The hummingbird feeder has to be very clean and must be clean every one or two days. The colours of the hummingbird feeder should be of bright colours such as red, orange, yellow and ocean blue. Its must be place under shady place such as tree or on top of the house corridor. Check that ants and bees do not disturb the feeders when the birds is resting. Lastly a nectar juice a mixture of suger and water is place inside the hummingbird feeders.

The Beautiful Hummingbirds

2007-02-04T22:40:00.000-08:00

The hummingbirds diet requires nectar as a source of energy and for their protein source small insects. Hummingbirds love artificial nectar from man-made humming bird feeders. Such feeders provide the hummingbirds with a good supply of nectar, and at the same time allow people to observe and enjoy hummingbirds up-close. Homemade nectar can be made from 1 part white, granulated table sugar to 4 parts water, boiled to make it easier to dissolve the sugar and to purify the solution so that it will stay fresh longer. The cooled nectar is then carefully placed into the hummingbird feeder. You should avoid using diet sweeteners because, though the hummingbirds will drink it, they will not get the calories they need to sustain their metabolism.

While it is true that bright colors attract hummingbirds, it is better to use a feeder that has some red on it, rather than coloring the water. It is possible that red dye is harmful to hummingbirds. Some commercial humming bird nectars contain a red dye that’s not needed. Hummingbirds get all the nutrients they need from the insects they eat, not from nectar, so adding nutrients to the nectar is not necessary. Just plain sugar and water is all that is needed.

Prepared nectar can be placed into a refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks before being used, but once placed outdoors it will only remain fresh for 2-4 days in hot weather before becoming cloudy or developing mold. Rinse the feeder thorouhly with warm water when changing the nectar to remove any contamination or build-up of sugar. If dish soap is used, it needs extra rinsing so that no residue is left behind.

Other animals are also attracted to humming bird feeders. It is best to get a feeder that has very narrow ports, or ports with a mesh, to prevent wasps and bees from getting inside where they get trapped. Woodpeckers, banaquits, and other animals are known to drink from hummingbird feeders, sometimes tipping them and draining the liquid. If this becomes a problem, it is possible to buy feeders which are designed to support their extra weight and which hummingbirds will also be able to use too. If ants find your hummingbird feeder, one solution is to install an "ant moat", which is available at specialty garden stores and online.

How to Choose the Right Feeder For your Hummingbird.

2007-01-16T00:10:00.000-08:00

Feed Yourself with a Little History The first hummingbird feeder that was sold in the market was invented by Boston's Laurence J. Webster. He was primarily motivated to invent such a tool for his spouse, but a feature on a famous magazine gave way to the demand for the public release of Webster's hummingbird feeder in 1950.

How to Choose the Right Hummingbird Feeder Various designs of feeders for hummingbirds are sold both in online and land-based bird specialty shops and general merchandise stores.

Material - Hummingbird feeders can be made in glass, ceramic, or plastic. Aesthetics play a huge role in decision making though you should also consider the durability of the material as well. Excessive shaking, force, or pressure can cause glass or ceramic hummingbird feeders to fall while plastic hummingbird feeders are essentially immune to such factors.

Feed birds in winter

2007-01-11T00:59:00.000-08:00

Red house finches are partial to thistle seed and in the winter thistle feeders may also attract more rare species, such as the American goldfinch, lesser goldfinch, and pine siskin.

Doves, white-crowned sparrows and juncos will benefit from sunflower seed and millet. Any mixed seed blend containing these will draw these birds in.

"Some hummingbirds, such as the Anna's, stay around through the winter so keep a hummingbird feeder up," said Rita Schlageter with the Red Rock Audubon Society. "You may also see some little yellow verdins visiting it. It's also a good idea to leave some winter flowers in the landscape, especially brightly colored, tubular ones."

Nuthatches, those birds that climb up and down the tree trunks and the Say's phoebe look for insects to eat. For these birds there are feed blends containing dried insects available from specialty stores.

2006-12-11T00:14:00.000-08:00

Heavy southward movements off Boiler Bay included a Wilson's storm petrel, a Manx shearwater, about 70 ancient murrelets and about 4,500 rhinoceros auklets. A very heavy southward gull movement was reported all along the coast during the past two weeks. A male hooded oriole visited a Reedsport hummingbird feeder. Common redpolls were seen on Nehalem Bay and at the Astoria Mitigation Bank near the airport. An emperor goose continues to be seen along the Astoria Airport Road. Two Harris's sparrows were at Brookings. A tropical kingbird and two trumpeter swans were at Cape Blanco and a Say's phoebe was near Sixes. A snowy egret has been hanging out at Coos Bay. A south polar skua landed on the beach at Cannon Beach. A glaucous gull was at Seaside on Nov. 26.

2006-11-30T21:35:00.000-08:00

We have a very nice bird feeder that is attached under the eaves of the house, and we usually get to see lots of birds. We also have a hummingbird feeder. Today, while I was telecommuting, I heard something hit my sliding glass door. I got up to see what had happened. There weren't any birds on the ground or cats bumping on the door to tease my cats.

When I opened the door and stepped out onto the patio, I heard a whoosh up to my right above my garden window and was surprised to see a hawk heading up into my huge mulberry tree. I wasn't able to get a close look, but it was big. Looking at my bird book I found three possibilities -- Cooper's, red-shouldered or red-tailed.

its all about bird

2006-11-16T23:06:00.000-08:00

I knew I forgot something. When Ken Lebo e-mailed that a rufous hummingbird arrived Nov. 5 at the hummingbird feeder outside his home at Green Hills Lake, I remembered that I forgot to remind everyone who feeds hummingbirds to keep the feeders up at least until Thanksgiving.

The rufous hummingbird is a hardy Western species that nests as far north as Alaska and can tolerate frigid temperatures of the late fall.

If I had to pick the top Berks bird trend stories of the last 10 years, the tale of the fall migration of the rufous hummingbird would be close to No. 1.

A rufous hummingbird appeared at the late Alex Nagy's feeder in Albany Township on Oct. 3, 1985, for the first Berks sighting of this species.

The next rufous arrived at a feeder near Boyertown on Sept. 15, 1998, and remained until Dec. 31. This bird attracted quite a bit of attention because of the length of its stay and more awareness of its rarity.

We only found out about Nagy's record when Bob Cook of Elverson re-discovered an old note Alex wrote to him about his rufous after the Boyertown bird appeared.

2006-11-10T18:48:00.000-08:00

By early November most of our familiar ruby-throated hummingbirds have departed for their winter grounds in the tropics, but don't take down your feeder just yet.

Hummingbirds are being reported at feeders through the winter with increasing frequency. In most cases the birds are not ruby-throated hummingbirds, but are species native to western North America like rufous, calliope and black-chinned hummingbirds.

Rufous hummingbirds are, by far, the most expected western hummer that winters in the Southeastern U.S. Most are females or immatures. Superficially, they resemble ruby-throated hummingbirds, but have red around the tail and buff or reddish feathering on the flanks. Adult males are largely red.

I have already heard of some rufous hummingbirds at feeders around Hickory, Boone and locations along the coast. As the weather cools and natural nectar sources disappear, western hummingbirds in our area will depend on feeders and will thus become more conspicuous. In fact, any hummingbird seen in our area after Nov. 1 is almost certain to be one of the western species. Mecklenburg County has records of five species of hummingbirds from the winter months.

Don't worry about these winter hummers. I have seen rufous hummingbirds active in Mecklenburg County on mornings with temperatures in the upper teens and after big snowfalls. Consider keeping up a winter hummingbird feeder and you may have an unexpected winter visitor.

If you have a hummingbird in your yard now, or know someone who does, I would certainly like to hear about it.

2006-10-30T00:19:00.000-08:00

The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood. The most important thing is to study with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.

A few feeders will provide a treat in your hummingbird garden.
There are scores of commercially designed hummingbird feeders built to be attractive to the little roamers. Pick feeders with bright red accents to get their attention, and a feeder that holds about 8 ounces of sugar water. Instead of using one big feeder, place 2 to 4 of them around your yard, out of sight of each other if possible. Hummingbirds are notoriously territorial. By offering several private feeding stations, you will increase the amount of hummingbirds that you attract.

So far, we've uncovered some interesting facts about hummingbird feeder. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

They are another reason to go organic because they need not come in contact with chemical pesticides or herbicides that many spray around their flowers and vines. Help them survive.

That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

Feeder for hummingbird

2006-10-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

Early in May here in west central Wisconsin, I can count on seeing a Ruby Throated Hummingbird hovering in front of my kitchen window, flitting back and forth, as if to say, "there was a hummingbird feeder RIGHT HERE last year. Where is it?"

And then I know it is time to put out hummingbird nectar. I feed a 3-to-1 mixture of water and sugar (3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar brought to a boil and cooled to room temperature). After the hummingbirds' long trip from South America, they are thin and hungry.

The general rule-of-thumb is a 4-to-1 mixture, but to start out in early spring I always use a 3-to-1 mixture. Later on in the summer, when there are more flowers available, I switch to a 4-to-1 mixture.

I know it is important to wash the hummingbird feeder when I fill it to clean out any mold. I know it is also important to thoroughly rinse the hummingbird feeder when I am finished cleaning it to remove any soap or other chemicals.

Rubbermaid feeder

2006-10-04T00:51:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about hummingbird feeder to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from hummingbird feeder experts.

The best hummingbird feeder I've found is a Rubbermaid feeder. It holds two cups of nectar, and it is as sturdy now as it was when I bought it four years ago. Other hummingbird feeders cracked when I tried to wash them, either at the end of the first year or the beginning of the next.

I also set out two of those little "flower balls" for the hummingbirds — little round balls that hold about a quarter cup of nectar with a large, brightly-colored plastic flower that fits down inside the neck. The flower balls fit into a holder that mounts on a steel rod pushed down into the ground. The hummingbirds love the "flowers" that give them another source of food.

Usually, right around our yard, we have between four and six pair of Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. Later on in the summer, when their offspring start coming for the nectar, we have many more hummingbirds flying around the yard. Pine trees on the east and north sides of the yard provide a perch for the hummingbirds while they wait their turn to get at the feeder.

Most of this information comes straight from the hummingbird feeder pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you'll know what they know.

Not that the hummingbirds are especially patient about waiting their turn at the feeder. They chase each other around and chatter and scold. I am scolded, too, when I have the audacity to remove the feeder from its hook in front of the kitchen window so that I can wash it out and fill it with fresh nectar. On more than one occasion, I have ducked to avoid a collision with a hummingbird.

I have learned not to wear a red shirt when taking down the hummingbird feeder during the day. A red shirt causes the hummingbirds to flit back and forth in front of my face, as if searching for the perfect access to this huge, glorious RED flower they see before them.

Instead of filling the hummingbird feeders during the day and risking a collision with the tiny birds, I often wait until after dark to take down the feeder, wash it and fill it with fresh nectar. That way, when the hummingbirds are looking for food early in the morning, they will find a clean feeder filled with fresh nectar.

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about hummingbird feeder.

special house for humming bird

2006-09-28T00:47:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about hummingbird feeder to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from hummingbird feeder experts.

Birds, birds, birds. They come in all shapes and sizes. They range in type from carnivores to herbivores. Birds have been the stars of their own movies. Birds have taught children the importance of personality over looks. Some are even the leaders of nations. Is it any wonder that bird watching is one of the world's most practiced hobbies.

People from all walks of life enjoy bird watching. Anyone can do it. All it requires is patience, a pair of binoculars and most importantly, a bird feeder. And there are many types. Depending what birds you want to attract will determine what kind of feeder to get.

Whether it is a sun-filled breakfast or conference room, a beautiful potted plant, or a hummingbird feeder placed outside a common window, you can boost your spirits and create extraordinary joy by bringing nature into your home or office. After being challenged by the dark spaces of his basement office, Dr. Timothy Dey (www.deygroup.com) created a solution to this challenge by adding a Florida room to his home in Detroit, Michigan. Timothy now uses this room as his home office, and by filling his day with natural light, birds, trees, and all that nature has to offer, he has truly created a living and breathing environment that is warm, inviting, and truly inspiring.

The more authentic information about hummingbird feeder you know, the more likely people are to consider you a hummingbird feeder expert. Read on for even more hummingbird feeder facts that you can share.

Hummingbird feeders are the most popular and come in two styles; inverted and basin style. The feeder usually has a small receptacle in which a sugar solution is placed. It has an opening just big enough for the hummingbird to put its long beak. But the solution is really just an energy boost for the hummingbird. A hummingbird's main diet is gnats and other small bugs. Here's a hint when choosing a hummingbird feeder. Choose one that can be taken apart easily. Your feeder needs to be cleaned every three-to-four days due to the unfortunate clotting habit of the sugar and water solution.

If you are a Woody fan, you might consider a peanut feeder. Woodpeckers, starlings and titmice are big fans of peanuts. But be sure you purchase the peanuts from a dealer that supplies aflatoxin-free peanuts. Aflatoxin fungus can cause disease and death for some birds. Also, make sure the peanut feeder is built to keep out squirrels. Squirrels are the biggest enemy to the peanut feeder.

When word gets around about your command of hummingbird feeder facts, others who need to know about hummingbird feeder will start to actively seek you out.

tips to help make your home a hummingbird hot spot

2006-09-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

The following paragraphs summarize the work of hummingbird feeder experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of hummingbird feeder. Heed their advice to avoid any hummingbird feeder surprises.

Many individuals are fascinated by hummingbirds. So much so, that they will do anything in their power to attract these petite creatures to their yards. So what is the best way to attract these wee feathered friends?

Here are some tips to help make your home a hummingbird hot spot:

What Do Hummingbirds Eat?

Hummingbirds usually feed off flower nectar and sugar water that is left out for them in birdfeeders. They also feed off of small insects like ants, slugs and spiders. If you really want to attract hummingbirds to your yard, make sure your bird feeder is always filled with nectar and sugar water.

What Should My Hummingbird Feeder or House Look Like?

It is a well-known fact that hummingbirds are attracted to the color red. That being said, if the feeder you already have isn’t red get out your paint brush or stick a large red bow on it to get their attention. The best hummingbird feeders have perches for the birds to stand on while they feed. The holes in hummingbird feeders are just big enough for the little guys to fit their heads in, but they’re too small for squirrels and other larger animals so they can’t steal the food.

Refrain from painting your hummingbird feeder or house yellow because bees and wasps are attracted to these colors and also enjoy the taste of sweet nectar. You’ll want to keep insects as far away from your hummingbird feeders and houses as possible.

See how much you can learn about hummingbird feeder when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.

What Materials Should Hummingbird Houses or Feeders be made of?

Hummingbird feeders and houses are usually made of acrylic or glass. They are also available in wood and plastic; however these do not work as effectively and may cause harm to the birds (slivers and cuts). Hummingbird houses and feeders come in a variety of sizes and shapes and usually contain numerous feeding areas throughout the feeder.

Where Should I Put My Hummingbird Feeder?

Ideally, a hummingbird feeder should be hung near a garden with bright flowers and plants. A flowery location is most likely to attract the attention of hummingbirds. For your viewing pleasure, you may want to hang your feeder in a place that can be easily seen from your home. For example a hummingbird feeder hung in front of a window can be admired all day.

How Much Do Hummingbird Feeders Cost?

The styles and designs differ so much that it’s difficult to determine a specific price. Hummingbird feeders and houses can cost anywhere from $10 to $50 - depending on the style, design and features.

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on hummingbird feeder. Compare what you've learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of hummingbird feeder.

humming feeder at garden

2006-09-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

This article explains a few things about hummingbird feeder, and if you're interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don't know.

Autumn Bloomers - Butterfly bush, day lilies, garden phlox, bee-balm and impatiens all will keep hummingbirds returning through the autumn. These blooms will also attract late migrators too.

Provide a source of water in the hummingbird garden Unlike larger birds, hummingbirds will seldom take advantage of a bird bath or bowl of water. Instead, they relish cool mists. A garden hose with a misting attachment or a small fountain that can be adjusted to a fine mist will keep them happy.

Most of this information comes straight from the hummingbird feeder pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you'll know what they know.

Create perching and nesting space in your garden Hummingbirds need shelter from predators, plus small branches for perching and resting (yes, they do perch sometimes!). By choosing a few taller bushes or trees, you can provide both.

Several strategically placed hummingbird feeders There are dozens of commercial hummingbird feeders designed to be attractive to the little wanderers. Choose feeders with bright red accents, and a capacity for about 8 ounces of sugar water. Instead of using one large feeder, place 2-4 of them around your garden, out of sight of each other if possible. Hummingbirds are notoriously territorial. By providing several 'private' feeding stations, you'll increase the number of hummingbirds that you attract.

You can't predict when knowing something extra about hummingbird feeder will come in handy. If you learned anything new about keyword in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again.

I have a cute little hummingbird feeder

2006-09-21T01:58:00.000-07:00

In today's world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

We've all experienced it. You buy a cute little hummingbird feeder, and one day it falls and the glass bottle breaks. You may think that all is lost, but hold on for just a second. You can fix that hummingbird feeder with things you have around your home. You might try and piece the bottle back together with glue. But that usually isn't a good option. Bottles usually break into too many small pieces. But look closely at the opening on the bottle. Chances are it’s the same size as the mouth on a soda bottle. If so, then you have a chance at saving your prized feeder.

But life doesn't work that way. The fact is, we get what we focus on. Our brains have to filter through huge amounts of input, whether it's the birds flying past the office window or the latest financial news. The bird enthusiast sees an orange-crowned warbler sipping from the hummingbird feeder; the warbler is invisible to his non-birding co-worker at the next desk. You and I listen to the same news report; you're an avid investor, but I only stare blankly when you comment afterwards on the price of oil. It seems as if people have a superstitious need to make disclaimers. I'm not ready, I'm not smart, I'm not successful – all of these statements are somehow supposed to turn away the bad luck gremlins and instead invite the gods of good fortune to smile upon us. We blame our achievements and successes on luck and circumstance, and embrace setbacks with a litany of responsibility. First the easy part. The bottom of the bird feeder. That's part that the bottle screws into and where your hummingbirds drink the

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I'm sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

nectar. The soda bottle should screw right into it. The top part is a little trickier. If the decorative top of your humming bird feeder has a hole in it for a wire, great. If not, you'll need to drill one in it. Now find yourself a little piece of wire, but make sure it will fit through the hole in the feeders top. Glue one end to the bottom of your soda bottle. If you use hot glue, make sure you don't accidentally melt a hole in the plastic bottle. When the glue dries, run the other end of the wire up through the top of your feeder and make a little loop. There you have it, it's that simple. Hang the feeder from the loop, and your feeder had been saved from the trash heap.

Those who only know one or two facts about hummingbird feeder can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you're learning here.

2006-09-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about hummingbird feeder to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from hummingbird feeder experts.

Birds are truly beautiful creatures. They are fascinating and all around us, roosting and nesting on our buildings and feeding in our gardens. We can travel to see them in exotic places, or just look out our window ... they are easy to find and fun to observe. Birds are probably the most beloved group of wild animals on the planet. Their ubiquitous presence, colorful form, intelligent actions and cheeky mannerisms endear them to us all. They are easy to love.

There are roughly 300 billion birds of nearly 10,000 species that now inhabit the earth. This only a small fraction of the number of birds that have existed since the Age of Dinosaurs. While new species are occasionally discovered in remote areas, 150,000 species have been identified from fossil remains proving that most bird species are now extinct. Birds can be found on all major land masses from the poles to the tropics, as well as in or over all our seas, oceans and islands.

Have you noticed the recent trends in bird feeders? They are definitely not your run of the mill bird feeder anymore. Today’s styles are wide ranging and offer many options for including a bird feeder in your backyard decor. Adding a variety of garden decor items makes for an inviting and interesting backyard. By using bird feeders, you can attract a variety of birds, which can further enhance your enjoyment of your yard. For those who enjoy the hobby of bird watching, adding a bird feeder can increase the amount of bird activity in any backyard.

If you don't have accurate details regarding hummingbird feeder, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don't let that happen: keep reading.

The most common or populous wild bird in the world is the Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) in Africa. The most common bird in the world is the domestic chicken which breeders have developed from the Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus). Fear has been expressed that pure Red Jungle Fowl may now be extinct in the wild. The most widespread commonly seen wild bird is probably the European House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) which has been transported all over the world by European settlers. It can now be found on two-thirds of the land masses of the world including Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and India.

If you are looking to attract hummingbirds, then you’ll want to purchase a hummingbird feeder. These beautiful little birds are wonderful to observe. Several options for hummingbird feeders include one made of stained glass or alabaster. Hummingbird feeders should be the hanging kind of feeder to attract hummingbirds.

Using bird feeders in your backyard can provide hours of enjoyment for the entire family.

There's a lot to understand about hummingbird feeder. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

hummingbird feeder is certainly no exception.

2006-09-18T01:22:00.000-07:00

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you'll find that the subject of hummingbird feeder is certainly no exception.

First the easy part. The bottom of the bird feeder. That's part that the bottle screws into and where your hummingbirds drink the nectar. The soda bottle should screw right into it. The top part is a little trickier. If the decorative top of your humming bird feeder has a hole in it for a wire, great. If not, you'll need to drill one in it. Now find yourself a little piece of wire, but make sure it will fit through the hole in the feeders top. Glue one end to the bottom of your soda bottle. If you use hot glue, make sure you don't accidentally melt a hole in the plastic bottle. When the glue dries, run the other end of the wire up through the top of your feeder and make a little loop. There you have it, it's that simple. Hang the feeder from the loop, and your feeder had been saved from the trash heap.

I know it is important to wash the hummingbird feeder when I fill it to clean out any mold. I know it is also important to thoroughly rinse the hummingbird feeder when I am finished cleaning it to remove any soap or other chemicals.

If the feeder has visible mold, I use a bleach solution (1 teaspoon of bleach to several cups of water) to kill off the mold and mildew. Then I rinse the feeder thoroughly, under running water, for several minutes with hot water and for several minutes with cold water.

The best hummingbird feeder I've found is a Rubbermaid feeder. It holds two cups of nectar, and it is as sturdy now as it was when I bought it four years ago. Other hummingbird feeders cracked when I tried to wash them, either at the end of the first year or the beginning of the next.

Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about hummingbird feeder? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

I also set out two of those little "flower balls" for the hummingbirds — little round balls that hold about a quarter cup of nectar with a large, brightly-colored plastic flower that fits down inside the neck. The flower balls fit into a holder that mounts on a steel rod pushed down into the ground. The hummingbirds love the "flowers" that give them another source of food.

Usually, right around our yard, we have between four and six pair of Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. Later on in the summer, when their offspring start coming for the nectar, we have many more hummingbirds flying around the yard. Pine trees on the east and north sides of the yard provide a perch for the hummingbirds while they wait their turn to get at the feeder.

All summer long I watch the hummingbirds, and as September approaches, they became more and more frantic to eat as much as they can, in preparation for the long flight back to South America.

And then, early in September, one day it will dawn on me that I haven't seen as many hummingbirds. As more days pass, the remaining hummingbirds leave too. Eventually I don't see any hummingbirds at all, and I know it will be many months, with a long hard winter in between, before I can once again feed the hummingbirds that hover in front of my kitchen window.

As your knowledge about hummingbird feeder continues to grow, you will begin to see how hummingbird feeder fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

know more about hummingbird feeder.

2006-09-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

If you're seriously interested in knowing about hummingbird feeder, you need to think beyond the basics. This informative article takes a closer look at things you need to know about hummingbird feeder.

First the easy part. The bottom of the bird feeder. That's part that the bottle screws into and where your hummingbirds drink the nectar. The soda bottle should screw right into it. The top part is a little trickier. If the decorative top of your humming bird feeder has a hole in it for a wire, great. If not, you'll need to drill one in it. Now find yourself a little piece of wire, but make sure it will fit through the hole in the feeders top. Glue one end to the bottom of your soda bottle. If you use hot glue, make sure you don't accidentally melt a hole in the plastic bottle. When the glue dries, run the other end of the wire up through the top of your feeder and make a little loop. There you have it, it's that simple. Hang the feeder from the loop, and your feeder had been saved from the trash heap.

Our recipe is derived from the old standard recipe, but please be aware that a lot of research has gone into making sure that we are providing the most beneficial source of hummingbird food replacement.

Our recipe starts with cane sugar. As you know, there are two sources of sugar: cane sugar and beet sugar, of which 70% of the world’s supply comes from cane sugar. Both are chemically “sucrose” and fall into the carbohydrate family. Carbohydrates are easily digested and provide the immediate “energy boost” that hummingbirds need to sustain their incredibly high metabolism. (Comment: I guess if we humans had that kind of metabolism we wouldn’t be facing our obesity crisis! Wow…what a concept …more exercise …increased metabolic rate …burn more calories …less fat).

Most of this information comes straight from the hummingbird feeder pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you'll know what they know.

Sorry! Back to the topic…the second constituent our hummingbird food recipe is water. Ever thought about the type of water you use for your hummingbird food? We have. The hummingbird’s source water comes from the naturally occurring water sources available: dew, rain water and deposits of rain water, people provided (bird baths), and finally that provided in the hummingbird’s diet.

We use our tap water which is supplied from our well. The water’s chemical composition is generally hard ( contains calcium and magnesium) but has a TDS ( Total Dissolved Solids) of 275 ppm with no measurable concentrations of lead or arsenic. Its safe for us to drink so the hummers get the benefits of some added minerals. We feel its better than using distilled or purified water in our hummingbird recipe.

Now, if you’re a city dweller, you may have chlorine or flouride added to your water. I’d recommend boiling that water to flash off the chlorine or flouride, 5 minutes of boiling should be sufficient.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about hummingbird feeder.

How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden

2006-09-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

Give hummingbirds one or several feeders to drink from is naturally also a very good way to make sure that there are a lot of hummingbird visits to your feeder. If the hummingbirds have trouble locating the feeder, try to hang the feeder next to some colourful plants that can be easily seen from above. Like with most things in the market, hummingbird feeders come in literally all forms of shapes, sizes and designs. The ideal feeders are those that can be cleaned easily and hangs readily. These must also be sturdy and must have limited number of parts that can be separated or broken. Majority of hummingbird feeders comes with both glass and plastic reservoirs. When you choose hummingbird feeder, it is important to pick one that is easy to clean. Hummingbirds are sensitive to mould and can be really sick if the ingest it. Hummingbird food will also ferment quite rapidly, especially in high temperatures. The feeder should therefore be cleaned frequently.

hummingbird feeder : Missing Mim

2006-09-08T02:17:00.000-07:00

We named her Mim and she stalked our hummingbird feeders like a junkyard dog guarding a bone. Though she weighed less than an ounce, compared with her peers she was a hefty girl.

Mim the hummingbird has turned Dirtman and me into Bird Geeks.

It all started innocently enough. One of the roads in our subdivision is called Hummingbird Lane, causing us to wonder whether this meant we had an unusually large hummingbird population. Serendipitously, as these things often are, a friend of Dirtman’s had just opened a bird feeder store.

Did you know that there are 19 different hummingbird species in Texas? That’s the kind of fact Bruce pulls out of his brain during casual conversation. This is the ideal guy to own a bird feeder store.

So Bruce set us up with a hummingbird feeder and deck mounting equipment that even Dirtman and I could manage to put up ourselves.

Within 15 minutes of putting up the feeder, Mim was there. Fifteen minutes later Mim was still there. Cats on the deck, dogs barking at her, Mim was sucking down nectar (i.e., the sugar water I’d prepared) and daring them to take a flying leap off the deck to catch her.

Other hummingbirds would try to partake of our unending supply of nectar, but Mim would have none of it. There were times the battle was more brutal than any World War I dog fight, always ending with Mim perched triumphantly on the hummingbird silhouette filial she fancied herself resembling, coming down from what had to be a monumental sugar jag.

So we got another feeder for the rest of the hummingbirds, especially for the males. Hummingbird males are a wussy bunch, but very pretty with their bright red throats offset by their iridescent green backs. We hadn’t up to this point been able to see any in person because, while other female hummingbirds really ticked off our very territorial Mim, she got positively indignant when a male showed up.

So the alternate feeder idea worked for maybe 10 minutes before Mim laid claim to both, barely having time to protect her turf at one feeder before a security breach had her flapping for the other.

“Maybe a third feeder,” Dirtman suggested.

“She’ll have a nervous breakdown,” I replied. Not that any hummingbird is mellow. But Mim seemed to be a bit more, uh -- focused than the others.

Bruce had warned us not to take the feeders down until September was over and then only when we hadn’t seen any hummingbirds for two weeks. During August our local birds spent their time beefing up for the trip. September is migration month.

One morning there were over a dozen hummingbirds at the feeders. The females were crankily dive-bombing each other and the males taking advantage of their hissy-fights to grab a few sips now and then. But there was no mistaking the social dynamics had changed drastically.

Mim had migrated.

“I can’t believe we’re bummed about a bird,” Dirtman said as we gazed sadly over our morning coffee at the empty filial. “What are we going to do when they’ve all migrated?”

“What time do you suppose Bruce opens today?” I asked.

I wonder if it’s possible to suffer empty nest syndrome when your kid is still living with you.

Posted by Jeanne Jackson at 10:15 AM

hummingbird feeder : David Horst column: Positives of country life merit fair hearing

2006-09-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

Some people move to the country for the view. What you learn once you're out here is that there are beautiful soundscapes as well.

I awoke to that realization one recent morning. It wasn't the concept that woke me, but the "whoo-who-whoooo" of a great-horned owl.

Cool late-summer breezes carry the country sounds in through the open windows. To hear them, you only need to be still an extra moment before jumping into the morning workday routine.

Breakfast on the screen porch may be accompanied by the whir of tiny wing beats if the hummingbird takes his morning nourishment when you do. City folk may believe hummingbirds have no call, but that just means they haven't sat still enough to hear the scolding little "tchuck" they make when you eat your cereal too close to the window-mounted hummingbird feeder.

Last weekend, we heard the distinctly intense squawk that says the approaching woodpecker is not a downy, not a hairy, but a — yes, there it is — a pileated, Wisconsin's king woodpecker. It is a difference as discernable as asphalt from concrete that you can't help but pick up out here.

The difference is as distinct as that extra warble in the honking overhead on a late March day that signals that a flock not of Canada geese but of tundra swans is about to break into view. They carry with them another sound, one so delightfully subtle that I count it among my favorites. It is the soft whistle of wind slipping between flight feathers that you hear, if you listen, as the swans pass low overhead.

My personal sign of spring is a sound. It is the joyous trill of a red-winged blackbird boldly declaring his territory from a perch atop a cattail. For others, it's the spring peepers — tiny frogs with voices as big as the night.

Lately, up on the sand hill we call home, we've been treated to the comic sound of turkeys clumsily flying up to their perches in the upper reaches of the oak trees out front.

We get a daily serenade from the sandhill cranes, at least during the warmer months. It starts with a discordant bugling, like what city dwellers get from the bickering couple in the house too close next door, but it transforms into a soaring melody as the mates find each other's rhythm and pitch and unite their voices into a unison call.

Country living has its unpleasant sounds — the drone of the riding lawnmower, the constant hum of mosquitoes, midnight barking from dogs agitated by a passing raccoon and the squeal of teen drivers on straight rural roads.

Because we raise llamas, our open windows also let in alarm calls in the dark of night. Llamas rouse the herd to possible danger with a noise I can best describe as a shriller version of a horse whinnying. The alarm is almost certainly notification that a deer has gotten uncomfortably close to the pasture fence, but it still stirs you from bed to peer into the inky blackness for signs of trouble.

The dry oak leaves that carpet the woods amplify footfalls so squirrels sound like deer. I heard that exaggerated rustling one night when I had the dog out for her before-bed constitutional. I stood on the concrete apron of the garage watching as a fawn, still wearing its speckles, emerged from the woods, looked around in caution and confusion and tip-toed onto the concrete between me and the open door.

The fawn seemed headed into the garage when it circled back to the spot in the woods where it had shuffled out. Luckily, the dog was upwind, more engaged by smells than the sound of rustling leaves.

The screech of a hawk, the gentle rattle of aspen leaves tossed by wind, the mournful tone of a distant moo, these are all part of the rich aural views of country living. Taking time to listen, that's just sound thinking.

David Horst writes a biweekly column on nature. E-mail him at sandhill@focol.org.

hummingbird feeder : They're called 'gift certificates.' Did you ever wonder why?

2006-09-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

Writes In Search of a Pseudonym: "I am a magnet for bad customer service. No matter where I go or what I do.

"I went to a large chain grocery store and asked to buy 10 $25 gift certificates. The girl looked at me strangely and said the transaction would have to be authorized by her manager. Of course, she didn't use big words like that, but that was what she meant. Before calling the manager, she asked me why I wanted the gift certificates. I, thinking that was a tremendously stupid question, said: 'To give to people.'

"She called her manager, all the while gazing at me strangely. She had a discussion with her manager, her side of which consisted of monosyllabic sounds like 'Uhh' and 'Uh-huh.' When she hung up, she told me she could not sell me the gift certificates. I, stunned, asked her why. She said that it was because what I wanted to do with them did not make sense.

"Little did I know that giving gift certificates as gifts does not make sense. Silly me. I told her that I had moved the previous week and that I intended to give the gift certificates to the people who had helped me, but that since her store did not want to sell them to me, I could certainly go buy them from the competitor. Then I did. The competitor was more than happy to take my money and complete my transaction, and my gift recipients were probably happier with the gift certificates that I bought than they would have been with the ones I tried to buy.

"The interesting part was that she never looked at the driver's license or debit card that I placed on the counter. She never tried to confirm that I was me and that my card was good. She just denied my transaction because she didn't like the reason that I gave her for my purchase: that I was going to give the gift cards as gifts."

Ask a serious question…

Al B of Hartland: "The fellow pulled into a business establishment in a small town in Alaska.

" 'How do I get to a McDonald's?' he asked the crusty old proprietor.

" 'Go to the first stop sign, take a right, keep going. It will be on your left. You can't miss it.'

"The fellow left in a hamburger-hungry hurry.

"There was one thing the proprietor neglected to inform the traveler. The nearest McDonald's was right where he said, but it was 185 miles away."

They're out there!

From tmp.net: "Wednesday, Aug. 16, on 10th Street in Oakdale, I saw a man in a company work van driving and using two cell phones at once! He was talking on one in his right hand and trying to dial the one in his left hand. SCARY!!!"

The highfalutin amusements

Spam Division

E-mail: "The latest from Linden Hills Girl, who lives a very sheltered existence:

"Some of the more creative senders of spam e-mail: Mr. Odium T. Antedating, Mr. Oftentimes H. Arminius and Mr. (possibly Ms.? It's so hard to tell these days) Stifled R. Sapsuckers.

"All were promoting the very best in helpful and marvelously illicit street pharmaceuticals. (Naturally, I declined to order.)

"Cheers! =..="

Later that day: "Two more additions to our sly spam pharmaceutical senders (say that 10 times fast): Mr. Drives R. Lowliness and (drum roll, please) Ms. Butter R. Flagella. How do I know BRF is a she? 'Cause I just know, that's why.

"Cheers! =..="

Life as we know it

Bonnie, north of Minong, Wis.: "Bulletin Board asked: 'What's the secret of life?'

"My answer is a memory of my mother, standing in our kitchen and looking down into my pre-adolescent eyes and smilingly asking if I knew the secret of life.

"A few years later, my parents, my sister and I were sitting down front in my hometown concert hall. I had the aisle seat. We were anticipating the performance of a very famous baritone. And there he was — striding out from stage left, accompanied by a crescendo of applause, his towering compact body clad in tails, his blond wavy hair coiffed to perfection glimmering in the lights. Even his black patent-leather shoes gleamed. At center stage he stopped, acknowledging our applause; then, turning his head, looked down at me and smiled. The orchestra played the overture. The baritone's first musical words, emanating from deep within his chest, poured out: 'Ah, sweet mystery of life, at last I've found thee. Ah, I know at last the secret of it all.'

"And the secret is? As Nelson Eddy sang: 'It's love, and only love, the world is seeking.' "

Life (and death) as we know it

High Rev: "We buried my dad's ashes recently [Bulletin Board interjects: High Rev's dad was The Big Geezer of La Crescent], and with my sisters, their families and my four cousins and their families present, of course the stories began to flow.

"To say Dad was competitive at cards and board games is like saying Sinatra hummed a few tunes. His favorite game, and the one he most hated to lose, was cribbage. Last Thanksgiving, he taught the game to my nephew's friend Michael. Riding the 'beginner's luck' wave, Michael beat Dad the last game of the day.

"When word came that Dad had died over New Year's, Michael was horrified. 'That means he went out on a loss,' he told my sister. My sister responded that chances were good that Dad had played at least once over the Christmas holidays, and indeed he had, beating me twice in the last two games we played together. So Dad was able to go out on a two-game winning streak.

"We laughed about it, but in retrospect, Michael was probably right. There would have been something askew in the universe if Dad had 'gone out on a loss,' especially at cribbage."

Oh, and was her face red!

The Blue Bubble's Friend: "Many years ago, a group of people with whom I worked went on a powwow. The next couple of days, I was really mouthing off about one of the young men. I said I thought he was really a bummer and very involved with himself. Well, what I didn't know was that one of the young women with whom I worked had started dating him. Boy, was my face red when I heard this.

"She went on to marry this young man. But in the end, sorry to say, I was correct in my assessment of him. It ended up that he cheated on her, and they finally got divorced. Too bad!"

The kindness of strangers

The Other Princess: "On Sunday afternoon, Aug. 20, along with approximately 2,500 other people, I walked up to the State Capitol amid the applause of thousands of family and friends. We had just completed walking in the 3-Day for Breast Cancer. Over the course of 60 miles, there were so many people who came out to cheer on friends and family. Others came out just because we were walking through their neighborhoods or just to offer their support and to thank us for walking.

"Now it is my turn to thank all of you who were out there for being there. Whether you came out just to cheer us on, or whether you offered us some sort of treat, your support helped us get through many miles when we didn't think that we had the strength to go on. Knowing how many people are out there supporting complete strangers tugs at the heartstrings in a way that you can't possibly imagine unless you have been there, especially when you realize that so many are out there because they have been touched by breast cancer. To all of you who were out there supporting us, thank you from the bottom of my heart, and God bless."

Our birds, ourselves

IGHGrampa: "I worked as fast as I could. I had the liquid food prepared ahead of time. It took about five minutes to bring the feeder in, rinse it out, refill it and get it back out there. I know I should have done a better job in cleaning it, but I was afraid the little hummers would be deprived of a source of vital nutrients for too long.

"We have our hummingbird feeder hanging right outside our front window. Our daughter got us started feeding hummers a number of years ago by presenting us with a feeder kit. Now we have one set up every summer. Lately, the little gluttons have been emptying the feeder in about a week. It holds about a measuring cup of liquid food. Maybe they're building their strength for the migration south in another month.

"We're always entertained to watch the little birds zipping about. Hummers are very fast fliers. That seems logical, considering that their wings flap at more than 50 beats a second. I know there are at least two of them that visit us regularly. I'm pretty sure there are more. Sometimes I see birds that are smaller.

"The two biggest birds are rather competitive. One will hover for a second or two, as if reconnoitering the situation. Then it will swoop and zip away as another comes to chase it. Seeing how quickly they dart around, one could easily imagine them to be one of the fastest birds in the world. Once one of them even thumped against the window. I checked outside for it; apparently no harm done, since I did not find any bird on the ground.

"Sometimes one will hover in front of the window and just look into the house. I suppose they're curious about us. Maybe it's just their way of greeting us and saying thank you."

There oughtta be a law!

Paul Peter Paulos of St. Paul: "While walking and fishing the shoreline beneath the Ford Dam, a favorite area for a lazy fisherman like myself, I noticed how many more canoeists and kayakers were around now that the river was so slow and low.

"Yet one thing seems never to change, and that's how many muscle boats blast up and down the river, bouncing other watercraft and wading fishermen alike.

"I thought about this and realized that going fast and making noise is assuredly a personal right, I suppose, but I also noticed something else as I walked farther south. That is, these same testoboats all drastically slowed to obey a huge 'No Wake' sign I saw up ahead by the river's edge. This sudden slowdown seemed so peculiar, I decided to investigate. It turns out the sign was positioned directly in front of the Watergate marina. In other words, the boats at anchor, many of them the very boats scaring the bejesus out of the kayakers and canoeists with their wake, were themselves protected from such treatment by their mega-horsepowered brethren.

"Really! There ought to be a law that what you give out, you get back!"

'I was misinformed'

Artgekko of Lindstrom: "Whenever we find ourselves in a situation that calls for immediate distraction and neutralization of the live studio audience that is the rest of the world (for instance, taking a corner too sharply with the cart at the grocery store and accidentally spilling most of the contents of an end-cap display, or tripping in the parking lot after church), my husband or I borrow a line from Mason the chimpanzee in 'Madagascar' and say: 'If you have poo, fling it now!'

"Of course, it has to be said out of the earshot of our boys, who are at the ages where the EPPI-toam of HI-larity is potty humor, or else we will hear the phrase repeated over and over and over and over (and then again just to be sure Mom really wants them to stop). Usually at the checkout lane, of course, with a captive audience."

hummingbird feeder : Off Island Time

2006-08-15T00:21:00.000-07:00

by Stacey Longo Brown

I thought it would be fun to own a little acre of land on the mainland, but it turns out having a lawn and garden is a lot of work! I'm starting to miss my three little blades of grass that I called a yard on the island.

My lawn here consists of pretty uneven terrain, and I have a few scattered rocks (okay, slabs of granite) throughout the yard. It's gotten to the point that I'm actually kind of scared to cut the lawn, because I'm worried about the mower blade making that horrible noise it makes when I try to mow over a boulder.

I also seem to have the knack of making the lawnmower backfire. A lot. Okay, a minimum of six times during the course of the mowing.

Except that I shouldn't call it "mowing." Since I have this trepidation of cutting the grass, I tend to let it go so long that when I do hop on the John Deere, it's more of a "haying" process.

I wish that keeping the grass neat was my only problem. But I had the bright idea last April to clear out a portion of the brush in the yard and put a garden there. After

working for a month pulling up bittersweet and weeds, then spending a week planting vegetables and mulching, I was worn out.

I haven't pulled up a weed since Memorial Day weekend. I've decided that if the cucumbers want to live, they'll find a way. (I did go outside Tuesday to pick peppers and discovered that I had a basket full of milkweed pods when I went to make dinner that night.)

I'm also regretting putting up a hummingbird feeder. First of all, I had been led to believe there were no hummingbirds in Connecticut. I put it up because it looked like a piece of New Age, red liquid art that people hung from their trees. But those stupid hummingbirds have been flocking to it like...well, like birds!

I've been making hummingbird food (one part sugar to three parts water, plus three drops red food dye) twice a week for these starved little demons. I can't tell you how much fun it was boiling up that potion last week during the heat wave.

Shouldn't they be migrating to Colorado by now?

hummingbird feeder : From the porch

2006-08-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

The great squirrel disappearance mystery
Dwight Otwell

Michael Regan, of Andrews, responded to my latest story about my wars with Freddie the Banana plant.

Mr. Reagan wrote that in return, he wanted to share a tale of mystery. I liked the tale and asked permission to print it, so here it is.

A neighbor came to dinner one evening and reported to my wife and me that he was having a problem with squirrels. We asked how squirrels could be a problem and his eyes narrowed. He tapped into a part of his memory that he reported was painful, ominous and guarded.

He arrived in this area several years ago and immediately became captivated by the color and variety of birds around his house. Bird feeders appeared all around his yard. Filled with different types of bird seed, the feeders drew in a large variety of birds which he attempted to identify from a bird book. As he happily pursued his pastime, he noted that sunflower seeds seemed to be the most popular food item with the exception of the hummingbird feeders that required that special red mix.

He didn't remember exactly when he became aware of the squirrels. It started simply with seeing one squirrel. It didn't seem a problem at first. After some time, he began to notice that he was buying more and more sunflower seeds. And the squirrels were appearing in twos and threes. They would hang upside down on the feeder and drain the seeds like sand running through an hour glass.

His warnings started as chasing the squirrels away by walking out and waving his arms. The squirrels would retreat to the nearby woods for a few minutes until he was back inside his house and then they would return to the feeders, forcing the birds to withdraw.

The neighbor then made a decision that he would chase the squirrels away with a BB gun. His sunflower seed bill continued to go up. And the squirrels seemed to be ignoring his attempts to discourage. So he escalated his offense to the purchase of a pellet rifle. After several shots at squirrels on his feeder, he finally hit something besides the feeder itself. In fact, he killed the first squirrel. And then the mystery began.

The neighbor did not move the squirrel's body that day. It was near nightfall so he left it. Deciding that he would move it the next day, he gave it no more thought. But the next morning, he discovered that the squirrel's body had disappeared. There were no tracks and no sign of how, who, what or when. Two days later, he shot another squirrel at the feeder. He left the squirrel and when he got up the next morning, the squirrel was gone. He reported that over the next four months, he killed perhaps a dozen squirrels and each time, no matter how far apart or random, the bodies would be gone in the morning. He reasoned that since the shootings were so random, that whatever creature was removing the bodies was visiting every night since no squirrel body was ever found the next morning.

The man began to lose sleep. He would lie awake for hours at a time, night after night, listening. What intelligence was out there so quiet, so consistent, so hungry? Or did other squirrels come and take their fallen from the field? He said that any noise at night would send him to a window with his flashlight. Of course, nothing would be there. He began to lose weight.

The sight of a squirrel at the feeder would bring upon him a sense of dread. He would move slowly, head down, into the room to find the pellet rifle. Robotically, he would take his post and drop the squirrel, knowing that there would be another sleepless night. And no, he would not find a squirrel in the morning.

He purchased a high powered pellet rifle equipped with a light and a laser. He sat up at night on the weekends following a squirrel shooting to wait for the creature that came in under the cover of darkness. He never saw the creature. His mind unraveled. No amount of waiting, watching or worrying brought the mystery to a conclusion. A week after relaying this story to us, the squirrel hunter went into therapy and remains in a world apart from us. We have lost a friend and neighbor to a mystery as yet unsolved. Perhaps, the lesson in this is to leave those furry friends alone. Or how expensive can sunflower seeds be?

hummingbird feeder : Found around wildflowers

2006-08-08T00:58:00.000-07:00

Tom Wiesen
August 5, 2006

The other day I was relaxing over a couple of ice-cold beverages at the home of Paul and Sherri Wilson in Minturn. We sat outside on the patio surrounded by their magnificent flower garden while a couple of hummingbird feeders hung nearby, attracting many hummingbirds.

The most common hummingbirds here are the broad-tailed. They are emerald green overall and the males have a bright scarlet throat patch. The males make a high-pitched trill sound with their wings when in flight, whereas the females are silent.

If you hear the high-pitched trill of a passing hummingbird, you know without looking that it is a male. Remember, a big part of bird watching is bird listening.

While taking close-up photos of a hummingbird, I unknowingly captured an image of a long, tiny tongue that looked like a clear piece of fishing line. Upon researching how hummingbirds actually drink nectar, I was surprised to find that they did not suck or lap up nectar. Instead the nectar or sugar water travels up the tongue in a sort of capillary action, much like a wick in an oil lamp.

Finger landing
Interestingly, hummingbirds have some alternatives for food other than nectar from flowers. For instance I've seen a hummingbird hovering in a swarm of gnats snapping them up.

Also, hummingbirds are known to visit trees with running sap, which they'll eat when nectar isn't available. Sometimes, opportunistic hummingbirds will pick tiny spiders and insects off of flowers.

When a hummingbird feeder is getting heavy use, the birds can be quite bold. I have a feeder that has four plastic red flowers that attract the birds. If I cover three of the flowers with aluminum foil, the birds are forced to drink from only one of the flowers. Then, I hold out my index finger as a perch at the base of the flower and wait still patiently.

Sooner or later a hummingbird will come. It may take a couple of approaches before the birds trust you, but if you hold perfectly still they will alight on your finger.

Wow! How cool it is to have a fairy-like creature from the wild settle in on your finger. I can assure you that this is a fun activity for adults and children.

Found with flowers
Like many of our summer birds, hummingbirds migrate to warm climates during the winter where they can find flowers. Some species, such as the rufous hummingbird, may travel up to 2,500 miles between their breeding range as far north as southwest Alaska and their winter range in Mexico - all this distance covered each year by a creature that weighs little more than a penny.

Rufous hummingbirds have just started to come through Eagle County in the last couple of weeks. The rufous hummingbird's typical migration route from Mexico is up the California coast in the spring and down through the Rockies in the late summer. These aggressive birds drive other competitors from flowers and feeders. They can be recognized because they are orange or copper-colored overall.

Hummingbirds have extraordinarily high metabolisms and can drink their body weight or more in nectar each day. During times of energy conservation - such as nighttime, storms, or food shortages - hummingbirds can go into a state of torpor which lowers their body temperature, heart rate, and breathing. This, in turn, lowers their overall metabolic rate. This is an example of how efficiency in animals is often the difference between life and death.

Hummingbird and wildflowers go together, and both are true joys of summers here in Eagle County. Visit areas that are rich in red flowers such as Indian paintbrush, scarlet gilia or firecracker penstemon, and hummingbirds will naturally be attracted.

Writer Tom Wiesen and photographer Tanya Wiesen are the lead guides and owners of TrailWise Guides. Privately guided wilderness hiking and backcountry mountain biking tours are available daily. Call Trailwise for more information at 827-5363. TrailWise Guides in an equal opportunity employer that operates under a special use permit in the White River National Forest.

Vail, Colorado

hummingbird feeder : Garden planner

2006-08-07T00:22:00.000-07:00

July 8, 2006

This week

• Pinch chrysanthemums back one more time this week to keep plants short and bushy and to prevent early flowers, but don't pinch them again after July 15.

• Deadhead annuals to keep them flowering all summer. If your trailing annuals, like petunias, are getting too straggly, pinch them back a few inches to encourage some lush new growth. Most annuals need regular fertilizing.

This month

• Harvest cantaloupe when they can separate from the vine with just a gentle pull.

• It's time to divide and transplant bearded iris. Lift out the clumps, shake off the dirt, and cut or break off sections of plant. Only keep big, healthy rhizomes with a fan of leaves; discard any shriveled rhizomes and dead foliage. Cut back healthy leaves by about half so the new roots don't have as much plant to support. Replant the divisions so that the tops of the rhizomes just show above the soil. Keep them watered (but not soggy) during the hot weather the rest of the summer.

• When your raspberries are done, cut the canes that fruited this year back to the ground.

• If you have a hummingbird feeder, wash it out with hot, soapy water every two or three days to keep away mold and bacteria, which can harm or kill the birds.

• Stop fertilizing trees and shrubs by the end of the month so they can begin to harden off for fall.

hummingbird feeder : Food, shelter, light hand earn habitat title for Chapel Hill home

2006-08-04T00:29:00.000-07:00

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The house on Glenwood Drive for nine years has been home to the family of Rex McCall and Susan Elmore. The yard - well-tended if not well-groomed - has been home to scores of other, more elusive parents and children.

The yard's appeal to birds, bees and other animals earned it the designation of official "wildlife habitat" from the National Wildlife Federation this spring.

"Humans have had such an impact on the landscape," Rex McCall said. "We've really denuded and deleted a lot of the natural habitat. Just to be able to give a little bit of it back, that's one of our (goals)."

The couple and their 10-year-old daughter, Savanna - the last of their children still living at home - don't worry about raising the perfect lawn and keeping the shrubs neatly trimmed. But they still put a lot of time and effort into the yard.

"We try not to do too much cleaning up in the yard," Elmore said. "We want to keep it natural. A lot of it is just thinking in a different way and not having your yard so pristine."

It was Savanna McCall's idea to apply for the certificate, which now is posted near the street outside their home just a short step from a busy city thoroughfare.

To earn the federation's designation, awarded through a program begun in 1973, they must provide food, water, cover and habitat for a variety of insects and animals.

They had to document that the yard has three sources of food for wildlife. The family has a hummingbird feeder and have put out birdseed, suet and mealworms for birds. They've also kept dead trees in place so woodpeckers can tap into them.

They have birdbath, nesting boxes and a bat house.

Roxanne Paul, an assistant coordinator with the federation, said the organization also looks for at least two sustainable gardening practices, such as using native plants and cutting back on the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

The McCall-Elmores fit those specifications, and also use a soaker hose for watering, leave plant beds intact over the winter and use fireplace ashes as fertilizer.

Paul said North Carolina has nearly 2,700 sites certified as wildlife habitat in the program, out of 69,000 such sites nationwide. The North Carolina Wildlife Federation is one of the national group's most active affiliates, she said.

"It's really been taking off the last few years," Paul said. "I think a lot of it is because almost everyone lives in a community where there's some development going on. Most people miss having as much natural habitat around, and it's a way that people can give back.

The sites include schools, homes and commercial properties, and range from city balconies to undeveloped properties with hundreds of acres. Paul's own one-acre property in Vienna, Va., also has earned the designation.

"You don't need to have an acre lot," she said. "It's really more quality than quantity."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information from: The Herald-Sun, http://www.herald-sun.com

hummingbird feeder : Hummingbirds flit to sweet feeders

2006-07-31T01:15:00.000-07:00

By ANN WALLACE
The Leaf-Chronicle

Watching whales in the ocean was a favorite pastime for Vi Piercey while growing up in Newfoundland, now she's happy and content to gaze at hummingbirds feeding near the patio of her Clarksville home.

In fact, Vi and her husband, Bob, who also grew up in Newfoundland, have enjoyed their hummingbird hobby for more than 20 years.

"They are fascinating little creatures," Vi says.

Hummingbirds, tiny birds weighing 2 to 20 grams, survive on flowering plant nectar and insects. These migratory birds fly by rotating their wings in a rotation that resembles a helicopter.

According to the Hummingbird Society, www.hummingbirdsociety.org, these delicate birds "consume enormous amounts of food each day, with nectar often amounting to twice their body weight. Insects provide protein for their diet."

Sugar — a must for a hummingbird — provides that rush of energy necessary to sustain that distinctive hummingbird hover.

The Pierceys use a conventional hummingbird feeder to meet each winged visitor's need for sweets.

Bob and Vi, who have been married 48 years, enjoy spending time outside on their sun porch waiting for and watching their iddy-biddy feathered friends.

Bob mixes a concoction of one-part sugar and four-parts water to feed the hummingbirds and changes the contents of the feeder every seven to 10 days.

"We can sit out here throughout the day and, after a little while, see hummingbirds," Vi says.

They also occasionally see bees and wasps — a common by-product of the sugary solution in the hanging feeder.

To keep unwanted guests away, the Hummingbird Society recommends setting up a second feeder using a three-to-two-parts water to one-part sugar ratio. Once the bees and wasps have zeroed in on the second feeder, move it to a different area less dangerous to humans and the hummingbirds.

Another pest problem that confronts hummingbird enthusiasts is ants, but Bob has remedied that aggravation as well.

"You take the top cap off a spray paint can and secure it on the hanging string above the feeder, then fill the cap with oil," Bob says, "The ants crawl down the string and are deterred by the oil, which keeps the ants from clogging up the feeder holes for the birds."

The Pierceys say their tranquil hobby is relaxing and easy.

For people interested in learning more about hummingbirds, information seminars are scheduled next weekend at Woodlands Nature Station at Land Between the Lake National Recreational Area.

Ann Wallace is a features writer for The Leaf-Chronicle. She can be reached at 245-0287 or by e-mail at annwallace@theleafchronicle.com.

Originally published July 30, 2006

hummingbird feeder : Mr. Positive

2006-07-25T22:45:00.000-07:00

Les Tiede looks on the bright side of life
By KEN THOMAS/Staff Reporters

There are people in this world who always see the glass as being half full.

Such is the like of Les Tiede, who always looks for the bright side of life and tries to spread a little sunshine wherever he goes.

Tiede first came to the attention of the Daily Citizen when he wanted to share a story about some amazing hollyhocks he has grown on the side of his apartment building on Cherokee Lane.

"I measured the tallest one at

9 feet 10 inches high," said Les, who got the seed from one that had sprouted up near an electrical box on the nearby hill. "I got the seed a couple years ago. Some people think you have to bury the seeds, but you just have to scratch the ground a little and just lightly cover them over. I didn't know there would be that many colors. Some of them are doubles and each blossom looks like a corsage."

The neighbors couldn't be happier, as the mulch along their side of the building did nothing more than attract moles, mice and earwigs.

Les has experienced much in nearly 84 years; his birthday is on Aug. 16. He was born on a farm on the east side of Madison, and later pursued a career in the corrections system in Waupun.

"I was a bellboy at the Crow Bar Hotel for 30 years," he said. "Now I've got the best job I ever had — working for Dolittle & Sitmore."

When he moved to Beaver Dam 11 years ago, he brought his woodworking skills with him. He was one of the most dedicated helpers in the woodworking shop at the Beaver Dam Senior Center and helped incorporate the bluebird project, designed to build houses to increase the area's dwindling bluebird population. One of his more innovative designs has a hole in the bottom.

"I got that idea from 'Birds and Blooms' magazine," Tiede said. "And I sold them all over. There are eight of the them that are going to Texas."

He points at a box filled with the birdhouses ready for shipment.

His skills as a woodworker are widely known through his travels in a camper that he hauled to Texas, Arizona, California and other destinations — many to see his two sons.

"I've been all over," Tiede said.

The camper is now for sale, since his wife Josephine finds walking difficult and traveling is not as easy as it once was.

Josephine is from Reedsburg. They met on a blind date.

Other crafts in his tidy garage, plastered with pin-ups, are weather vanes, hummingbird feeder hangers and his well-known gag items.

"When I go to a restaurant pull out my three piece chicken dinner," he said, showing a small wooden box containing three kernels of corn. "I made 300 of them for Schaumburg Supper Club. They put their address on the back and sold them to customers so they would remember the place. They were tickled to death to have them."

His gag stool sample is a film container holding a tiny three-legged seat.

"When I showed that to my doctor he almost fell off his chair. He said, 'I have to have one of those.'"

A polish briefcase is a pair of underwear attached to a wooden handle.

"This one comes as a set with a tie and a pin," he said, showing two cut-outs with a hole drilled in the center of a wooden number.

"It's a hole in one," Tiede said, adding they were big sellers at a local golf shop.

The latter is made of black walnut, although Les has used woods of other varieties as well.

"I have walnut, cherry — all different stuff. Right now we're getting the best wood we ever had (at the senior center) from Northwoods Paper Converting. "Usually we got used wood. Now we get the cut-offs from pallet making at Northwoods. There's some yellow pine — some white."

Other items include the world's smallest washer and dryer, consisting of a steel washer next to two tiny dowels with a string stretched between them.

A rectangle of wood with a half cut-out stands with two tiny nails in the lower half.

What is it? A tacks shelter, of course!"

"I've got about 50 different things altogether," Tiede said, after pulling out cigar box after cigar box of his tiny, gloss finished novelties and puzzles.

"Would you like some fat free mixed nuts?" he asked, holding out a wooden container concealing three steel nuts of various sizes.

The jokes keep on coming when he shows a wooden post about two feet high, with an attached outlet box and a water spigot.

"I'm always doing things to have fun," he said, describing how fellow campers would try to plug in appliances of fill a coffee pot in the morning.

"I like to run a cord to it and toss the other end under the camper," he said. "It sure did fool a lot of people."

He made dozens of the Polish rocking chairs (adaptable to the nationality of your choice) with rockers going side to side. He also picked on the Poles with his Polish compass, consisting of a small round container holding a small circle of mirror.

"It can't tell you where you are, but it will tell you who's lost," he said, wearing a sly grin.

He typed up special labels calling them a Norwegian compass which he handed out to people on a Norwegian ship on a Caribbean cruise.

"I gave one to the captain and he just loved it," Tiede said. "That was a good trip. I saw fish there that I haven't seen since World War II!"

And the stories continue, along with the jokes.

"He's got a million of them," said Josephine, smiling warmly at the antics of her light hearted husband.

"You've got to laugh as much as you can," he said, realizing that he is the subject of his wife's joke. "If you can't laugh a little, what good is living?"

Few would argue that he isn't right.

hummingbird feeder : How to hit for the cycle — the Rondell White way!

2006-07-23T22:03:00.000-07:00

A dispatch from Corn Dog Corner, filed by W.i. Fly of Austin: "Some wag called the Common Man on KFAN with this beauty: 'Hey, Common. Rondell White hit for the cycle: He flew out, grounded out, popped out, and struck out.' "

Life as we know it

Sleep Apnea Division (cont.)

R.J. of Hammond, Wis.: "CPAPer's advice about the seriousness of sleep apnea and the importance of dealing with it was entirely accurate. However, I would be terribly discouraged by his or her comment that 'it took about three nights' to be able to keep the mask on all night. It took me three months to be able to tolerate it all night. I was the Queen of Claustrophobia — and to make matters worse, my first machine was one that adjusted to changes in my airway automatically and then recorded the data so that the technician could program a device for me. But the constant change in pressure really was irritating. Even after I finally was able to fall asleep with the mask on (and eventually it was very comforting to fall asleep without feeling my throat collapsing), I would still take the mask off in my sleep and have no memory of it at all. I really had a Love/Hate relationship with the thing for quite a while.

"When there was at last enough data to be able to program a device for me, I got one with constant pressure, and it was much, much easier. I was able to tolerate it almost immediately. About eight months later, I still have bouts where it's difficult to keep it on all night, and I even have some nights where I have a hard time falling asleep with it, but those times are the exception now. It gets easier and easier, and I would hate to be without it now. I put off dealing with the apnea for years because I was convinced that I could never tolerate the CPAP mask. I was wrong.

"For those who are struggling with it or have given up, keep trying. It really isn't impossible. Just commit yourself to trying it, however briefly, every night, for as long as it takes. If necessary, ask your doctor for a prescription for sleep medication until you get used to it. I think you'll find it's worth it. I know I don't miss my husband waking me up half a dozen times in the night to tell me: 'You're not breathing. BREATHE! BREATHE!' "

And now Mrs. Bone of Mac-Groveland: "One thing that seems to be overlooked by the medical establishment is the effect of sleep apnea on the spouse/sleep partner of those suffering with the problem.

"Just try sleeping peacefully next to someone who tosses, turns, thrashes, snores like a 747, and audibly stops breathing many times a night. Oh, and then there's the daily one- to two-hour after dinner nap when the family must tiptoe around the sleep-apnea patient as he/she catches up on the zzz's lost each night. (So much for quality family time. …)

"I discovered that sleep partners will wake (partially) along with the sleep-apnea sufferer, waiting for them to stop breathing so they can startle them into taking a regular breath. The morning tension headaches/neck stiffness I'd been experiencing for three years were due to clenching my teeth at night, in anticipation of Mr. Bone's abnormal breathing patterns (after visits to a regular doctor, an MRI, visits to a head/neck specialist, yoga classes and regular chiropractic care failed to pinpoint the source of the problem).

"Mr. Bone got a CPAP machine this past January. The noise the machine makes is much quieter than the snoring. My nights and my head are MUCH better."

Our birds, ourselves

A Bird Lover in Wisconsin: "I just read about the hummingbird in a garage that couldn't find its way out. A simpler solution (simpler than using a ladder and climbing up in the rafters) would be to put a hummingbird feeder in the open doorway. When the bird flies down for a drink of nectar, he will then fly away outside. He may not fly down when you are around, but he will soon see it — just as he did the red handle on the garage door's safety-release cable to get in."

Cuisine nostalgique

Watermelon Pickle Division

Morning Glory: "In re-sponse to IGHGrampa on 7/14:

"My mother also canned watermelon-rind pickles. I loved them, but as time went on and we didn't eat much watermelon and Mom grew older, I had to find a substitute. I did, in the pickle aisle of the grocery store (usually on the top shelf): Bryant's watermelon-rind pickles. They are the closest I've ever come to Mom's. In addition, they have cantaloupe-rind pickles. (Haven't tried them). Also: Read's German potato salad comes very close to Mom's."

Not exactly what they had in mind

Walt of Wayzata: "In the Red Star Trombone of July 19, the big obituary is for 'Gwen Harvey Fogarty, media activist.' The subheadline says: 'Known as Gwen Harvey when she was a local TV pioneer at WCCO, Fogarty advocated for people with mental disabilities on the air in the mid-1960s.' It certainly has worked out well. All you have to do is watch the 10 o'clock news on any channel!"

Oopps!

Or: Unstuck in time

Sharon of Roseville: "Just leave it to the St. Paul Pioneer Press to beat out its competitors!

"Ancestry.com adds new databases every day, including newspaper obituaries. I just checked, and 83 Minnesota newspapers have provided online access to obituaries. Most of them cover a time period between 2003 and 2006. Our favorite newspaper is providing obituaries from 2004 to 2077. [Bulletin Board says: See http://tinyurl.com/hhckn.]

"I'm afraid to type in my name, because I might get more information than I bargained for."

Oopp's!

The Farm Boy of St. Paul: "I've spotted another job for the Apostrophe Redistribution Center. Increasingly, I see a single open-quote mark used in place of an apostrophe, in order to depict letters missing at the beginning of a word, or in place of the first two digits of a year. (An abbreviation of 2006, for example is written as '06 instead of the proper '06.)

"I know why this is. Yes, it's the computer's fault. Computers don't want to insert an apostrophe immediately after a blank space. If the apostrophe key is struck following a blank space rather than another character, the computer thinks a single open-quote is the correct punctuation. But a human is ultimately responsible for the output of the computer, and this tendency to errantly substitute a single open-quote for an apostrophe can be overridden by an observant human operator.

"And the effort should be made to do so. Because I'm not talking just about throwaway, inter-office memos. I see this mistake on giant billboards, and in fancy television graphics — places where much time and money has been expended to make a good impression. And horror of horrors, I've even seen it creep into Bulletin Board. (Of course, I'm certain that's totally the computer's fault.)"

BULLETIN BOARD SAYS: 'Twould please us greatly if 'twere so.

The great comebacks

Or: CAUTION! Words at Play!

David the Scudderite: "My son was having a minor computer problem: Whenever he created a new word-processing file, rather than a blank document, he'd get one with text from something he'd deleted weeks ago. After suggesting several technical interventions, none of which was successful, I proposed that perhaps the spirit of the original document was unable to rest and that Ben was the victim of a textual haunting.

"He shot back: 'Do you know a good textorcist?' "

'I was misinformed'

Lulu of Hudson, Wis.: "I was struck by one line in a recent movie that I think I can use.

"In 'The Family Stone,' Sarah Jessica Parker meets her boyfriend's family for the first time. She is in a bar with the boyfriend's brother, played by Luke Wilson. Things are not going well for Sarah, so Luke tells her: 'Settle down. You are flying your freak flag.'

"The Bird and Pooh are going to love using that one on me, as 'Yes, Mom, it's all about you' is getting old."

Band Name of the Day:

Red Star and the Trombones

Web Site of the Day:

A primer on sleep apnea, at http://familydoctor.org/212.xml

hummingbird feeder : Houston is a migratory pit stop on the hummingbird highway

2006-07-18T02:11:00.000-07:00

By GARY CLARK
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Get ready for the influx of ruby-throated hummingbirds. Thousands of the little sprites will be flying through Houston from late July to October.

Male ruby-throats with their glistening red throat feathers called gorgets will begin showing up within the next two weeks. Some have already arrived. Their bright red gorgets are actually the result of feather structures bending light waves like a prism to reveal the red spectrum.

But there's no red gorget on the females. So one way to identify them is by the white spots on the outer tail feathers. Males lack those white tail spots. Juvenile males look almost identical to females but often have tiny red blotches on the throat.

Females will begin arriving in August, followed a little later by juveniles.

Ruby-throated hummers migrating through Houston are on their way from breeding grounds farther north in eastern North America to wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America. Their numbers peak in mid-September and trail off by the end of October.

They'll stick around for days or weeks at a time as they build up body fat by guzzling nectar from flowers and sugar water from hummingbird feeders. Increased body fat fuels their grueling flight over or around the Gulf of Mexico to Latin America.

Female ruby-throats are pugnacious, fiercely defending a hummingbird feeder or nectar flower not only against each other but also against males and juveniles.

Watch a female as she stakes out a hummingbird feeder. She'll perch on a nearby twig, coming to sip nectar periodically and bushwhacking any other hummingbird that tries to slurp nectar at the feeder.

Watching a hummingbird poke its long thin beak into a tubular flower or a feeder gives the illusion that the bird is sucking nectar through its beak, like sucking through a straw. Not so. The hummingbird laps up nectar with capillary action and tubular membranes in a tongue that can extend well beyond the tip of the beak.

Attracting ruby-throats to your backyard requires fresh water, shelter and nectar. Fresh water can be provided in a shallow birdbath, shelter can be provided by trees and shrubs, and nectar can come from flowers or hummingbird feeders.

Nectar-rich tubular flowers such as salvia and buddleia can be grown in a garden or placed in containers on a deck or patio. Hummingbird feeders filled with one part white table sugar to four parts tap water furnish birds nutrition similar to flower nectar.

The old saw that you should take hummingbird feeders down before winter so that hummingbirds will migrate is malarkey. The presence of a feeder cannot impede the biological forces impelling migration.

Naturalist Gary Clark and photographer Kathy Adams Clark can be reached at http://home.houston.rr.com/wondersofnature/.

hummingbird feeder : Saying goodbye is hard when you've made your house a home

2006-07-10T01:19:00.000-07:00

Angela E. Lackey, Midland Daily News
07/09/2006

How do you say goodbye to something that nurtured you body and soul for five years?
It was our 10th wedding anniversary and I was sick. I was about to get sicker. Our real estate agent called and said a young couple wanted to buy our home.
Now this was the deal when my husband, David, and I moved to Midland seven years ago. He was going to build a house, putting sweat equity into it, and eventually we would sell and make a profit.
But I soon knew I didn’t want to stick to the deal. After the call, my emotions went into high gear. I looked outside a window at the full green trees and cried. I noticed the hummingbird feeder and worried if the new owners would feed the birds their sugar water.
I remembered the ceramic tiles that David spent so much time cutting and fitting on the bathroom floor and vanity. I saw the little flower garden plaque that said "God Bless this Home" and fell to my knees, crying.
The flower petals felt so soft. The woods seemed so calm. The porch, a perfect place to sit on a summer day, suddenly seemed neglected. Why had I worked so much when I could have been relaxing there?
Each part of the house had a memory. There were memories of love and arguments that hurt badly. There were times of playing Scrabble on the dining room table and reading books together on the couch, feet touching feet.
There was our outdoor ‘pet,’ the black squirrel. David made a bird feeder, but the squirrel felt it was his food. Nothing we did kept the squirrel out until David put a steel cone underneath the feeder.
The black squirrel took a flying leap from our porch, hit the cone and bounced off. He stood outside our window for minutes, making angry noises. We were sure he was telling us off.
Several days after the call, our agent came with the papers. I was still unwilling to let go of the house and threatened not to sign them. But wasn’t I suppose to want this? We had been trying to sell the house for more than two years.
I watched as David signed each page. Then it was my turn. I read every word, questioning every single thing. I was stalling.
Finally, I signed each page. Then I cried and ran out of the room.
It did get better. We took a walk in the woods one last time. I stopped crying when I looked at the trees or thought about the birds. I started packing for the move.
Thursday was closing day. I sat in my car for a while, thinking of the past five years. I knew then it was over. I was turning over my home to strangers, trusting they would appreciate all the beauty and hard work that went into it.
Now David is drawing up plans for the next house. And I can’t wait to hear the hammering of nails in the middle of the woods.

©Midland Daily News 2006

hummingbird feeder : Trouble bruin at hummingbird feeders

2006-07-07T01:49:00.000-07:00

By Sylvia Brockner
07/06/2006

This week, my article consists of replies to correspondence from two readers. In reply to HBL’s request for information about hummingbird feeders attracting bears: Yes, they do. Black bears love sweets, and hummingbird nectar is sweet enough for the local bruins to find them very attractive. They also will destroy your feeder trying to get to the nectar.

I have found two possible solutions to this problem. The simplest is to just bring your feeder in every night. Hummingbirds feed late, and they need that last food to see them through the night. Watch the feeders at dusk, and you will see that they continue to feed until it’s almost dark. When they are no longer feeding, bring your feeders in. The problem with this method is that hummingbirds also feed very early in the morning. So you need to get your feeders back outside by shortly after dawn. As soon as the sun pops over the horizon, they will be waiting for “their” feeder to be returned.

Because I don’t like to get up at the early hour of summer sunrise, I am trying an alternative. I have all my seed feeders hanging from T-bars with pulleys. They are about 15 feet above ground, and a 5-gallon paint pail turned upside down over the top of the pole keeps squirrels, raccoons and bears from climbing the pole to the food. This is also the only way I can keep elk and deer from emptying the seed feeders. They are too high for them to reach. Since we do not need as many seed feeders during the summer, I have put a hummingbird feeder on one of the T-bars. It seems to be working out as far as keeping the bears away from it, but the hummingbirds are not used to feeding that high. They look all around at lower levels, but will eventually get used to it.

As to seed feeders attracting voles, the pulley T-bar system keeps any vole or mouse from reaching the food supply. However, if food spills on the ground, it might well attract mice or voles, but I have never seen one beneath our feeders. The only rat or mouse I have ever seen beneath our seed feeders was one cave or pack rat. They are native animals and present no real problem.

Moles are uncommon here, but pocket gophers are very common. Neither of them comes out of their tunnels very often and, therefore, are little problem at feeders. They do, however, raise havoc with gardens, eating roots, tubers and bulbs, which they find below ground.

If you have seed accumulating on the ground beneath your feeder, try putting out a little less seed each morning. The golden-mantled ground squirrels, least chipmunks, junco and mourning doves clean up any seed that falls beneath our feeders during the day. If they consume any feed that was available on the ground, then there is nothing left for the night prowlers. In addition, it is wise to clean your feeders and the ground beneath them about once a week to help prevent the spread of bird diseases.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife feels very strongly about feeding wildlife. And it’s illegal. Therefore, if you do not want to pay a fine, it is a good idea to fix your feeders so they do not supply food for any of the wild critters.

In reply to a letter from MAD: Your question about spraying trees for pine beetle is difficult to answer. Do not spray any more than is absolutely necessary. I know that if you have a serious outbreak, it is probably necessary to spray, but wait until August if possible. Hummingbirds are often through nesting by then and out of the nest. You probably should take your feeders down for a week before your spraying date. If they can’t find food in your yard, they may move to some neighbor’s feeders where they are not spraying. Although many sprays are advertised as being “bird safe,” you need to be aware that hummingbirds weigh less than an ounce. It takes only an infinitesimal amount of any toxin to affect them. Another less-considered problem is that most insecticides kill any insect, not just the pine beetle. Therefore, all of the tiny insects that hummingbirds normally consume will also be killed, leaving the hummingbird without food. In this year of drought, when there are practically no wildflowers, they especially need their insect food.

After the spraying has been completed and everything has dried off and dissipated, try putting your feeds out again in about a week. This will help any local birds still around and migrants that will be coming through. Most of the hummingbirds will have left for the south by about Sept. 20.

hummingbird feeder : RV nomads find a different road to a rich life

2006-07-03T02:15:00.000-07:00

01:34 PM CDT on Sunday, July 2, 2006

RED RIVER, N.M. – While much of the country is suffering from overwhelming heat, Jim and Chris Rett are enjoying the cool temperatures at 8,900 feet. In summer, days here average 75 degrees. Nights average 38 degrees.

"When it gets hot," Jim says, "you can move north – or you can move up. Up is closer."

Rich people have done this kind of move for centuries.

Wealthy Texans have fled the heat and humidity of Dallas, Houston and San Antonio for decades, escaping to Santa Fe during its summer monsoon season or on to Red River, which some have called "Little Texas."

But Jim and Chris Rett aren't rich people. At least they aren't rich by the usual definition – having lots of money.

I call them Reimagined People.

Officially, they are domiciled in South Dakota, but they have never lived there for any period of time. At ages 58 and 55, they are in their fourth year as "full-timers" – people who live in an RV and travel the country.

Earlier this year, they were living in Big Bend National Park. Come October, they will leave Red River.

I met Jim while admiring the hummingbird feeder planted outside his 30-foot New Horizons "fifth wheel," having just bent the stout metal rod of my own hummingbird feeder on the incredibly solid soil at the Road Runner RV Resort.

Jim and Chris are camp hosts – meaning they exchange some time helping operate the resort for an RV spot, free electricity, propane, cable TV and laundry access. This allows them to avoid about $900 a month in cash expenses.

"This is a surprisingly inexpensive way to live," Jim told me.

How inexpensive?

Try $2,000 a month for expenses, including medical insurance, and an additional $200-a-month reserve for federal income taxes. That, he told me, is what they've averaged per month this year.

Earlier, when they traveled more and did not serve as camp hosts, their expenses ran to $3,000 a month, he said.

Then again, their expenses in Big Bend were about $1,350 a month, nearly half of which went for medical insurance.

"You don't spend much money when you have to drive 80 miles to a grocery store," Chris smiled. It also helps to live in an RV – when you buy something new, something old has to leave.

It is common to view "early retirees" as a euphemism for corporate cast-offs, as the victims of an increasingly desolate corporate culture that views people as expenses rather than assets. But you don't have to spend much time with Jim and Chris to understand that they are true free agents, unencumbered.

They aren't rich. They aren't poor. They aren't victims. They are people who examined their lives and decided to leave the 9-to-5 world behind. They went on to build the healthy, active, outdoor life that most people on the planet would envy.

Jim said he was a mechanical engineer, explaining that he and Chris had always lived below their income and had spent years living on a sailboat in the Pacific Northwest.

When it rains

Just before their shift to full-time RVing, Jim had been teaching at a community college. Then two of his colleagues quit, and he had to teach five courses a semester.

"And we had 77 consecutive days of rain," he added. After those 77 days, they decided it was time to invent a new life.

They sold their paid-off house and most of their possessions. Jim converted a major part of his savings into a life annuity. They ordered a custom-made fifth wheel, adding solar power, extra batteries, more windows, XM Satellite radio and other goodies. It cost about $75,000.

Jim, always an engineer, customized a relatively small GM truck to increase its torque and horsepower so it could pull the 15,000 pounds of trailer and contents. The truck brought their total investment, paid in cash, to nearly $115,000.

Is that a lot?

For many, yes. With a careful purchase of used tow vehicle and trailer, I figure you can be on the road for less than $50,000. But here in America, the Land of the Infinite Upgrade, it's also possible to spend much, much more.

Avoiding the ersatz glitz of many RVs – the bizarre carved velvet couches, the ludicrous beveled glass cabinet fronts, the plethora of flat-panel televisions and other touches that make $500,000 motor homes feel like mobile bordellos – the Retts custom-designed their fifth wheel with birch cabinets, simple flooring and crisp, brushed stainless-steel fittings. The result is a bright, airy and very efficient one-bedroom apartment on wheels.

Then they hit the road, gravitating toward the Southwest. They spend time in Arizona and California. But they've also windsurfed Laguna Madre by Padre Island – and they ride their bicycles everywhere.

Both are lean and fit. Both love to cook and are quick to admit that they spend more than $600 a month on food.

A catch?

Is there a fly somewhere in all this ointment?

I don't think so.

They live on less than their current income. They are living on what they will eventually receive in Social Security benefits alone.

And when Jim shared their investments with me, I entered it all in ESPlanner, the dynamic programming software that was the subject of a recent column series.

What did it tell me? At an assumed return of 7 percent, just 4 percent over inflation, they could safely live to 95 – even if they doubled their spending.

So there it is – free time, airport-free travel, a healthy life and more income than you need. It's available today, not tomorrow. It requires some savings – more than most people have. But it doesn't require a fortune.

The real price of entry is the courage of reimagination.

hummingbird feeder : How to woo a hummer in summer

2006-06-30T02:13:00.000-07:00

Stories by
DEBRA McKINNEY
Anchorage Daily News

Published: June 11, 2006
Last Modified: June 11, 2006 at 04:52 AM

Want to encounter a hummer this summer? To increase your odds, hang a hummingbird feeder and plant the kinds of flowers they like.

As for feeders, go basic, said hummingbird researcher Stacy Jon Peterson of Eagle River.

"A lot of people will have fancy glass feeders with tubes and all this stuff. A feeder that has a lot of nooks and crannies can get a lot of mold growing in it, so I like simple ones."

Nectar ferments quickly, so feeders must be cleaned and fresh nectar added at least once a week -- in hot weather, every three days or so. When the nectar starts to look cloudy, it's time. If you see black spots, it's time too. That's mold.

To clean a feeder, go at it with hot water and a bottle brush. Do not use soap. Once a month or so, soak the feeder for an hour in a solution of a quarter-cup bleach and a gallon of water, then wash it thoroughly with hot water and a bottle brush and allow it to air-dry.

There's no reason to buy commercial nectars with additional vitamins and protein. It's a waste of money, Peterson explains on his Web site, www.trochilids.com. Hummingbirds get their protein and other nutrients from eating bugs and spiders.

To make nectar, mix one part granulated sugar and four parts water -- a quarter cup to a whole cup makes plenty. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or two. Boiling helps the sugar dissolve faster but isn't necessary. It doesn't make the nectar last longer.

Never use artificial sweeteners. Never use honey. And definitely do not add red food coloring. Most feeders have red parts on them, and that's enough to attract birds.

Red dye hasn't been shown to cause cancer in hummingbirds, Peterson said. It has, however, caused cancer in mice in the kinds of concentrations used in some commercially made nectars.

Ants can be a problem if feeders are leaky. Some feeders come with ant guards. They can also be purchased as add-ons. Among home remedies found on the Internet is greasing the feeder hanger with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil. But Peterson said that's not a good idea because birds can get it on their feathers.

Bees can be troublesome, too. They apparently can't see red well but are attracted to yellow. If your feeder has yellow parts, take them off or paint them red.

Hummingbirds are fond of nasturtiums, fuchsia, salvia -- all kinds of flowers that produce good nectar. Lobelia, lilac, cosmos, bee balm, columbine, impatiens, hollyhock, petunias, nicotiana, geraniums, begonias.

"They tend to prefer reds, but they'll investigate any bright color," Peterson said. "It's interesting, though -- a lot of hybrid plants that we grow for beauty don't produce a nectar the hummingbirds eat."

hummingbird feeder : Use MSN Search and Win Prizes...Again!

2006-06-27T23:30:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

MSN has loaded up the prize wagon again and is giving out free stuff to users of their search engine. A Few months ago they tried a similar contest that hast been an ongoing thing that most people have forgotten about, so to pump new life into the contest MSN has added all new prizes to their Search And Win Contest. Some of the new prizes include: Lots of gift certificates, travel vouchers, golf clubs, electronics and more. And just like last time the keywords you need to search for to trigger a chance to win are in the source code. I wonder if Nick from threadwatch's hack still works?

Here's the list:
charity, donation, fund raising, donate, donor, united way, volunteerism, peace corp, katrina, burberry, art, fine art, disaster relief, pilates, organic, conservation, preservation, historic preservation, moveon.org, sierra club, bono, bill gates, bill and melinda gates, melinda gates, cartier, sotheby, caviar, food, wine, philanthropy, red cross, environment, foundation, homeless, philanthropic, volunteer , public television, tsunami, booster club, pta, school district, auction, fund raiser, jungle party, saint jude's, st. jude's, marlo thomas, one.org, one world, net jets, mandarin oriental, french laundry, gucci, vertu, fine wine, port, bordeaux, burgundy, theaters, movie theaters, theatres, movie theatres, AMC, AMC theaters, movie listing, movie listings, top movies, top blockbusters, blockbusters, movie reviews, hollywood, summer blockbusters, box office, box office hit, Just my luck, popcorn, movie critics, fandango, jack black, will ferrell, luke wilson, owen wilson, Akeelah, V for vendetta, cinerama, film festival, MI3, Mission Impossible 3, American Dreamz, Previews, PG-13, Loews Cineplex Odeon, showtimes, Regal Cinemas, United Artists, Paramount, Fox, Universal, Warner Brothers, tri-star, golf, golf club, golf accessories, golf putter, golf ball, PGA, michelle wie, tiger woods, golf swing, fairway, irons, wedges, putters, drivers, pine valley, greg norman, jack nicklaus, golf handicap, caddy, hole in one, sand trap, tee, golf tee, tee time, green fee, green fees, usga, gortex, polar fleece, polartec, fleece, backcountry, back country, hiking, mountaineer, mountineering, crampons, rock climbing, climbing, nordic skiing, cross country skiing, cross-country skiing, cross country ski, cross-country ski, randonee, randonee skiing, randonee ski, snowshoe, snowshoes, snowshoeing, snowshoing, telemark, telemark skiing, telemark ski, telemark skiis, belay, belaying, black diamond, blackdiamond, headlamp, head lamp, climbing harness, climbing gear, Magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), chalk, chalk bag, climber's chalk, climbing chalk, carabiner, bouldering, top-roping, top roping, piolet canne, piolet ramasse, piolet panne, piolet poignard, piolet ancre, piolet traction, Abalakov V-Thread, ice pitons, pitons, outdoor, outdoor gear, camping, camping gear, camping supply, camping supplies, sno park, sno park permit, forest service permit, sno park pass, snow park, snow park permit, snow park pass, electronics, home theater, consumer electronics, dvd player, cd player, stereo, stereos, stereo equipment, pc, computer, desktop, notebook, laptop, software, hardware, dvd burner, satellite television, satellite tv, XMRadio, Sirius , Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, Monster Cable, Bose, Panasonic, Pioneer, sofa, chair, table, dining room, living room, bedroom, registry, bridal registry, placemats, napkins, table settings, plates, glasses, kitchen ware, William Sonoma, gourmet foods, gourmet, gourmet cooking, cookware, gourmet cookware, specialty foods, kitchen appliances, kitchen equipment, tableware, gift packages, cookbook, waring, pressure cooking, slow cooker, henkel, wustoff, donvier, baking, ramekin, pyrex, zyliss, good grips, oxo, krups, calphalon, le creuset, printer, printer cartridge, printer refills, home office, desk, cable modem, high speed internet, DSL, all in one printer, scanner, telecommute, city year, susan g komen foundation, make a wish foundation, ronald mcdonald house, slow food movement, magic johnson, technology access foundation, TAF, unicef, care, american red cross, habitat for humanity, Oxfam, save the children, Weber, barbeque, BBQ, ribs, outdoor grill, party, boy meets grill, hamburgers, rotisserie, corn, corn on the cob, kebab, kebabs, grill, grilled meat, hamburger, bun, alder smoked, smoker, smoke house, smoked, wood chips, ligher fluid, charcoal starter, BBQ Sauce, steak, charcoal, propane, propane tank, side burner, BTU, blue rhino, alder chips, cedar chips, picnic, meat thermometer, grilling, steak sauce, dry rub, Netflix, movies, DVDs, top video rentals, online movie rental, videos, video rental, Hollywood movies, top videos, top dvd rentals, top dvds, online dvd rentals, online video rentals, dvds online, videos online, sopranos, six feet under, sex in the city, entourage, brokeback mountain, pay per view, cable tv, on demand, blockbuster, actor, actress, academy award, academy award winner, oscar, oscar winner, movie studio, movie, motion picture, flick, feature, documentary, indie, indie films, IFC, foreign film, Golden Lion, Palm D'or, director, best director, film, celluloid, thespian, big screen, feature film, Home Depot, home improvement, doors, lumber, windows, roof, tools, lighting, decks, landscape, garden, insulation, building materials, bark, mulch, gardening, lighting fixtures, light bulbs, wheel barrel, planter, plumbing, decking, hammer, stanley, black and decker, outdoor lighting, motion detector, beauty bark, compost, garden supplies, landscape maintenance, chainsaw, chain saw, fertilizer, weed and feed, turf builder, turf, sod, seeder, annuals, perennials, landscape lighting, rake, hoe, garden hoe, shovel, trowel, soil, potting soil, diatomaceous earth, gopher traps, vermiculite, pest control, slug bait, slug and snail, snail bait, weed control, gardens, weeds, plant stakes, tomato cages, tomato cage, sprayer, pressure washer, tractor mower, edger, lawn, grass, grass seed, lawn mower, car maintenance, oil change, tuneup, tune up, tune-up, tire, tires, tire rotation, oil filter, air filter, muffler, carborator, car parts, car repair, coolant, windshield washer, windshield wiper, wiper fluid, brake fluid, brake pads, rotor, fan belt, antifreeze, wiper blade, wiper blades, timing chain, oil pan, 10w-40, Honda, Mazda, Toyota, Ford, BMW, Mercedes, used cars, kelly blue book, viscosity, outdoor furniture, smith and hawken, plants, pool, swimming pool, avignon, picnic table, deck furniture, lounge chair, lanterns, deck cushions, chair cushions, furniture covers, fountains, trellises, fences, window boxes, planters, pots, garden tools, solar lighting, greenhouses, bulbs, tullips, orchids, topiaries, ferns, bonsai trees, roses, trees, vines, wreaths, english roses, tea roses, climbing roses, teak garden furniture, adirondack chair, teak bench, sunbrella, bird feeder, bird bath, garden art, garden ornaments, fountain, hummingbird feeder, bat house, praying mantis, lady beetle, lady beetles, lady bugs, lady bug, trellis, greenhouse, door mat, umbrellas, satellite radio, XM radio, xm radio subscription, digital radio, internet radio, music, jazz, ellen degeneres, front row fred, bob dylan, roy orbison, opera, oprah, christian , rock, dance, latin, classical, extreme xm, air america, Sirius, fox news, family talk, high voltage, family travel, expedia, airline, plane tickets, united, southwest, delta, online travel agent, travel agent, air fare, airfare, summer travel, airline tickets, passport, visa, entry visa, europe, discount travel, travel deals, best fares, american, continental, beach travel, car rental, travel packages, cruise packages, cruises, cheap airline tickets, travel voucher, las vegas, new york city, hawaii, carribean, mexico, getaway, travel guide, corporate travel, flight status, weather, airport map, airport guide, one way tickets, AAA , travel, AAA Member Services, AAA Financial Services, financial services, car purchase, car loans, emergency road service, maps, insurance, locksmith, car battery, travel discounts, heath insurance, driving school, long term care insurance, retirement, life insurance, roadside assistance, tow truck, spare, flat tire, flat, tire iron, jump start, road trip, scenic drives, scenic routes, travel planning, route guidance, cross country drive, travel services, grand canyon, home insurance, swimsuits, swimming, women's swimsuits, men's swimsuits, children's swimsuits, swim apparel, swim bags, tote bags, mesh bags, waterproof mp3 players, goggles, jog belts, triathlon, wetsuits, water polo, life guard, water aerobics, scuba gear, swim lessons, tan line, tan lines, bikini, one piece bathing suit, bathing suit, swim trunks, speedo, speedos, beach towel, beach towels, beach blanket, sun tan, sun burn, chlorine, flip flops, zori, sun screen, sun tan oil, SPF, sun hat, beach umbrella, sunscreen, tan, tropical, sun and surf, beach volleyball, beachball, beach ball, surf, surfboard, beach chair, coppertone, bain de soleil, pool deck, base tan, tanning oil, solarcane, aloe vera, aloe vera lotion, swim, sunglasses, malibu, beach, global warming, greenhouse gas, climate change, CO2 emissions, CO2, carbon dioxide , carbon dioxide emissions, carbon sequestration, carbon neutral, ecological, ecological footprint, sustainability, sustainable living, green, green living, hybrid, SUV, Oil, Gas prices, OPEC, oil pipeline, Gaia theory, Gaia , kyoto treaty, kyoto protocol, Al Gore, recycle, An Inconvenient Truth, Too Hot Not Too Handle, Vanity Fair, Laurie David, Green energy, carbon zero, alternative energy, wind power, solar power, biofuels, biofuel, bio fuel, bio fuels, clean energy, Terrapass, Terra pass, renewable energy, emissions, emissions offset, tailpipe emissions, carbon offset, jet fuel, air pollution, pollution, biodiesel, bio diesel, gas, gasoline, motor fuel, gas mileage, mpg, miles per gallon, price of gas, cost of gas, oil prices, pump, unleaded , price per gallon, cheap gas, lowest gas prices, fuel prices, Greeting Cards, Greeting Card, anniversary announcement, anniversary announcements, anniversary note card, anniversary online card, 4 x 8, 4x8, 5 x 7, 5x7, address change stationary, announcements, change of address announcement, christening, greeting card maker, greeting cards print, making birthday cards, online card making, printable greeting card, save the date cards, save the date postcard, foto card, foto greeting card, art note card, foto cards, foto greeting cards, farewell greetings, anniversary picture, anniversary 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Posted by: Evan Roberts 10:47 AM

hummingbird feeder : garden letters

2006-06-22T23:39:00.000-07:00

AUGUST 2005

Editor's Notebook

Steve is out of town, so this month's column was written by me, Bob the water turtle (glub). As a rather shy aquatic reptile, I'm usually content to let Steve do the talking, but one issue really steams my shell (glub, glub). Immersed as ( often am in pond scum, my world is mostly green. But you humans fait to notice a great way to jazz up a green landscape-summer-blooming native azaleas. Start with sweet azalea (Rhododendron arborescens), shown at left, with fragrant, white flowers sporting spidery, red stamens. Follow that with plumleaf azalea (R. prunifolium), which bears orange-red flowers in July and August. Finish with hammocksweet azalea (R. serrulatum); it flaunts fragrant, white flowers anytime from July to September. Order them from Woodlanders, (803) 648-7522 or www.woodlanders.net.Your order will be shipped in the fall.

Now, I know what you're thinking (glub): Turtles don't use the internet. Oh, really? Who do you think has been sending you all that spam? -BOB

Question

Do you have any suggestions for landscaping to camouflage airconditioning linitS? SPRING TUCKER * WAXHAW, NORTH CAROLINA

Answer

Refrain from planting shrubs close to your AC units, because you'll need to maintain access for any future service. You also don't want to impede airflow. We suggest erecting a wood screen around the units. Wooden screen panels attached to treated 4x4 posts can be designed to be removed easily. These screen panels have spaces between slats to allow air to pass through. Place the screen at least 3 feet away from the AC units.

My yard was once a wooded area but has been cleared and sodded. Tree suckers keep sprouting through the lawn. How can I remove the buried tree stumps?

TRAClE CHRISTIAN

DENTON, TEXAS

You can't-not without destroying the lawn you worked so hard on. Regular mowing should eventually exhaust the roots and end the sprouting. To hasten the process, cut the tops off the sprouts, and then paint the cut ends with triclopyr (Brush-B-Gon) or gtyphosate (Roundup), mixed according to label directions. You may have to do this more than once.

Are you supposed to cut off the flower spikes that appear on coleus? I think they look nice and would like to leave them on.

HELEN GALLUCCI

TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA

Whether you cut or leave them really boils down to a matter of taste. Some people don't like the spikes and think that they detract from the foliage. Others say the plants grow bushier when the spikes are removed. Ultimately, if you like the spikes, just leave them. After all, it's your garden.

My beautiful border of pink dianthus stays lush and green until August, but then patches turn brown and die. What can I do about this?

M.S. BOYKIN

REMBERT, SOUTH CAROLINA

Dieback of dianthus is common in the South. The combination of summer heat, high humidity, and heavy, poorly drained soil often causes this favorite perennial to melt. To prevent this, choose a different spot to grow your dianthus next year. Plant in loose, well-drained sou where air can circulate freely, and choose selections that tolerate high heat and humidity such as 'Bewitched,' 'Bath's Pink,' and 'Firewitch.' (You can order them from Sunlight Gardens, 1-800-272-7396 or www.suniightgardens.com, or Forestfarm, (54!) 846-7269 or www.forestfarm.com.

I've discovered a great way to keep ants from traveling up the post holding my hummingbird feeder. I simply spray the post with vegetable cooking spray. The ants have given up trying to climb it. The feeder has been ant free for almost a month.

MARIE SMOOK

DOSWHLL, VIRGINIA

Tips of the Month are ideas readers say work for them. We do not test them. Submit tips on a postcard with your name, address, telephone number, and e-mai) address Io Garden Tips, Southern Living, P.O. Box 523, Birmingham, AL 35201 or by e-mail to southernliving@customersvc.com. For each tip published, you will receive a copy of the new Southern Living Garden Book.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Aug 2005
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

hummingbird feeder : Furry encounters

2006-06-20T02:13:00.000-07:00

By Mark Nale
For the CDT
We have had quite a week for wildlife in my household.

It started with running into a pair of baby raccoons while on one of our evening walks. The ring-tailed raccoons were not quite sure what to make of their first encounter with us two-legged mammals. They were curious, yet afraid, and definitely cute as they took turns attempting to hide under each other.

Of course, my daughter assumed that they were abandoned and wanted to take them home, while the rest of us insisted that it would be best if we left them alone. A compromise was reached, and we put some tuna out for them away from the highway, hoping for the best.

The following night, we were awakened by our dogs' barking. This happens dozens of times during the course of a year, and we get tired of turning on the spotlights, only to see nothing but the late-night forest that surrounds our house. Our dogs often have what we call "ghost barks." We quieted the dogs and went back to sleep thinking nothing more of it.

Vandalism was apparent the next morning. We noticed a large branch was broken off of one of our redbud trees and the bird feeder that had been attached to that limb was missing -- no ghosts this time. We had had a late night visitor -- a bear had knocked down every bird feeder, put them on a pile and proceeded to eat or lick whatever nourishment was available. All told, we lost two hummingbird feeders, two small suet feeders, a thistle seed tube feeder and an expensive metal and plastic squirrel-proof sunflower seed feeder. The squirrel-proof feeder had been well made, but it certainly was not bear-proof.

There was also evidence that the bruin had been rummaging around in our garage, but no damage was apparent. Later, 25 yards away from the house, I discovered a clear plastic pretzel tub that had been carried out of the garage. Apparently the bear had chewed it open to get the salt and the few crumbs that might have been inside. Two hanging flower baskets had also been toppled and a large potted Norfolk island pine was bent over.

I was not surprised that the bear would have been attracted to the old suet feeders. To be honest, they should have been taken down and cleaned in early April. However, the attraction to the hummingbird feeders did surprise me. Then I remembered that one of the nectar feeders had mysteriously "fallen" from its branch a few nights earlier in the week.

The hummingbirds (and the bear) had to do without nectar until our feeders were replaced two days later.

Our next animal activity was another raccoon. This time, a baby was disoriented and sitting along the side of the highway near where the other two young raccoons had been. One of its eyes was either missing or infected. It did not appear as if it had been hit with a car, but it did not run away, either. We decided to rescue this one in a sweatshirt and, without touching it, I carried it home. After calling the Game Commission, we drove it to the wildlife rehabilitator near Bellwood.

On our return trip from the rehabilitator, two baby raccoons were again along the side of the highway in the same area as before. Fortunately they scampered away. Following their direction of travel, I was able to spot a large hollow tree about 35 yards off the highway, most likely their den.

Our week-long animal encounters were yet to be over. That night, Sage, one of our Shelties, jumped up on our bed to huddle between my wife and me, and started a low growl. Then we heard a noise right outside of our bedroom. It was 1:15 a.m., about the same time of night that we had been previously awakened, but had not looked outside.

My wife looked out the window as I flipped on the rear floodlights. Just a few feet from our house, standing on its hind legs, was a bear pawing at the newly-hung hummingbird feeder in our injured redbud tree. She yelled (rather loudly), "It's a bear -- a big bear," and the medium-sized bear splashed through our small water garden, across a flowerbed, between two rhododendron bushes and took off into the woods. Any bear looks pretty big when it's only seven feet away.

We took the nectar feeders down at dusk the following night, but just as we were settling down for the night we heard a loud bang outside. After I took a few seconds to process the sound, I recognized it as the metal lid from the 30-gallon can where we store birdseed on our elevated deck.

I fully expected to see a bear on our deck when I flipped on the lights, but instead they were furry masked bandits -- three raccoons, two adults and a youngster, had popped the lid off the can and were helping themselves to the sunflower seeds. That probably had not been their first visit, either.

Several days before that, we had come down in the morning to see the lid lying on the deck and about 8 squirrels "fighting" over the chance to eat out of the can. I had assumed that a family member -- not me, of course -- had carelessly left the lid loose on top.

We have been invader-free the past few nights and hopefully removing the suet, taking in the hummingbird feeders at night and closing the garage door will discourage the bear from returning. Having a bear in the backyard does not frighten us, but it does -- and should -- make us a little more cautious before we step out the door after dark or let the dogs out for their before-bed "business."

The Game Commission puts out a news release each spring about how to avoid creating nuisance bears. Mark Ternent, bear biologist for the PGC has the following advice for homeowners wishing to avoid bear encounters:

"Now is the time to keep bears from becoming a nuisance later in the summer," Ternent said. "Bears that wander near residential areas in search of food are less likely to stay or return if they do not find anything rewarding. Conversely, if bears find food in your backyard, they quickly learn to associate residential areas with food and begin to spend more time in those areas.

"The best solution is to prevent bears from finding food at your house in the first place," Ternent continued. "Food placed outside for any reason -- whether it is food for wildlife, pets or unsecured garbage -- is food available for bears. Homeowners should remove any source of food or make it unavailable to bears."

Food placed outside for pets or wildlife, such as corn for squirrels, might attract bears, also. Even bird feeders, as we learned, can become bear feeders.

According to Audubon Pennsylvania, feeding birds during the winter months is fine, but at other times of the year you run the risk of attracting problem bears. If you do choose to feed songbirds during the summer, avoid foods that are particularly attractive for bears, such as sunflower seeds, hummingbird nectar mixes or suet. Bring feeders inside at night or suspend feeders from high crosswires, so they are at least 10 feet above the ground and away from over-hanging branches.

It should be noted that a regulation prohibiting the feeding of bears went into effect in 2003. The regulation made it unlawful to intentionally "lay or place food, fruit, hay, grain, chemical, salt or other minerals that may cause bears to congregate or habituate an area."

According to the commission, the intent of this regulation is to reduce human-bear conflicts, not to put a stop to other wildlife feeding or songbird feeding. However, the regulation enables PGC Wildlife Conservation Officers to issue written notices that direct landowners to discontinue songbird and/or other wildlife feeding if bears are being attracted to the area and causing a problem.

We have a population of about 15,000 bears in the Keystone State. Ternent noted that, although they are not strangers to Pennsylvanians, bears are often misunderstood.

Outside noises should be checked, but do not do it on foot with a flashlight. Black bears blend in too well with nighttime surroundings, providing the chance for an unwanted close encounter. Instead, do it cautiously, using outside lights to full advantage and from a safe position, such as an elevated porch or an upstairs window.

"Bears needn't be feared, nor should they be dismissed as harmless. They simply need to be respected," Ternent said.

He stressed that, in the past 25 years, fewer than 15 people have been injured by bears in Pennsylvania. More importantly, there are no known records of a Pennsylvania black bear killing a human.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mark Nale, who lives in the Bald Eagle Valley, is a biology teacher and member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association. He can be reached at MarkAngler@aol.com.

hummingbird feeder : What Gift Can I Give A Bird Lover This Christmas?

2006-06-11T22:56:00.000-07:00

Choosing gifts for any animal lovers can be quite a pleasure, as it is often a gift that is shared by the recipient with her animal friends or pets. This is especially so with bird lover gifts. People who really love birds tend to want them to enhance their gardens, to encourage ...

by Roy Thomsitt

Choosing gifts for any animal lovers can be quite a pleasure, as it is often a gift that is shared by the recipient with her animal friends or pets. This is especially so with bird lover gifts. People who really love birds tend to want them to enhance their gardens, to encourage real wild birds to visit time and again, or even stay for the breeding season.

A gift for a bird lover can therefore be a gift of life, a promotion of nature around the home, visible from the windows or while tending the garden. Encouraging wild birds to their gardens is something that millions do in the northern hemisphere, especially in the winter when many wild birds suffer from food shortages.

At Christmas, cards are commonly adorned by robins, their red breasts contrasting so vividly with the white snow. But that pretty picture can be deceiving, with the harshness of winter depriving the robin and other resident birds of the sustenance and warmth they need to survive until spring. It is that threat that brings out the best in bird lovers through those winter months.

It is not just winter, though, that encourages true bird lovers to think about the birds. In the summer, too, many Americans and Britons have taken to encouraging birds to nest in their gardens or on their homes.

What Gifts Can You Choose For A Bird Lover?

Christmas comes as the coldest of winter approaches, so if you know someone who cares for the wild birds, it can be a good time to buy a bird gift that will help them with their feeding of the birds in their garden. This will not only help the regular bird visitors to their garden, but encourage new visitors too. Sometimes in the worst winters, some rarer birds may give lots of pleasure and excitement to the garden's owner as they come seeking food and shelter.

If you are not a bird lover yourself, and are not sure of the sort of things you can buy as a gift, here are a few ideas for you:

Bird Feeders

Bird feeders can be the winter saviour for many birds in a cold winter. This is especially true with small birds, who have to eat continually from dawn to dusk to survive the night. Those nuts that are put out in a simple nut feeder could save those birds lives on many a night when there is frost and snow around.

The variety of bird feeders is very wide nowadays. Window feeders have been around a long time, but they too have grown in the variety available since the first plastic versions appeared a few decades ago. In more recent years, some very decorative, and attractive feeders have been created, and there is a wide choice of these available now as gifts for your bird lover friends and relatives.

Remember also that you can get feeders that are for particular species of bird. You will find feeders for bluebirds, hummingbirds, orioles and other beautiful birds.

Should you decide to buy a bird feeder as a Christmas gift, it may be a nice touch too if you added a supply of an appropriate bird food. That could mean the happy bird lover setting the feeder up Christmas morning, and having some very special feathered visitors for Christmas lunch. And I'm not talking about the turkey!

Bird Houses or Nest Boxes

If you want to brighten up Christmas by looking ahead to spring, then you will find another range of bird lover gifts with bird houses, or nest boxes as they are more commonly called in the UK. While bird houses may not be used until spring and summer for nesting, there are two good reasons for setting them up early.

Firstly, some birds will use them as shelter in bad weather, so again, this is a gift that could be a life saver. Secondly, house prospecting amongst birds can go on long before nesting. If the bird house goes up in December, you can bet that this new piece of prime real estate will be eyed by many a bird passing through the garden or by the house.

Bird houses make for quite an exciting gift for bird lovers, as the gift will bring lots of pleasures once the first birds use it for nesting. It is also a great way to teach children about birds as they watch the parents building the nest, the laying of the eggs, the hatching of the nestlings, and then the feeding of the young before their departure. A real pleasure for bird lovers young and old alike.

About The Author:
This bird lover gift article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner and author of http://www.gifts-for-xmas.com and http://www.xmas-ornament.com

Copyright Roy Thomsitt - http://www.xmas-ornament.com

hummingbird feeder : What is the Right Plant and Where Do I Put It?

2006-06-11T22:43:00.000-07:00

Know if your plants are disease-susceptible. Your choice of plants used in your garden is as important as the soil that you put those plants in. Select plants that are disease resistant and they will...

by James Ellison

Know if your plants are disease-susceptible. Your choice of plants used in your garden is as important as the soil that you put those plants in. Select plants that are disease resistant and they will be much more easy to maintain and will give you the look you are wanting. Food for thought is use plants that are native to your area.

The experience you get will tell you which are the troublesome plants. Obtain your plants from reliable sources and ask those people for their suggestions. They should be happy to help you because of return sales. The local cooperative extension service should provide much needed info for you. Some catalogs will list disease resistance plants.

Experience will eventually tell you which plant diseases are most troublesome in your region. Your local nursery and cooperative extension service are also good sources for information on local diseases and disease-resistant plants. Seed and nursery catalogs often list disease resistance in plant descriptions.

There are resistant varieties that exist for such diseases as apple scab, armillaria root rot, bean mosaic virus, blueberry mummyberry, cherry viruses, juniper tips and twig blights, lilac bacterial blight, powdery mildew, pea enation mosaic virus, potato scab, black spot, rust, tomato fusarium and root-knot nematode, fireblight, verticillium wilt, and other diseases.

What does the wrong exposure do to your plants? Take a long look at the conditions you have in your garden and choose your plants accordingly. Plants are usually clearly marked whether they prefer sun, partial shade or complete shade.

Shade plants grown in sun turn yellowish and grow poorly. They will get a sunburn which will develope dead spots on their leaves. Avoid south or west exposure. The sun lovers are often stunted and spindly when grown in the shade. If they grow at all, they are usually weak looking and have few leaves. Reduced flowering on many plants may result from shade placement.

Use water conservation landscaping whenever you can. Most gardeners in drought climates have come to realize the importance of water conservation.But in areas where water is plentiful, however, waste in the garden is way too common. We take our water supply for granted by wasting more than we ever need and in many areas, more groundwater is pumped than nature can replace through precipitation and runoff.

Why not use drought-tolerant plants. These plants grow well with little water once they are established. Mulch every plant you have.

Some grass species need less water than others, but lawns generally need a large amount of water to stay green and growing. If you replace the grass with drought-tolerant ground covers or flowers you'll save a large amount of water and even - money. If you can click here to read a funny story that hits the nail on head for what I am saying here.

Probably your favorite plants will have high water requirements. By grouping and mulching these plants allows you to irrigate them together, thus reducing water waste.

What about fruit-pollination requirements! Many beginning gardeners are confused when their fruit trees fail to bear fruit. Could be a pollination problem.

Certain types of trees produce bigger and more abundant fruit with cross-pollination between different cultivars. The others, cross-pollinating is mandatory to get any fruit at all.

Learn a fruit's pollination requirements before planting. If your space is limited, pick a self-pollinating fruit, such as European-type plums or almost any of the peach cultivars.

Pollination will not happen without insects, butterflies or hummingbirds. When chemical pesticides are routinely used by a neighbor or yourself, the honeybees and other pollinating insects can be reduced so that fruit production suffers. Go organic.

About The Author

James Ellison makes it easy for you to understand picking plants and knowing where to put them. If you need to know more about organic gardening visit: www.basic-info-4-organic-fertilizers.com.

Copyright James Ellison - http://www.basic-info-4-organic-fertilizers.com

humming feeder: Attracting Wild Birds

2006-06-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

As more land is used to accommodate the ever-growing human population, yards and city parks become important bird habitat. Diversified landscaping and feeding stations offer an oasis of resources in ...

by Paul Duxbury 8

As more land is used to accommodate the ever-growing human population, yards and city parks become important bird habitat. Diversified landscaping and feeding stations offer an oasis of resources in the middle of human domain. Feeding and watching birds gives families the opportunity to practice conservation right in their own yards. Children can learn and enjoy the wonders of nature right from the kitchen window. Children will be able to observe the hatching of young chicks and learn how many birds help control the insect population.

One fun aspect of feeding birds is learning what birds are visiting your backyard habitat. There are several good identification field guides such as National Geographic, Peterson's East & West and Birds of North America through which the wild birds can be identified. Birds are grouped by physical characteristics. It is fairly easy to distinguish a duck from a songbird by just looking at body shape and size, as well as the beak and feet shapes. These physical characteristics will help identify birds: size, body shape, colors, markings, beak shape, feet and wing shape in flight. Birds have a variety of calls. Good listeners can learn to tell the difference between "chickadee" and "cheerily - cheerio - cheeriup" calls of the Black-capped Chickadee and the American Robin. The most important element is the type of food offered to the wild birds. The widest variety of food sources ensures the widest variety of birds. Ensure that your bird feeder is kept clean. Old, moldy seed left in the feeder will not attract wild birds. Not only is the food type important, but the time period you feed and the consistency of feeding is very important as well.

Many people will only feed the birds in the winter months, which is when they need it most, however, by feeding throughout the spring and summer months you will attract the migratory birds returning from southern climates. In addition, by feeding in the spring and summer, parenting birds will have easy access to a food source for their young. Food like seeds, protein rich insects and worms, flies; birds love mosquitoes, spiders, aphids and ants. Do not kill all the bugs in your yard if you want birds. Flowers, shrubs and trees will encourage a rich insect life in your yard that will, in turn, provide necessary food for wild birds. If you want to attract hummingbirds to your garden, this can be accomplished in several ways. If you plant honeysuckle, common lilac (with purple flowers), red geraniums, nasturtium, red petunias, red salvia, coral bells, columbine, fuchsia and even scarlet runner beans, there is a good chance that you will see hummingbirds feeding among your flowers. Fresh, clean water made available year round is an important element of attracting wild birds.

The simplest and most readily available is a shallow birdbath. Birdbaths can be kept thawed even in winter by a birdbath heater. Most garden birds like a water source far enough from surrounding vegetation to offer surveillance against a surprise attack from squirrels, rats, big birds. If there is water falling or dripping making sound this will attract birds even more towards the backyard. Birds are dependent on flight for safety; they are most vulnerable when they are "grounded" to rest, feed or nest. To a bird, protection means staying both comfortable and safe. Again, a wide variety of plant vegetation and trees will find the best range of habitat for birds. The selection of plants and their arrangement in the landscape are important in making a bird feel at home. Protection from cold winds and driving rain allow birds to maintain body heat, and keep healthy. Birds that are exposed to cold, wet and windy weather are very vulnerable to exposure and resulting death. Without protective cover near by, wild birds will not frequent bird feeders even if they are the best feeders with the most desirable seed. Build nest and bird houses for birds to raise their families and provide them with shelter. When the birds will feel that there is a shelter provided to take care of the baby birds they will build their natural nests and start living and heave their family. If you specially want to attract humming birds then take care that your feeders are full because they will begin moving south as early as July but it will take several months for the birds to begin to reach the southern U.S. and they can use your feeders during the trip. They eat lots of protein in their diets too and that doesn't come from sugar feeders and they need insects too. It is important to leave your feeders up and full. Migrating birds need all the quick and easy nourishment they can find to sustain the incredible energy demands of migration. It is vital that hummingbirds fatten up for their extended trips, particularly those crossing the Gulf of Mexico. For several weeks after your regular summer hummingbirds have left your flowers and feeders, migrating birds could be quickly passing through your gardens unnoticed. Leaving your feeders up for at least three weeks after seeing your last hummingbird feeder is essential.

About The Author

Paul Duxbury is Head of Training for a major UK Charitable Organisation with a wealth of experience in personal development, management development, e-learning and operational management. In addition he owns PK eBooks (http://www.pk-ebooks.co.uk) and has just published a series of Bird Watching eBooks which can be found at http://www.pk-ebooks.co.uk/birding_for_everyone.htm.

hummingbird feeder: About Hummingbirds and How to Attract Them to Your Garden

2006-06-07T23:58:00.000-07:00

Visualize watching a bright green hummingbird in your garden moving from flower to flower in search of the tasty nectar within. These beautiful and tiny birds weigh about 2 to 20 grams and are found...

by Lesley Dietschy

Visualize watching a bright green hummingbird in your garden moving from flower to flower in search of the tasty nectar within. These beautiful and tiny birds weigh about 2 to 20 grams and are found in a wide variety of environments from the high Andes to lowlands, and from dry desert areas to rainforests. They have slender beaks, extensible tongues, ten primary feathers, and tiny feet suitable for perching but not walking.

Hummingbirds can fly straight up, straight down, backwards, left, right, and even upside down. While most birds obtain their flight strength only from the down stroke, hummingbirds have power on the up stroke as well.

Most hummingbirds flap their wings about fifty times a second and have a very fast heartbeat and high body temperature. They feed every ten minutes or so throughout the day and typically consume two-thirds of their body weight in a single day. Their source of nutrition is primarily nectar from flowers, as well as sources of protein from insects and tiny spiders.

The key to attracting hummingbirds to your garden mainly consists of the right type of flowers and places where they can perch and rest during the day, such as trees or large plants. Hummingbirds are guided by visual means and are particularly attracted to certain shades of red. According to The Hummingbird Society, there are several possible explanations for their preference of red blossoms. Given that insects also see nectar, they can be regarded as competitors. Nearly all insects see well in the visible and near-ultraviolet light but poorly in the red end of the spectrum. Also, a red blossom may appear nearly black and unattractive to a number of insects, but not to the hummingbird, which can see the full visible spectrum but also some in the ultraviolet. This makes it less likely that an insect has taken nectar from a red flower. Another likely explanation is that during migration, red blossoms effectively contrast with a green environment more than other colored flowers do.

Hummingbirds are welcomed guests to nearly all gardens. By planting flowering shrubs and plants that are their favored food source, we can easily attract them to become regular visitors to our gardens. Below is a short list of their preferred flowering plants by common name, separated by region:

Southeastern United States:

Butterfly Bush

Cardinal Flower

Coral or Trumpet Honeysuckle

Cypress Vine

Native Trumpet Creeper

Texas Sage

Southwest United States:

Indian Paintbrush

Lantana

Lily of the Nile

Mexican Honeysuckle

Texas Sage

Western Coral Bean

West Coast United States:

Beebalm

Bottle Brush

Cape Fuchsia

Colombine

Salmonberry

Woodland Orchard

Northeastern United States:

Blue Lobelia

Cardinal Flower

Hollyhock

Red Morning Glory

Salvia

Scarlet Sage

Midwest United States:

Coral Bells

Coral Honeysuckle

Foxglove

Hosta

Impatients

Lilac

Even though flowers are the natural means to attract hummingbirds to your garden, man-made feeders filled with a mixture of water and sugar (sucrose) are an essential alternative. Sugar, whether from a flower or a feeder, is a necessary nutrient in a hummingbird's diet. Tests have shown that hummingbirds favor sucrose in flower nectar more than other sugars such as fructose and glucose. Therefore, with the proper ratio of ingredients, your feeder becomes a good substitute to the flowers that hummingbirds like best.

The formula for the mixture used in hummingbird feeders is 4 parts water (not distilled) to 1 part table sugar. Boil the mixture for one to two minutes, then cool and store in refrigerator. The mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Do not use red food coloring, honey, or artificial sweeteners in your mixture, as this could be harmful to the hummingbirds.

If one of your goals is to attract hummingbirds feeding to your garden, a visit to your local nursery is a great starting point. Find an experienced employee who can tell you which species of plants grow well in your area and have a history of successfully attracting hummingbirds. Most importantly, be imaginative and have fun planting and growing your garden to attract beautiful hummingbirds.

About The Author

Copyright 2005, Lesley Dietschy, All rights reserved.

Lesley Dietschy is the creator/editor of The Home Decor Exchange, a popular home decor, garden decor, and home improvement website. Please visit the website for hundreds of resources, articles, ideas, tips, free projects, and much more. The website also has a unique Gallery and Consignment shop featuring Pine Needle Baskets and Gourd Art. http://www.HomeDecorExchange.com

hummingbird feeder: MARCUS SCHNECK

2006-06-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

Monday, June 05, 2006
A reader asks, "What can I do to attract hummingbirds into my backyard? I see them passing through, but they don't seem to pause here at all."

In the midstate, by this point in the year, hummingbirds have returned and have pretty much set up their territories.

According to Dan Brauning, chief of the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Wildlife Diversity Section, hummingbirds began to trickle out of their wintering grounds in Central and South America in April. They flew nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico, and then flitted from flowerbed to feeder to flowerbed through the South, working their way north to their nesting grounds. They began to show up in Pennsylvania in late April and early May.

However, there is still much you can do to tap into the population of ruby-throated hummingbirds -- the only ones regularly found in Pennsylvania or east of the Mississippi River -- already in your neighborhood.

It all starts with a basic hummingbird feeder.

"As long as the feeder is noticeable, filled with relatively fresh nectar or sugar water, and hummingbirds have returned from their wintering grounds, there's always a good chance that it will attract hummingbirds," Brauning said.

"It doesn't hurt to window-dress your rock gardens or flowerbeds with plants that hummingbirds seek out. But the feeder is your first and best shot to attract early hummingbirds."

Some favorite hummer plants are trumpet vine, beebalm, red salvia, coral bells, honeysuckle, gladiolus, jasmine, begonias, scarlet morning glory, fuchsias, morning glory, paintbrush, petunias, trumpet-creeper, columbine, mimosa, rose-of-sharon, black locust, horse chestnut and sweetgum.

Color is the key for hummingbirds to stop in your yard, particularly vibrant reds, oranges and yellows, even pinks and purples.

Hummingbird feeders usually have red and yellow parts for flagging that get the job done.

hummingbird feeder: Ants' antics, both olfactive and acrobatic

2006-06-06T05:36:00.000-07:00

Jun. 6, 2006 12:00 AM

Today's question:

I hung up a hummingbird feeder from a wire 6 feet off the ground on our back porch. Please tell me how in the world ants know it's there. They climb up the wooden post and out over the wire to it. Do they smell it?

Yes, as a matter of fact, they do. advertisement

Ants have very poor eyesight, but they have a pretty good sense of smell. And they are pretty much always looking for something to eat. The foragers spread out all over the neighborhood of their nest looking for food, so it's not too surprising that sooner or later they come across a juicy treat like your hummingbird feeder.

Ants put down a chemical trail as they go along so they can find their way home. And if they do find food, they lay down a stronger chemical trail on their way back to the nest. Then they release a certain pheromone that lets their ant buddies know about the food, and they all follow the trail back to the eats.

You can buy feeders that have an ant moat to fill with water so the ants fall in and drown before they get to the nectar.

Or you can do this: Take one of those little 35mm film containers or the cap of a spray can, poke a hole in the bottom and string the feeders' wire through it with a knot to keep it in place. Then coat the inside with petroleum jelly. Be careful not to leave any petroleum jelly on the edge where birds might get it in their feathers.

And we have another hummingbird query.

How long is a hummingbird's tongue?

A hummingbird's tongue is about twice the length of its beak. That would make it about 1.5 inches, depending on what kind of hummingbird you are talking about.

A lot of people think hummingbirds' tongues are hollow and they use them like a straw to suck up nectar. That's not the case.

Hummingbirds have pretty interesting tongues, and they use them to lap up their food, taking about 12 licks per second.

A hummingbird's tongue has a brushy tip and a groove on either side that helps it suck up nectar and channel it to the mouth.

The end of the tongue is forked, and when not in use the tongue wraps under the jaw, behind and over the head and connects to the skull with something called the hyoid apparatus.

And the middle part of the tongue is stretchy so it can expand.

All in all, it's pretty dandy thing.

Reach Thompson at clay.thompson@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8612.

hummingbird feeder : Beginners flock to Birding 101 to learn basics

2006-05-30T01:50:00.000-07:00

By TONI JABAS
Special to the Homer News

It’s like being left out at recess. Everyone is busy doing something: Spinning around on that thing that makes you dizzy, playing 4-square or pushing each other on the swing. And there you are. Watching everyone else have fun. For non-birders, the Shorebird Festival may bring back those memories of being on the outside. But, how can you join in, or get excited about, something you know nothing about?

If the grade school tour around Gull Island didn’t pique your interest in birds, this class might.

9 a.m., more than 30 people gather in the high school choir room for their first lesson. The rest of the birders are out —birding. Karla Hart, Juneau’s Watchable Wildlife Program Coordinator, is the instructor. She waits for people to file in and choose which blue plastic seat they want to spend the next two hours in. Then, it begins.

Hart introduces herself and explains why she is well-qualified to teach a class to people who have never learned how to bird. Reason: She says she isn’t a very good birder, and besides, she’s not a morning person.

After her cheerful introduction Hart asks her first question: How many people consider themselves a birder? No one raises their hand.

“It isn’t some secret society or club,” Hart reassures the class. “You can bird anywhere.”

No response.

So Hart begins to tell the class why birding really is fun. Or how it can be fun.

“Birding is a lifelong pursuit,” she says. “Birding is something you should never stop learning.”

“You can start at one or 60 or 70.” At that nearly the entire class laughs. Most of them fit the older description.

Hart continues to lure the class. It’s relatively inexpensive she says. All you need to get started is a field guide and a pair of binoculars.

She pulls a stack of field guides from a desk. Different people have different tastes in guides, she says. Sometimes drawings of birds are easier for beginners to identify than photographs. Also, it’s a good idea to start with a field guide that is specific to the area, she says. That helps to eliminate all the birds that aren’t. Which could save new birders some time, because there are more than 10,000 species of birds in the world. Hart tells the class that there are “bird chasers,” people who try to see all the species.

One more reason why birding is a good hobby. You can do it anywhere. On vacation or sitting at home watching your bird feeder. Just remember to get a guide specific to the area if you’re traveling.

Now it’s time to see what the class knows about identifying birds. Hart pulls out a stack of pictures and holds the first one up in the air and asks the class to say what it is.

“Puffin!” everyone calls out.

The puffin is followed by a hummingbird, cardinal, toucan, owl, duck, flamingo, ostrich and parrot.

There is a bit of confidence growing in the class. Those were easy.

“I thought you guys just said you weren’t birders,” Hart says with a grin.

There are sheepish laughs from the class.

As you learn the familiar birds really well, Hart tells the class, it will make you more observant and teach you what to look for when you don’t recognize a bird.

Hart begins to quiz the class on how they recognized the birds in the pictures she held up. The shape of the bird’s body, beak and feet are clues about where to look in a field guide. Hart explains that field guides are organized by the type of bird.

“For the Shorebird Festival you’re going to be wearing out the first quarter of your guide,” she says.

Now it’s time for the class to try out their field guides and bird identification skills. Hart reaches into a bag and begins to pull out small, stuffed birds. She suggests that people work in teams and swap guides if they need to. Almost 15 stuffed toys fly out into the class. When squeezed, they mimic the call of the bird they replicate. To make the identification easier, Hart also passes out a list. She promises that all of the stuffed birds are on the list. The class just has to write the number on the bird’s tag next to the name on the list. Simple.

The next half hour is spent flipping through field guides. The birds to be passed along the fastest are a bald eagle and robin. Others take more time, like the Smith’s longspur and hermit thrush.

As she collects the stuffed birds Hart warns the class that in real life they won’t be able to hold the bird and squeeze it to make it talk. When watching a bird that is new, Hart advises the class to not rush straight to their field guides. Spend time watching it, how it moves, what it eats and if it has any distinctive markings. She says that it is a common mistake of beginning birders to think they have discovered a new or rare bird.

As the hands on the clock near 11, Hart gives some final advice to the class.

“If you only go with the good birders, it’s easy to become a lazy birder.”

She says that beginning birders should go with people of their own level. That way they are challenged to figure out birds for themselves.

“Don’t expect to identify every bird that you see,” she adds.

“Make it easy and fun for yourself.”

A final note on birding etiquette — always put the binocular strap around your neck when borrowing a pair from another birder — and class is over.

No more feeling left out. No secret club. Just a field guide and a pair of binoculars. Bring on the birds.

hummingbird feeder : New store opens with new mural

2006-05-30T01:49:00.000-07:00

Staff
05/03/2006
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White Post artist and columnist Doug Pifer painted a mural at Wild Birds Unlimited, owned by Bruce and Dolores Johnson. The store is on Route 11 north in Creekside Station of Kernstown. It opened May 1.

The mural covers the entire wall around the entrance and windows at the front of the store, and depicts birds in a backyard habitat. The mural takes you through all four seasons, showing various feeders and bird attractors. Some 30 species of birds are depicted in situations typical for them.

Habitats for backyard include a garden with hummingbird and finch feeders, a dead snag in an overgrown fence row, an open field with a bluebird house, a house for purple martins and a bird feeder and bird bath set up in a backyard. A cob of corn is nailed to the trunk of a tree to attract squirrels and larger birds.

On either side of the store Pifer painted two 3-foot deep panels just below the ceiling, which depict spring and fall sky scenes. On the right wall, a 30 foot panel shows a spring sky with a treetop containing migrating warblers, and a broad-winged hawk being chased by a kingbird. On the left wall, a 20-foot panel shows an evening sky with a moon. It features a migrating flock of geese, a bat and night migrating songbirds flying across the face of the moon.

©Times Community Newspapers 2006

hummingbird feeder : Summer guest already here

2006-05-30T01:47:00.000-07:00

Published Tuesday, May 9, 2006 2:14:01 PM Central Time

Bob Anderson of Marenisco reported Monday, "I saw my first hummingbird (male) at 7:50 a.m. this morning and have seen one four more times this a.m., possibly a different or the same one."

Anderson put out the first feeder full of his homemade nectar on April 17. The earliest bird he has seen in his yard was May 2, 2005.

The Marenisco birder puts out 10 feeders that draw dozens of the tiny hummers to his yard. He charts his first sighting in the spring and last in the fall on a calendar.

Last summer, ornithologist Allen Chartier from lower Michigan came to Anderson's yard to band hummingbirds for two days. Data he recorded about 93 birds during that weekend is on the Web site amazilia.net/MIHummerNet/GOG1.HTM

hummingbird feeder : Hummingbird Workshop Saturday

2006-05-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

BY SARA LINDAU: Staff Writer

Hummingbirds fascinate hu-mans with their delicate, two-inch long bodies and iridescent feathers, weighing as much as a dime and fearlessly visiting porch sugar-water feeders.

Their tiny wings beat so fast, it looks like a blur. They have needle-like beaks.

?Hummingbirds are definitely special for people,? said ornithologist Susan Campbell, who will hold a workshop Saturday morning at the Pinehurst Village Assembly Hall from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on how to attract hummingbirds to your yard. The workshop is free to the public and is the third in a series about different birds and wildlife begun in 2006 by the Pinehurst Conservation Commission?s Greenway Wildlife Habitat Committee.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are prevalent in the Sandhills during the spring and summer, when eggs are laid and hatched, sending their fledglings out of the nest around July. The males, which are smaller than the females, begin to migrate south in August for the winter season.

?I hear from people all the time, a Hummingbird will come to a window closest to a feeder when the feeder is empty, and it seems to be trying to give humans the message that the feeder needs to be refilled,? Campbell said.

Such anecdotes are fascinating, she said. Moreover, the sugar water and nectar aren?t necessary to their survival. The staple protein in the birds? diet comes from small insects such as fruit flies or mealy bugs, Campbell said.

The birds can be aggressive with each other when disputing territory, even doing body-slams, she said.

In some situations, they can fly up to 80 mph, though 40 mph is the normal speed.

Migration patterns differ for some other varieties, she said. The larger rufous hummingbird has been documented in the winter season along North Carolina?s coastal areas, particularly in Dare County.

So far, she?s banded more than 2,000, mostly ruby-throated hummingbirds, and during her year-round research she has studied close to 500 rufous hummingbirds in North Carolina, as well as calliope and black-chinned hummingbirds. She documented the state?s first broad-billed hummingbird, broad-tailed hummingbird, Allen?s hummingbird and green-breasted mango.

Most Wednesday mornings, Campbell does her trapping, banding and recording at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve in Southern Pines, where she works part-time as a naturalist. She allows visitors to observe while she traps and bands the birds, and examines ones she has already banded that may be caught in the trap.

She records data on the birds in a logbook. That data is fed to a database with the federal Bird Banding Laboratory in Maryland.

Hummingbirds need evergreens and other protective vegetation that permit them to be fairly high off the ground for nesting and also for feeding, she said.

?They know cats are a danger to them, but hummingbirds will feed around big dogs without a problem,? she?s observed.

Their legs are short and they depend on their wings more than some other birds, because taking off on the ground is difficult, she said.

Campbell earned her master?s degree in zoology with a minor in ecology from North Carolina State University in 1997. She earned a bachelor?s degree in natural resources with a concentration in wildlife biology from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., in 1988. A native of Philadelphia, she lives in Whispering Pines with her husband, Pete Campbell, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife agency biologist.

Campbell?s hummingbird research work at Weymouth is done on a volunteer basis. She is licensed by both North and South Carolina to band hummingbirds.

She also holds a federal license, allowing her to band them anywhere in the United States.

She is affiliated with The Hummer Bird Study Group in Clay, Ala., and the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh.

Campbell must rely on donations for her research work. Donations may be sent to Friends of the Museum/Hummingbird Fund, Box 26928, Raleigh, NC 27611-6928.

Sara Lindau can be reached at 693-2473 or by e-mail at slindau@thepilot.com.

hummingbird feeder : Get News Feeds

2006-05-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

SUMMIT UP
May 27, 2006

Good morning and welcome to Summit Up, the world's only daily column where the word "hummer" invites intriguing comparisons.

If you've been listening lately, you've probably heard the sounds of some of Summit County's most interesting harbingers of summer. Yes, that's right - the hummingbirds are back. Colorado is blessed with more than ten species of the tiny flyer, and several of these frequent the watering holes set up around our county to attract them.

The Calliope hummingbird is North America's smallest bird and can often be seen with it's delicately designed neck scarf at High Country hot spots. For those unfamiliar with the ways of the hummingbird, it's the Rufous hummingbird that often acts like the big bully - aggressively buzzing other hummers at feeders, even when he's not hungry.

Hummingbirds, or "hummers," as they are known in the birdwatching world, are pretty amazing. Just to go over a few hummer facts: most weigh less than a penny, they're the only bird than can fly upside-down and hover in midair, their hearts beat up to 1360 times a minute (whew! just imagine the wear and tear on their heart-rate monitors!), they take 250 breaths every minute and most of them fly about 1500 miles twice a year during their migrations back and forth to Central America.

No wonder they usually look kind of edgy.

Admiring the first few intrepid hummers at our feeder on the front porch got us to thinking about the other kind of "hummer," and then we started making comparisons.

There are three species of the other Hummer found in Colorado: the H1, the H2 and the H3 - obviously not named by bird fanciers. The H1 no longer breeds and will soon be extinct. The H2 is the most common Hummer found in the High Country, but H3 numbers are increasing.

Scientists have studied the airborne hummers for centuries, but Hummer science dates back only to 1992, when Arnold Schwarzenegger convinced automakers to market the military vehicle to civilian consumers. The California governor reportedly now has eight Hummer specimens in his collection.

In contrast to hummers, Hummers are BIG. The H2 is nearly 16 feet long, seven feet wide and six feet tall. It weighs 6400 pounds. Its fuel consumption, however, is similar to that of a hummer. Hummingbirds need to ingest up to eight times their body weight in fuel every day. Hummers don't need that much, but the most generous estimate of their fuel efficiency is about 13 miles per gallon.

In terms of plumage, an iridescent hummer zooming by can elicit admiration from even the most jaded nature-watcher. Hummers, on the other hand, aren't really anything special color-wise. The H2 comes in seven different hues. We wonder about the colors called "stealth gray" and "victory red," but we'd rather not think about it too much.

Probably the greatest contrast between hummer and Hummer is their respective prices. Hummers are basically free. They show up every year even when we don't mix up a little sugar water for them. The other kind of Hummers are distinctly not free. The soon-to-be-extinct H1 carries a price tag of more that $125,000. The list price of the more modest H2 is only $52,000.

Armed with all this knowledge, we now feel extremely grateful that the little glass apparatus with fake red plastic flowers that dangles on our deck attracts only hummers, not Hummers.

***

It's Sunday folks, and we're sitting back, trying to picture a hummer behind the wheel of a Hummer.

hummingbird feeder : Spiffing up Wayland with beautiful garden

2006-05-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

Thursday, May 25, 2006

As of this writing, anyway, the steady rains became somewhat intermittent. During one of the lulls - and born of an optimism of surviving yet another New England winter - I joined the hordes of shoppers at the various nurseries, garden centers and home improvement outlets in the area searching for plants, pots, hanging ornaments and other accoutrements to bring that long-awaited color to my surroundings.

On a whim, I even ran off to Drumlin Farm to see if they had a hummingbird feeder that I could attach to my kitchen window. They did, and I bought and installed it.

This frenzy of spiffing up reminds me that the town owes a great debt of gratitude to the all-volunteer Wayland Beautification Committee, which will likewise be springing into action as the sun emerges and the temperatures climb.

The Wayland Beautification Committee was founded in 1998 with just one goal in mind - to beautify highly visible areas of the town with garden spaces and trees.

Among their major projects to date have been landscaping and plantings on either side of the entrance to the landfill; improvements at both the front and the rear of the Town Building; gardens on many of the islands in the town's roads, including those at Five Paths and Hooker's Green; and the planting of nearly 50 shade and ornamental trees at schools, playing fields and other highly visible sites.

During the summer, they also place flower-filled barrels around town - at the entrance to the Route 20 shopping area, for example, and at the Cochituate Ball Field and Hannah Williams Park, among others.

The committee is supported by town funds as well as donations. This year's Town Meeting, in fact, approved funding for a drought-tolerant garden at the landfill. Last year, the committee weeded and mulched the area and defined a path with stepping stones. This year, shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses are to go in. Residents will be invited to walk through the garden and get ideas of their own. Educational materials will also be provided. The committee hopes that the garden will encourage responsible use of water resources.

Town Meeting also approved funding for the design and installation of a garden space at the road island across from Mel's and the Villa Restaurant. The area is currently the site of a World War II memorial and a sign announcing entrance to the Village of Cochituate, as well as overgrown shrubs, trees and assorted plantings.

In addition, the committee sponsors the Keep Wayland Tidy Campaign, which was formed in response to the problem of litter in town. This initiative encourages residents to be aware of litter in public places, to develop strategies to lessen the incidence and effects of litter, and to promote programs to create and maintain a litter-free community.

Membership in the Wayland Beautification Committee is by participation. Any resident with an interest in joining is invited to attend informal planning meetings held on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 8 a.m. in the Town Building.

Currently, an exhibit in the ArtSpace of the Town Building showcases the work of this very dedicated group. The show includes "before" and "after" photos of many of their projects, plans for the garden at the landfill - which look charming - and educational materials about drought-resistant and other plants.

The exhibit, sponsored by the Wayland Cultural Council, is free and open to the public during regular Town Building hours through the end of June.

Susan L. Wagner is the features reporter for The Wayland Town Crier. She can be reached at "slwagner@wcfia.harvard.edu"

hummingbird feeder : In bird world, they're humdingers

2006-05-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

The hummingbirds have arrived, flitting from plant to plant, feeder to feeder, nourishing their tiny bodies and those of their offspring.

Their arrival in my yard coincides with the blooming of two of their favorite plants: 'Goldflame' honeysuckle (Lonicera x heckrottii) and our native columbine (Aquilegia canadensis).
The first Spaniards to visit the New World called hummers joyas voladoras or flying jewels. That name applies to the ruby-throated hummingbird, the only one we have east of the Mississippi.
Hummingbirds love red, trumpet shaped flowers, those especially adapted for their long tongues. They also visit many plants with flowers that are not red. Although we think of hummers as nectar-loving birds, they also gobble up mosquitoes and many other insects.
Water is a key element in attracting any bird to your yard. Also, reducing or eliminating the use of pesticides ensures there are plenty of insects to feed the birds and pollinate plants, which makes more flowers.
Here's a brief sampler of easy-to-grow plants they can't resist:
'Black and Blue' salvia (Salvia guaranitica), one of the best hummingbird magnets in the garden. It is sometimes called hummingbird sage. Grown here as a summer annual, it has gorgeous cobalt blue flowers. It gets about 24 inches tall and wide and does best in full sun, although it tolerates light shade. Perfect as the centerpiece of a large container or in the ground. Also can be cut for indoor arrangements.
Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) has brilliant red flowers and is another plant we grow as a summer annual. A spectacular new one, 'Golden Delicious,' has yellow foliage. Does best in full sun; tolerates light shade and can be used as a cut flower. Gets about 24 inches tall and wide.
Salvia splendens, a common garden bedding annual with red, white, purple and pink flowers. Does best in full sun to light shade. Ranges in height from 10 to 18 inches.
Geraniums (Pelargonium), especially the red ones that are favorites for window boxes, pots or in the ground planting. Geraniums do best in full sun. Most geraniums are about 15 to 18 inches tall. Great for cutting, too.
Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana), especially the night-blooming types. Hummers will likely be seen on these plants at dawn and dusk. Flowering tobacco does best in full sun to part shade. Ranges in height from 8 to 30 inches.
For more information about attracting hummingbirds to your yard, visit these Web sites:
Hummingbirds.net, www.humming birdnets.net.
The Hummingbird Society, www.hummingbirdsociety.org.
Wild Birds Unlimited, www.wbu.com.
The Hummingbird Web site, www.hummingbirdwebsite.com.
Duncraft, www.duncraft.com.
Capture the jewels

Duncraft, which markets birdfeeders, birdbaths, seed and other related merchandise, has invited people to send in their best photographs of hummingbirds.
Digital photos will be accepted through Wednesday. The winning entry will receive a Horizons Hummingbird Feeder. E-mail photos to info@duncraft.com.

Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, an Advanced Master Gardener, is a regional director of Garden Writers Association, co-author of "The Indiana Gardener's Guide Revised Edition" and a regular contributor to "Too Many Cooks!" at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays on WICR-FM (88.7). Her column, which emphasizes natural gardening methods, appears each Saturday in Home & Garden. Contact her at Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, P.O. Box 20310, Indianapolis, IN 46220-0310; fax, (317) 251-8545, or e-mail, hoosiergardener@sbcglobal.net.

Copyright 2006 IndyStar.com. All rights reserved

hummingbird feeder : Mullen: If you build it, they will hum

2006-05-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

By Holly Mullen
Tribune Columnist

I dragged the 15-year-old to the crafts store with me on Sunday. We went to the ribbon aisle. I picked out spools of scarlet, DayGlo orange and fuchsia.
"Why are you buying ribbon?" he asked.
"I'm going to tie it to the trees to attract hummingbirds," I said.
"You have gone completely insane?" he asked.
He's right, I have. Twenty minutes later, I stood tiptoed on a patio chair, snipping at the grosgrain with scissors, knotting the fluttering ribbons to cherry tree branches and chanting a little mantra: "Come along little hummers, come along."
A friend gave me my first hummingbird feeder a couple of months ago. He tore a page from Bird Watcher's Digest and left it on my desk. Author Kim Marlsen, a teacher in Delaware, Ohio, contributed a piece to the journal that suggested hanging red ribbons to lure migrating hummers from the heavens for a closer look below. Now I am unflinchingly obsessed with these frenetic little creatures. No turning back.
I am in good company. Scores of sites specific to hummingbirds proliferate on the Internet. You can find anything at any time related to these tiny beauties. There are 16 breeds known to move in North America, according to http://www.hummingbirds .net and there is nothing terribly fancy about feeding them.
Basic white cane sugar dissolved in boiling water in a 1:4 ratio will make the nectar they love while they also feast naturally on trumpet vine, bee balm, hummingbird mint, penstemon and other cone-shaped flowers in the red- and orange-hued family.
Sorry to bore you with encyclopedic recitation of arcane hummingbird facts. But as I wrote in this space almost three weeks ago, I've done my crazed best to attract hummers to my little hanging feeder and hadn't seen a one.
Until that is, on Monday, May 15, at 9:31 a.m. Employing my neophyte hummer identification skills, I spotted what I think was a broad-tailed variety flitting about the feeder. Home alone at the time, I couldn't even share the joy with a piercing cry.

Nevertheless, I sputtered "h-h-h-u-m-m-er!" Then I ran to the dry erase board in the kitchen and recorded my find for anyone who cared.
Bob and Myrtle Dowell care. Bob is a Tribune reader who often calls and updates me on the dearth of hummingbird sightings in his West Valley City yard. "My wife wants to know if you've seen any hummingbirds yet," he always says. "Where are they?"
I did see another one the night before buying those ribbons. It was growing dusky outside. The little bird fluttered to the feeder, buzzed and poked around, then flew to a branch five feet up. It sat there, resting, for what seemed forever. And then it split, straight over the neighbor's roof.
On Monday morning, I called Owen Hogle, owner with his wife Sheri of The Wild Bird Center in Holladay. "Owen," I asked, "what's up with the hummer migration this spring? Where are they all?"
In his trademark patient way, Owen told me to chill. "We've only had about half the hummers we expect to show up," he said.
. Owen says they flew up from Mexico in late April as always. It got cold, so they flew a bit south again. Then it got blazing hot and they cut off to the mountains. "There were 200 counted on the deck at Silver Fork Lodge [in Big Cottonwood Canyon last weekend."
OK, now I get it. What we need is patience. At least more than the garden-variety hummingbird.
hmullen@sltrib.com or 801-257-8610

hummingbird feeder : Two bears roam Lino Lakes yards

2006-05-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

Updated: 05/26/2006 08:56:05 PM

A pair of bears surprised some Lino Lakes homeowners Friday afternoon, as they roamed around yards near Otter Lake.

The bears were not aggressive, but did seem interested in some bird feeders.

"He broke my hummingbird feeder, then he went and sat on my flowers, then he tried to climb a tree," says Linda Elliot.

Elliot and other neighbors weren’t entirely upset about the bears’ presence, saying the bear in her yard “was cute.”

Lino Lakes police say the bears may have moved on.

One homeowner says a bear statue may have frightened one of them away.

Police say people should be more cautious of the animals than curious.

"If you see the bear, don't approach it," says Sgt. Bill Hammes of the Lino Lakes Police Department. “Certainly don't get between the mother and its cub, because that's when the mother will get very aggressive."

Bear sightings in the Twin Cities have doubled in recent years.

Officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources estimate that 22,00 black bears live in the state.

hummingbird feeder : Ego Feeder

2006-05-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

This morning I drove along Van Winkle where it intersects 900 East—the intersection named Best Intersection in Utah, according to City Weekly. As is usual this time of year, ducks and geese are in abundance, drawn to the ponds and creeks that run through that area. Also, as is usual this time of year, mother ducks and mother geese lead their younglings across those busy streets crossing from one water source to another. This morning two mother geese and more than a dozen chicks stopped six lanes of traffic on Van Winkle. Mercifully, they all made it across the street safely.

Soon, though, I’m going to see as I usually do, piles of feathers here and there. Throughout that area of Murray where I live, birds and waterfowl are abundant. Every morning I rise to honking geese and ducks making whoopee. Besides the green space at 9th and Van Winkle, the area is home to fowl-friendly Murray Park and Mick Riley Golf Course. Both Cottonwood Creeks wend their way through town lending food and protection for our feathered friends. There are lots of quail this year, too. The Callipepla californica, or California quail, I presume, known to perch on fences, visit gardens and bear the distinctive forward feather on its head.

Add to the quail, ducks and geese, multiple other birds like finches, robins, sparrows, starlings, flickers, magpies with the occasional small hawk, and it’s like living in an aviary. I only mention all of this because of Holly Mullen. I always read her column. Today she wrote about hummingbirds. A few weeks ago, she wrote about hummingbirds, too, because she hadn’t seen any yet. I e-mailed her that I’d just seen hummingbirds all over Hermosa Beach and not to worry as they’re on the way to Utah. I guess they arrived, because today Holly wrote about recently spotting one, apparently a Selasphorus platycercus, a broad tailed hummingbird. I feel sorry for Holly because she has to resort to a hummingbird feeder to attract those laws-of-physics-defying little buggers. So, Holly, if you ever follow-up on that lunch thing, I’ll bring you some trumpet vine starts and you won’t have to worry about the proper sugar-to-water ratio ever again.

Hummingbirds are nuts for trumpet vines. Outside of them crawling under my roof tiles and down my drain spouts, my own trumpet vines—one red, one yellow—are a yard favorite. When they’re in bloom, hummingbirds abound, along with bees of every kind. Hummingbirds are also nuts for the color red, which is why artificial feeders are always red. So attracted to red are they, that I’ve seen them fly up to a lit cigarette—not that I’d encourage that. And as students of the hummingbird—at least of the broad tailed variety—know, they tend to return to the same nesting tree year after year.

That tendency is called philopatry—need I remind, a Greek word—which roughly means love or fondness for father or homeland. Thus, when the hummingbirds come back to their legacy nest, they whisk over to my yard for a nip of some neighborhood trumpet-vine nectar. I do the same thing. I call it philolephrecauni—my tendency to return to the Leprechaun Inn night after night. I’ve also been known to practice philoportocalla, philobambaros, and philomurphais. As bartenders across the valley know, I’m nearly exclusively a practitioner of philoseagrams.

I’m philo for just about everything. Horses, for instance, the love of which gives us the name of Alexander the Great’s father—Phillip, the horse lover—who allowed his son to tame the wild Bucephalus. Thus, my affection today extends to the great steed Barbaro who snapped his ankle during the Preakness Stakes last weekend. Barbaro may or may not recover, and it’s possible they’ll put him down. If I were put down every time I broke something, I’d be dead about six times already. Last week, I had an X-ray and was told I broke my back once. Mercifully, I didn’t know about it and doubly so, I’m not a horse. I’m philo for lilacs, too. A grandmother thing.

One thing I am not is philoego. I’m rankled by people who fail to tame their egos. There’s nothing wrong in my book with having an ego, not even a large ego; for, lacking an ego, success would be an ideal, not an attainment. It’s the jerks who need full-time ego fulfillment or extravagant ego expression who ruin my day. The guy who climbed up on Delicate Arch comes to mind. The guy who sends troops to war with a half-baked plan comes to mind. The “altruistic” catch-and-release fisherman who wastes precious time posing with his fish comes to mind since the oxygen-starved fish usually dies. The Fox News pundit who measures worth by winning arguments comes to mind. The “clean my birdcage” mayor of Salt Lake City decidedly comes to mind.

Besides Holly’s paean to the colorful hummingbird, the same Salt Lake Tribune announced that Salt Lake City Coucil woman, Nancy Saxton has announced she is running for mayor in 2007. In a hummingbird world, such an announcement might be met with any number of graceful variants by an incumbent. Instead, Saxton was met with a typical Anderson rebuff: “She’s been a terrible City Council member, and she’d be a disastrous mayor,” he told the Tribune, and “all you ever see from Nancy is delay, inaction, indecisiveness and a fundamental meanness.” I concede his authority on “fundamental meanness” for if anyone knows that subject, he’s the guy. Watch—now he’ll run just for spite and to save our city from Nancy. Wanna bet a VO water he doesn’t have a hummingbird feeder?

Send Private Eye comments to john@slweekly.com.

hummingbird feeder : New Arrivals

2006-05-24T03:06:00.000-07:00

Clear and calm nights have allowed a steady progression of migrants to move in and through the area. There have been numerous reports of newly arrived species over the weekend. Hermit Thrushes are moving through en masse, as are White-throated Sparrows. Yellow-rumped Warblers and Palm Warblers are on the move as well, and the next wave of migrant warblers has begun: I had my first Black-throated Green Warbler of the spring on Sunday at Hedgehog Mountain. My 6-mile Pownal Walk this morning produced my first Brown Thrasher, and increased numbers of Chipping Sparrows and Blue-headed Vireos, and about 30 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

The clear and calm nights so conducive to migration is about to give way to a less-than-ideal few days. A large low offshore is going to produce clouds, rain (although we really need it!), and stiff northeasterly winds – not the best for flying north if you weigh less than a nickel! But, since it is already May, some birds will need to proceed despite less than ideal conditions. A similar storm to the one that we are about to see that occurred about this time last year produced unusually high numbers of phalaropes (pelagic wintering and migrating shorebirds) in nearshore waters. Seawatching should be productive for the next few days.

Furthermore, as migrants arrive despite the weather, they are going to be hungry! The cold and wet May of last year produced unusually frequent visits to feeding stations by warblers, Baltimore Orioles, and Scarlet Tanagers for example. When these species do arrive and find cold and wet conditions that minimize natural food sources (insects and nectar), many seek out bird feeders to help with sustenance. Orange halves, dried fruit, grape jelly, live and roasted mealworms, and insect suet are all very popular at this time of year. ONE DAY last May, our fruit and jelly feeder at the store hosted 7 Baltimore Orioles, 3 Orchard Orioles (rare in Maine), and up to 4 Gray Catbirds!

Speaking of new arrivals – the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird reports in Maine were received this weekend! Get those feeders out! And remember, use ONLY PURE SUGAR, in a one part sugar to four parts water solution. Nothing more, nothing less! Red dyes are worthless, and may be harmful to the hummingbirds (they’re also a waste of your money). Honey and molasses should be avoided, as a fungus can develop that can be fatally toxic. Although I minimize refined sugar in my own diet, refined white sugar is all we can use in a hummingbird feeder. White sugar is pure sucrose, which is what a flowering plant makes. Avoid nutritionally and calorically (Is that a word? Well, if the President can make up words, why the heck can’t I!?) worthless dextrose and artificial sweeteners as well. And don’t forget, you need to clean out your hummingbird feeders regularly. Cleaning them every 3 or 4 days reduces the need for scrubbing and soaking, but they need to be cleaned AT LEAST weekly, more often if they are in full sun. A dirty hummingbird feeder with spoiled sugar water in not only unappealing to hummingbirds, but also potentially unhealthy!

Posted by Derek Lovitch at 02:16 PM

hummingbird feeder : Returning hummingbirds inspire study of migration

2006-05-24T03:04:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 22, 2006
By PAT NEWCOMB
Times Staff Writer, patn@htimes.com
Bob and Martha Sargent hung a hummingbird feeder in their backyard in Clay and began to notice some unusual things.

They realized the same birds would come back to their yard, buzzing around the wire they hung the feeder on even if it wasn't up yet.

How, they wondered, did the tiny birds with their BB-sized brains, find their way back to the same yard and same feeder each year?

Finding the answer to that question began what has become a two-decade-long study of hummingbirds and other birds that migrate through and live in Alabama.

In 1994, the Sargents founded the Hummer/Bird Study group, a nonprofit, volunteer organization with more than 2,000 members in 43 states and five countries. The Sargents are licensed by the Bird Banding Laboratory, the government organization that allows the legal banding and tracking of birds.

Each year, the Sargents spend the first two weeks of April at their field station on Fort Morgan, banding hundreds of birds each year on their migratory path north. The project was featured in this month's Alabama edition of Southern Living magazine.

The couple also study hummingbirds in their own backyard. They have 12 feeders up now and will add more, with a total of 60 feeders up by July 4. That's an arbitrary date but one that's in the middle of hummingbird season and easy to remember, Sargent said earlier this week from his home in Clay.

Those feeders bring around 1,000 hummingbirds to the Sargents' yard each year. Of those, about 175 are birds they've banded before and another 800 or so are birds new to the yard - or ones they haven't caught before.

The Sargents put out 155 gallons of sugar water every year to attract the birds, with the biggest number of both fledgling hummers and adult birds coming in July through the middle of August.

From August to mid-September, the birds will begin migrating south for the winter.

© 2006 The Huntsville Times. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

hummingbird feeder: Dog-and-squirrel show for their own enjoyment

2006-05-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

Gary's taking a two-week vacation from his cats. He'll meet you here for your usual morning cup of coffee together on May 23. We'll be printing some of his columns from the past while he's gone. Today's column is from May 17, 1993.

Dear Gary:

As I'm writing this, Artimis, my basset hound, is out baying his fool head off at a fat mother squirrel who is teetering on the back fence and chattering her little fool head off right back at him! This has been going on for days!

Four years ago when we lived in Concord, Artimis used to go through the same performance with a squirrel that lived there. What is it about our dog that seems to drive the squirrels nuts? (hee-hee!)

I'm also concerned about what might happen if mama squirrel accidentally falls off the fence. She comes so close to doing that, sometimes, and Artimis comes completely unglued.

Harriet W., El Cerrito

Dear Harriet:

Ah, yes, the old "squirrel falling off the fence routine." It fools them every time.

Squirrels are very playful critters and a favorite game is teasing dogs from the fence. They'd rather do that than crack nuts. They'll teeter and totter back and forth, lashing their tails, chittering and chattering up a storm ... suddenly slipping and falling ... only to recover mere inches from your berserk doggie's frantic jaws. And then back to square one to start the well-scripted process all over again.

It's not just your dog, it's all dogs (I'll bet a lot of dog owners are nodding their heads in recognition). If the complete truth were to be known, I suspect the dogs are having as much fun with the game as the squirrels are.

I once monitored a similar series of interchanges between my wolf-dog, Angeline, and a crusty old fox squirrel I called Kinky (because he had a kink in his tail).

For a solid week, every morning precisely at 6:30 a.m., all you-know-what would break out in the back yard, and for the next 15 minutes the two of them would bark and chatter and teeter and leap until they were both so exhausted they had to stop. Then they'd trot off in opposite directions, each content in the knowledge that he or she had bested the other.

Then, one morning, Kinky overdid it on the slipping and falling bit and landed right on Angeline's head.

There was a shocked silence, followed by a surprised YIP! And a hysterical SCREAM!, and they both scrambled, loped, skittered and galloped off in opposite directions as fast as their big and little feet would take them.

The next morning, precisely at 6:30 a.m., they were both back at it again.

Dear Gary:

My hummingbirds are giving me a message loud and clear: None of that junk food for me, thank you.

I see them frequently on the lemon tree blossoms and honeysuckle, but not once this year on the hummingbird feeder.

Yesterday, an Allen's hummingbird kept me company while I refilled the seed feeder. He was flitting from flower to flower on the lemon tree. I stood still and was thrilled to have him come within two feet. What a picture he is!

Betty Owiecki, Concord

Dear Betty:

In spring, with flowers blooming everywhere, hummers spend 90 percent of the time dining on natural fare. And who can blame them?

But they should be taking an occasional sip from the feeder. You probably just haven't noticed.

Cleaning your feeder with bleach or green soap will turn them off if you don't rinse thoroughly.

They can be real picky eaters.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Find more Gary in his blog at: blogs.www.contracostatimes.com/gary_bogue; write Gary, P.O. Box 8099, Walnut Creek, CA 94596-8099; old columns at www.contracostatimes.com, click on Columnists; e-mail garybug@infionline.net.

hummingbird feeder: Quilter has cherished handiwork

2006-05-23T00:04:00.000-07:00

By Jean Deitz Sexton
May 8, 2006

Some fire departments have Dalmatians; a few have gourmet chefs, but only the Rough and Ready Fire Department is lucky enough to have Lillian Blakely, a quilter and Southern charmer who turns 90 this Wednesday.

Blakely, who has lived in Rough and Ready since 1970, has hand sewn one to two quilts a year for the volunteer fire department, as a member of its auxiliary. The department raffles off the amazing handiwork, valued at $750 and up, as part of its annual fundraising activities.

This talkative, vivacious woman is still quilting, sewing on her modern, Janome Memory Craft 9000, which fellow quilter and friend Nina Wyatt says is a machine coveted by quilters. Blakely has been quilting since she was a young girl, growing up in Cookville, Tenn. She estimates she has made more than a thousand quilts.

"I made nine this winter," said Blakely. "I love it. I do get tired of it by the time I get one done."

Although bowed over and on oxygen 24 hours a day, Blakely always has a quilt project in the works and her eyesight is still good enough to do the minute threadwork in the quilt patterns. "She quilts circles around me," says Wyatt. "What Lillian knows about quilting you don't learn from a book. It comes from the heart."

Blakely is in high spirits as she looks forward to a birthday party with friends and family coming from all over the United States. Her two sons, a stepson, grandchildren and great grandchildren will be among the family members celebrating with her at the modest ranch style home she built with husband Carl Blakely, her fourth husband.

These days, Blakely doesn't get out as much but she has a great view of a very busy hummingbird feeder directly outside the window facing her sewing machine. Her constant companion, 16-year-old Susie, a bright-eyed, bulldog faced Boston Terrier, is at her feet.

At one time Lillian and Carl Blakely had a vineyard on their property, an orchard and a thriving garden. "He would make wine and serve it to us at the fire department auxiliary meetings," she recalls. She has had to curtail gardening but still has a pretty white, wedding bouquet bush and other spring foliage coming to bloom on the property.

Blakely worked at what was Camp Beale, now Beale Air Force base, after World War II, and during the war, she worked as a tank wheel inspector in Detroit. She was also a Singer sewing machine instructor in Marysville. Various husbands took her to different locales but she eventually wound up back in California and married Carl Blakely, who died in 1993 at the age of 97.

An inveterate storyteller, one of Blakely favorite stories is of her early days in Tennessee when she and her first husband, also named Carl, would go barnstorming and charge people $1 a ride in their plane, a red OX5. "I had a little dog Pedro and he parachuted out of the plane. The doggie loved it." Blakely used her sewing skills to make a dog parachute out of heavy muslin, which automatically unfolded when Pedro jumped. "We would laugh all week about what happened on Sunday," said Blakely.

Her sharp sense of humor is still evident. Blakely isn't discounting the idea of husband number five and she's telling those coming to the party, "I won't have another birthday for five years and I expect every one of them to come back."

Blakely earned the title, the Little Old Quilt Maker of Rough and Ready, for her charitable deeds and wants that to be her epitaph. "But I'm not going on that trip yet," she laughs. Bet on it!

Arlene's Tea Room is open for business. Located within Arlene's Pantry bakery in the Penn Valley Shopping Center, Arlene will lend her culinary talents to a full tea service, $16.95, and a light tea, $14.95. Quiche, soup, tea sandwiches, scones and desserts are featured. Open Wednesday-Sunday, three seatings, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and taking reservations for Mother's Day. Call 432-1993.

Penn Valley Rodeo: Don't miss our community's very own rodeo! May 19-21, tickets are available at all Larry & Lena's pizza locations, the Tack Room in Penn Valley, The Driftwood Inn in Smartville, The Farm Store, Penn Valley, Ridge Feed, Grass Valley, Sierra Saddlery in Auburn, Cotton's Cowboy Corral in Marysville and other locations. Call 432-1802.

If you have an interesting person or subject to feature in this column, or a newsworthy item, please e-mail jeans@theunion.com.

hummingbird feeder: Hummingbird arrival

2006-05-23T00:02:00.000-07:00

By Barbie Jenkins, barbie@tmnews.com
Friday, April 21, 2006 2:33 PM CDT

QUESTION - Just wanted to let you know that I've had my hummingbird feeder out since the first day of spring. On April 13, I saw the first hummingbird. Thanks for the wonderful service AYS provides to the community. T.T.B., Bedford.

ANSWER - Happy to hear the hummingbirds are back home in southern Indiana.

Long time no see

QUESTION - My husband and I would like to find some old friends we met while at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Ariz., in 1975.

Their names are John and Jennie Shepard. They had two children Mia and Brett.

We have lived in Tennessee for about 23 years. The last time we saw the Shepards was about 20 years ago. A lot has happened since then, and we would really love to find them.

An Internet search referred them to Bedford and Orestes, Ind. However, I was unable to find a telephone number or address. Then someone from the Bedford Historical Society referred me to you. Can you help? Thanks. Faye, Crittenden, Tenn.

ANSWER - Although John and Jennie Shepard could not be found in the local directory, perhaps a reader can lend a hand.

How about it, readers, anyone recognize these Shepards? If so, please let me know. They have some old friends who would like to say hi.

Alternative healing

QUESTION - Where can I find a holistic healer locally? M.G., Bedford.

ANSWER - This AYS list consists of those who practice holistic healing, iridology and naturopath:

Jan Bolin, LPN, N.D., at Roots, Leaves and Berries, 1108 Fifth St., 275-5253; Violet Villano, 140 W. Jefferson St., Orleans, 865-4038; Bobby Nasir, Naturopath, 275-1055. Additionally, there is a list of holistic healers in the Bloomington directory.

Appliance doctor

QUESTION - Will you please add Keith Fowler Appliance to the AYS files? He does appliance service, repair and installation. For more information, call 278-9389 or 276-7279. Thanks. A.B., Bedford.

ANSWER - Sure will. Welcome, Fowler Appliance, to the files.

Desk set recall

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with New Focus Marketing Corp. of Boca Raton, Fla., announced a voluntary recall of about 6,000 computer desk and chair sets because the seat on the chair can break and fall through during use, causing an individual to fall and suffer injuries.

New Focus Marketing has received reports of two injuries involving chairs breaking. Injuries include a consumer who received bruises to the arm and shoulder and another consumer who suffered a minor back injury.

The recalled three piece set includes a desk, computer stand and chair. Model number NF913232 is located on the product's box. The recalled desk and chair sets were sold at Office Depot stores nationwide from June 2005 through August 2005 for about $80 for the set.

Consumers should stop using the chair immediately and contact Office Depot to receive a gift card for the full price of the desk set upon receipt of the chair.

Consumers can contact Office Depot at (800) 944-3340 between 9 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. Monday through Friday or log on to the firm's Web site at www.officedepot.com.

Write AYS at P.O. Box 849, Bedford, IN 47421; phone 277-7259 or (800) 782-4405, ext. 7259, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., weekdays; send e-mail to barbie@tmnews.com; or read AYS online at www.tmnews.com and visit the “At Your Service” page. Because of the volume of questions received, AYS cannot respond to every request, although every attempt will be made to do so.

hummingbird feeder : Spring winds bring birds north to breed

2006-05-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

Spring migration is nearing its peak. Now is a great time to see many species of warblers, vireos, flycatchers and other migrating species as they stream into Maine. Most of these species migrate at night and touch down at daybreak. They feed ravenously for a few hours during the early daylight hours and then rest. Many males sing on migration, practicing for the breeding season.

The best time to see the migrants is in the early morning. Late afternoon can also be good as many individuals prepare to continue their migration once the sun goes down.

Weather has a strong influence on migration and on the number of migrants you will see. Watch the weather map for the arrival of a low-pressure system or cyclone. In a cyclone, the winds flow in a counterclockwise direction. That means the winds on the eastern side of the low will be flowing north, encouraging birds to move northward. As the low passes, the winds will switch to the north on the backside of the cyclone and the weather will often turn rainy. Those conditions force the birds to descend from their migration, producing fallouts of birds. It's ironic that on beautiful clear mornings dominated by high pressure the birding can be poor. The migrating birds have happily bypassed you as they continue north. It's the raw, windy mornings that usually reward the birder with the most birds.

Lionel Quirion, who conducts a hawk watch on Bradbury Mountain in Pownal each April, counted 1,170 hawks last month of 10 species. The "big three" were 617 broad-winged hawks, 192 osprey and 172 sharp-shinned hawks.The best counts occurred when the winds were southerly. Northerly winds produced very few migrating raptors.

The spring migration does not produce as many out-of-range rarities as the fall migration, but unexpected birds can pop up anywhere. Many of these birds will be species that overshot their normal breeding grounds. Hooded warblers, Kentucky warblers, worm-eating warblers and summer tanagers fall into this category. On rare occasions, eye-popping rarities like a fork-tailed flycatcher from South America appear in New England.

You can see birds at night during migration. On a clear night, find a dark open area and train your binoculars on the moon. You may be surprised at how many birds you can see flying across the face of the moon. You can easily detect the presence of migrants overhead by sound. Many warblers, thrushes and other songbirds give distinctive chips as they migrate.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds will be arriving any day now, if they have not already appeared. Get those hummingbird feeders up soon. You can buy powdered mixes to make sugar water or make your own, using ordinary table sugar. Mix one part of sugar with four parts of water and bring to a boil. Allow the sugar water to cool before putting it in your feeder. I usually make extra sugar water that can be stored for several weeks in the refrigerator. There is no need to add red food coloring to the sugar water.

It's a good idea to clean your feeder once every week or two with hot water to ward off fungi. If you are in the market for a hummingbird feeder, be sure to buy one that is easy to clean.

Baltimore orioles are returning to Maine now. These colorful birds have a fondness for citrus fruit. Cut an orange in half and impale each portion on a stick or nail in a conspicuous place. Enjoy the rich piping songs of the orioles. Each male has a distinctive song but the overall timbre and other qualities of the song allow a listener to make the proper auditory identification. Baltimore orioles sing a lot until about the middle of June. Dramatically, the males sing only infrequently once nesting is under way.

HERB WILSON teaches ornithology and other biology courses at Colby College. He welcomes reader comments and questions at: whwilson@colby.edu

hummingbird feeder : Native Delaware: Returning hummingbirds

2006-05-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

By MARGO McDONOUGH
04/23/2006
Do you have your hummingbird feeder up yet? Even though the hummingbirds don't arrive in Delaware until late spring, now is the ideal time to hang up your feeder, according to Dr. Greg Shriver, UD assistant professor of wildlife ecology.

"You want to get the feeder up in advance of the birds' arrival so that yours is the first feeding site they find on their return north, thus increasing the chances that they will take up residence in your yard for the summer," Shriver says.

Warmer states, like Texas and Arizona, enjoy more than a dozen species of hummingbirds, many of which stay year-round. Delaware attracts just one type of hummingbird -- the ruby-throated (Archilochus colubris). And its tenure here is short; it only stays through September, says Shriver. At the first sign of cool weather, it wings its way back to southern Mexico and northern Panama.

few males more easily than the precious egg-laying females. By the time the females travel, there are better and more-developed flowers en route. In autumn, the males continue the pattern by departing about three weeks earlier. This may leave a richer diet for the developing young who stay on with the females, Shriver says.

It's easy to distinguish the male from the female. Both the male and female ruby-throated have a brilliant green back and white chest, but only the male has a red throat. Male juveniles also have yet to develop the distinctive red throat.

The reason many of us go to the trouble of hanging -- and maintaining -- a hummingbird feeder is to see these winged versions of Speedy Gonzales in flight. While just cruising around, the ruby-throated species flies at about 30 mph. However, when escaping a predator, they can zoom up to 50 mph. And in the midst of a dive, they've been clocked at up to 63 mph.

How can be it possible to go so fast? "By flapping your wings like crazy," says Shriver.

Hummingbirds get their name from the buzzing sound that their wings make as they beat in flight. The speed of the wings varies by species. The fastest, the amethyst woodstar, has a wingbeat rate of 80 per second. But the ruby-throated is no slouch, either, with a wingbeat rate of about 53 per second during normal flight, says Shriver.

Just as fascinating as the hummingbird's speed is its ability to stop in mid-air and hover like a helicopter. Plus, they're the only birds who are able to fly in reverse, says Shriver.

As for those 60-mph nose dives, these flying feats are a way that males show off in front of females. They start by soaring in the air, plunging to the ground, and then, just before they hit the dirt, arcing upward again. This flight pattern is a way not only to attract females, but to ward off other males and defend nesting and feeding territories, Shriver says.

If you choose to hang a hummingbird feeder this spring, be prepared for a little bit of upkeep. Feeder syrup should be replaced on a weekly basis. And at least once a month, Shriver says you should clean your feeder with a solution of 1¼8 cup bleach to one gallon of water. But it's worth the hassle, as you'll get to enjoy the company of these captivating fliers all summer long.

Native Delaware is a weekly column by the university's Cooperative Extension on First State plants, animals and weather. Contact Susan Baldwin at 831-1355 or smb@udel.edu; or McDonough at 831-1358 or margomcd@udel.edu.

hummingbird feeder : Sweet smells of success

2006-05-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

Fragrant flowers add to garden pleasure

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 05/18/06

BY MARGARET C. CROOKS
GARDEN WRITER

Spring is so fragrant! Walk into the Philadelphia Flower Show in early March and the scent of spring hyacinths tells you that spring can't be far away. Daphne leads into spring with its sweet fragrance later that month. Now we anticipate blooming peonies.

The old-fashioned Carolina sweet shrub yields its funny little maroon flowers that Grandma would carry in her hankerchief to enjoy the spicy fragrance.

Of course, there are wonderfully fragrant flowers through the year. Even in winter, the winter-flowering jasmine gives some fragrance.

Asked what her favorite fragrant flowers are, Ottilie Kossack, Dover Township, replied, "Roses, but I recently moved and only have a little garden with shrubs. I want to interplant with perennials. Last year the shrubs crowded them out." I suggested she might use phlox. They are fragrant and attract hummingbirds. "That's a good idea. We went to Garden Week in Virginia and I just bought a hummingbird feeder there," she said.

Joyce Chappell, who gardens in Holmdel, has lots of fragrance in spring. "I have lily-of-the-valley, both pink and white; a dwarf lilac and peonies," she said. Later in the season her garden gives the sweet fragrance of Kaleidoscope mountain laurel, Magnolia grandiflora and cherry laurel.

Among Jean Huesmann's favorites in her Bay Head garden are lavender, rosemary, lilies and lilacs. "I didn't find the Arnold Promise witch hazel you suggested, but I got a lovely Red Imp that flowers in February. And the daphne has a strong, sweet smell," she said.

Many of the deciduous azaleas are sweetly fragrant. The natives and their hybrids thrive in part shade; some of the Exbury hybrids will yield their wonderful fragrance in full sun.

Beginning bloom about the same time as the peonies, sweet bay magnolia vies for prominence with strong, sweet fragrance from its waxy white blooms. Give this native of our swamps a place with high moisture content. I grew mine over a dry well that received the rain from the roof gutters. It grows to about 20 feet. Its cousin, the southern magnolia, with its big waxy leaves, has a lemony fragrance. Where a very large tree would be out of scale, Little Gem would be appropriate. This blooms over several weeks in summer. There are several Daphne species that can give a long season of fragrance. February daphne leads the parade followed by D. odora with its pinkish to white flowers that can be had with the waxy green leaves edged in gold. After that, D. genkwa with lilac-colored bloom covering the bare branches before the deciduous leaves emerge just finishes as Carol Mackie with small, evergreen-variegated leaves and smaller flower clusters finishes the season in May to early June.

Roses follow the peonies. Not all have a fine fragrance so it is well to sniff before you buy. Rose fragrances are classified as tea, spice and sweet. The purple varieties seem to have the strongest fragrance and classic Peace has but a wisp.

The last fall-flowering fragrant plant to flower in my garden is lemon verbena. The foliage has a strong lemony scent and is delicious in iced tea. Tubular, bright red flowers come in fall in time for the hummingbirds to feed before their long flight back south.

When we built our house in Sea Girt the lot across the street was vacant and covered with sassafras and wild Japanese honeysuckle. The fragrance was wonderful, but short lived. It was cleared and a home built there after two years.

From Abelia to Zenobia, there are hundreds of sweet-smelling flowers and foliage coming from tall shade trees through shrubs, herbaceous plants and groundcovers. They may be annual, perennial or biennial. They can be incorporated in the overall landscape design, in beds or borders or in special herb gardens.

To me, fragrance is as important in the garden as color.

hummingbird feeder : Building Your Own Humming Bird Feeder

2006-05-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

We all know that taking a beautiful photo of humming birds is hard to obtain, even when they are inside cages. The only thing that you could do is buy a hummingbird feeder to bring these birds into photographic distance. But these ready-made hummingbird feeders are somewhat expensive. Worry no more, because you can make your very own hummingbird feeder for free. All you need to do is recycle used or old prescription vials for making nectar dispensers. Hummingbirds are known to feed on nectars.
The materials needed to make your own hummingbird feeder are clear prescription vials with a fitted cap, a few feet of thin wire or heavy thread and transparent tape or scotch tape. You may also need a sharp pointed metal object like an ice pick.
To start with this project, heat up the ice pick or whatever sharp pointed metal you are using and make a pair of holes on each side of the prescription vial, near the open end where the cap is placed. You have to make sure that they are close but not too close that the holes are covered with the bottom of the cap when it is placed on. The size of the holes should be small enough to keep the liquid inside the container.
Next, round up the thin wire or thread. Secure it by wrapping with the scotch tape or transparent tape on each end of the thread or thin wire to the prescription vial. If you want extra holding capacity, wrap a second piece of transparent tape around the prescription vial.
Basically, that's all you have to do in making hummingbird feeders. It depends on you how many hummingbird feeders you want to make, but if you want to enjoy watching more than just one hummingbird, you can make a number of these feeders and tie them into a mobile and place them in your backyard.
To fill up your hummingbird feeder, remove the cap holding the prescription vial on and fill it up with nectar and replace the cap. Closed tightly, turn the prescription vial upside down as quickly as you can. The feeder's hole should be at the bottom, a small amount of nectar will leak out the feeder's holes, but as soon as the vacuum inside the prescription vial is created, the leakage will stop.
Now we come to making the nectar for the hummingbirds. Basically there are two choices of nectar. First is the nectar mix that is commercially available in a granulated form. Or second, you can make your own nectar from a sugar solution. For the purpose of information, honey is not recommended. Research proves that too much honey is harmful to hummingbirds, since it weakens them and may cause death to these birds.
Just where to hang the feeders? In general, it is good to hang these feeders in any part of the garden where there is no direct exposure to sunlight and where the wind will not be able to shake the feeder. Direct sunlight speeds up fermentation of the nectar inside the feeder. It is recommended to hang the hummingbird feeders near the flowers in the garden to further attract these birds. Now, you can enjoy watching hummingbirds hovering and perching on your own feeder.

Jo Williams has an interest in Pet related products. To access more articles on bird feeder's or for additional information and resources visit this bird feeders related website.

hummingbird feeder: How to Feed Hummingbirds by Hand

2006-05-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

This is the technique I used to get our backyard hummingbirds to eat from my hand.
1. Make a hand feeder by removing the top part of a small hummingbird feeder & use only the base that has the perches & feeding holes. Fill this part with the nectar that is usually in the feeder.
2. Wear bright colors such as red or pink, as hummingbirds are most attracted to these colors (a flower print shirt will work well also).
3. Put all your hummingbird feeders inside and stand with your hand feeder in a spot where one of your regular feeders used to be (as they will be looking for their food in that spot already). Keep your hand as steady as possible & don't make any sudden movements.
4. Project happy, loving thoughts to the hummingbirds.
5. HAVE PATIENCE!! It could take weeks of trying before they'll land on your hand feeder. Continue putting up & taking down the regular feeders.
6. Once they've begun eating from your hand feeder & trusting you - try smiling & talking quietly to them.
7. Remember to always be kind & loving with the birds, as it is a great honor that they trust you & allow you to get that close to them.
8. Don't be afraid to try new things like holding a real red or pink flower in your hand or pour some liquid nectar in your cupped hand & see if they'll respond and eat directly from your hand.
Good luck & have fun!

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the article, this caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.©Simone Skorcik ~ LongBraid DesignsProfessional Graphic Artist & Photographer http://www.longbraid.com

hummingbird feeder : Attracting Hummingbirds

2006-05-19T18:53:00.000-07:00

Attracting hummingbirds to your backyard and garden is much easier than it sounds. These small birds have a special knack for finding their favorite flowers, and a powerful memory for returning to their favorite spots - even after years of visiting! A common mistake is to think that hummingbirds find their feeding ground through a flower's scent, but this is untrue - they have nearly no sense of smell. Instead, they seek out tubular shaped flowers, heavy with nectar, and specific colors, such as red, pink, and orange. This is why hummingbird feeders work so well: they typically are lined with the color red, or other strong colors. A major plus is that hummingbirds are always on the look out for new places to feed. This does not mean that once they find a new feeding ground they will abandon yours - these birds must feed at least every 10 minutes, so the more the better!
To start, try some or all of the following:
- Plant a hummingbird garden. A great part of a hummingbird's diet consists of sugar, which they get from nectar and tree sap. Here are some of the many plants that make a great hummingbird paradise:
--Flowers: Canna, Foxglove, Lupine, Yucca, Coral Bells, Agapanthus, Petunia, Impatiens, Fuschias, Begonia, Honeysuckle
--Trees/Shrubs: Azalea, Red Buckeye, Lantana, Butterfly Bush
--Vines: Honeysuckle, Morning Glory, Trumpet Creeper, Cypress Vine
- Hang a hummingbird feeder. These are very easy to find and affordable. You can buy a special feeder mix, or make your own by boiling 1 part sugar to 4 parts water 2 cups water for two hours. A word of caution: do not use food coloring or any type of dye, honey, or artificial flavors - these will harm the hummingbirds.
- Hummingbirds are very territorial. If possible, we recommend hanging at least two feeders.
- Red is a very attractive color to them. Tying a red ribbon near your feeder will make them curious enough to explore, as well as making the feeder more visible.
- Clean your feeder at least one time per month. Not only will you continue to provide hummingbirds with a great feeding source, but you will keep them coming (they will not feed on spoiled syrup).
- Hummingbirds spend 80% of their time perching. By including possible perching plants or other perching-potential items in your garden, hummingbirds will be more likely to linger and return.
- Bathing in running water is a pleasing hummingbird pastime - they love dripping water. They enjoy misted leaves to bathe in, so adding water misters near plants with wide leaves is a definite attraction.
- Eucalyptus trees are desirable to hummingbirds not only because they provide good perching ground, but also because they use them for nesting material.
- Hummingbirds don't just feed from nectar. Part of their diet is made up of protein that they get from little insects that they eat, particularly fruit flies. Because of this, it is best not to use pesticide in your hummingbird garden, since the birds may feed on infected insects and become ill themselves.
By following some or all of the above suggestions, you should see some hummers very soon. Although, keep in mind that many hummingbirds do migrate, depending on your region, so do not become discouraged if they do not show immediately - there are many online resources outlining migratory and species information, such as www.hummingbirds.net.
Some fun hummingbird facts:
- They take nectar at 13 licks per second
- They can consume up to 2/3 of their body weight daily
- They can flap their wings 60-200 times per second
- Their Heart beats up to 1260 times per second
- They can fly up, down, forward, backward, and sideways
- Some migration routes consist of up to 600 miles in length
- There are 16 different species
- Feet are only used for perching
- They can fly up to 60 miles per hour

Vanina Mangano is co-founder of MYeFlora, an online gardening community. Vanina is a business professional and a passionate gardener who enjoys writing about and participating in nature. Visit her site at http://www.myeflora.com.

the surviver

2006-05-19T02:33:00.000-07:00

I'm the Surviver.