I just cleaned and refilled the hummingbird feeder. I can see the
feeder from the glass corner of the living room where my desk sits or
from the couch (big picture window) in the den. A male ruby-throat just
showed up to say thank you. :)

I observed some hummingbird behaviour early last evening that I'd never
seen before. A welcome to summer thunderstorm had just blown through.

I was kicked back on the couch, reading. Looked out the window and saw
a hummingbird flitting around at the ends of a very mature pine tree.
It went from branch to branch, just like it would if there were flowers
with nectar.

There are budding pine cones on the branches so I'm wondering if it was gathering sap? Or could be there are lots of little bugs flitting
around those branches near dusk. Noseeums, they call them around here.
Tiny little gnats.

At any rate, it was fun to see that hummingbird flitting around the ends
of the branches like that.

Jill

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Jun 20, 2020, jmcquown wrote
(in article <S2rHG.8413$Vp4.294@fx44.iad>):

I just cleaned and refilled the hummingbird feeder. I can see the
feeder from the glass corner of the living room where my desk sits or
from the couch (big picture window) in the den. A male ruby-throat just showed up to say thank you. :)

I observed some hummingbird behaviour early last evening that I'd never
seen before. A welcome to summer thunderstorm had just blown through.

I was kicked back on the couch, reading. Looked out the window and saw
a hummingbird flitting around at the ends of a very mature pine tree.
It went from branch to branch, just like it would if there were flowers
with nectar.

There are budding pine cones on the branches so I'm wondering if it was gathering sap? Or could be there are lots of little bugs flitting
around those branches near dusk. Noseeums, they call them around here.
Tiny little gnats.

At any rate, it was fun to see that hummingbird flitting around the ends
of the branches like that.

Jill

Yup! hummingbirds need more than nectar, or sugar water, they also need protein. They will go for flies, gnats, etc. You can get feeders which you can load with fruit (orange halves, etc) to attract fruit flies, which the hummers will feed on.

Check the Duncraft catalog online.

<https://www.duncraft.com/Hummingbird-Protein-Feeder>

<https://www.duncraft.com/Humm-Yumm-Protein-PLUS-Nectar-Feeder>

--
Regards,
Savageduck

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 6/20/2020 4:36 PM, Savageduck wrote:

On Jun 20, 2020, jmcquown wrote
(in article <S2rHG.8413$Vp4.294@fx44.iad>):

I just cleaned and refilled the hummingbird feeder. I can see the
feeder from the glass corner of the living room where my desk sits or
from the couch (big picture window) in the den. A male ruby-throat just
showed up to say thank you. :)

I observed some hummingbird behaviour early last evening that I'd never
seen before. A welcome to summer thunderstorm had just blown through.

I was kicked back on the couch, reading. Looked out the window and saw
a hummingbird flitting around at the ends of a very mature pine tree.
It went from branch to branch, just like it would if there were flowers
with nectar.

There are budding pine cones on the branches so I'm wondering if it was
gathering sap? Or could be there are lots of little bugs flitting
around those branches near dusk. Noseeums, they call them around here.
Tiny little gnats.

At any rate, it was fun to see that hummingbird flitting around the ends
of the branches like that.

Jill

Yup! hummingbirds need more than nectar, or sugar water, they also need protein. They will go for flies, gnats, etc. You can get feeders which you can load with fruit (orange halves, etc) to attract fruit flies, which the hummers will feed on.

Check the Duncraft catalog online.

<https://www.duncraft.com/Hummingbird-Protein-Feeder>

<https://www.duncraft.com/Humm-Yumm-Protein-PLUS-Nectar-Feeder>

Duncraft is a tad expensive. I've got a feeder that I can load with
orange halves (around here they are used to attract Orioles along with
grape jelly) and nectar. I haven't been to the store to buy oranges lately.

It was fun to see a hummingbird flitting around the ends of pine tree
branches. :)

Jill in Southern SC

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 4/14/2024 4:38 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:

On Sun, 14 Apr 2024 16:22:22 -0400
jmcquown <j_mcquown@comcast.net> wrote:

I rarely see two of them at the feeder at the same time. They are the
ultimate aerial battle birds. This time, gotcha!

https://i.postimg.cc/k419by7w/landing.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/859vbMHB/two-fer.jpg

Nice pics Jill, all three of them👍🙂

Thanks, Leon. :) I'm the best sit behind my desk and snap pics out the
window bird photographer I know. ;)

Jill

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2024-04-14 20:22:22 +0000, jmcquown said:

I rarely see two of them at the feeder at the same time. They are the ultimate aerial battle birds. This time, gotcha!

https://i.postimg.cc/k419by7w/landing.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/859vbMHB/two-fer.jpg

Jill <--- in Southern South Carolina

Hummatime! (as MC Hammer would say)

Just put my feeder out today, I almost forgot about it this year until
I saw the neighbors' feeders hanging from their eaves.

I could have forgotten it because there have been so many chilly days
the past couple of weeks but they're probably in the area by now.

Need to stock up on some syrup soon, I'm using the remnants of some
pre-mixed syrup that I bought in two 16 oz. aluminum cans from Lowe's
last year. Guess the cans are better for the environment because I do
recycle all my cans at the local convenience center.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 4/14/2024 4:49 PM, super70s wrote:

On 2024-04-14 20:22:22 +0000, jmcquown said:

I rarely see two of them at the feeder at the same time.  They are the
ultimate aerial battle birds.  This time, gotcha!

https://i.postimg.cc/k419by7w/landing.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/859vbMHB/two-fer.jpg

Jill <--- in Southern South Carolina

Hummatime! (as MC Hammer would say)

LOL as long as you're not walking around wearing "Hammer pants".

Just put my feeder out today, I almost forgot about it this year until I
saw the neighbors' feeders hanging from their eaves.

I never take the hummingbird feeder down even though it does get cold
(into the 30's) here in the winter. They stick around.

I could have forgotten it because there have been so many chilly days
the past couple of weeks but they're probably in the area by now.

Need to stock up on some syrup soon, I'm using the remnants of some
pre-mixed syrup that I bought in two 16 oz. aluminum cans from Lowe's
last year. Guess the cans are better for the environment because I do
recycle all my cans at the local convenience center.

Why buy pre-mixed syrup? Make sugar water. Put 4-5 Tbs. sugar in a
mason jar (with a lid). Add 2 cups boiling water. Stir until the sugar
is dissolved, let cool and store covered in the refrigerator. Fill the
feeder and make more sugar water to keep in the fridge. No recycling
cans stuff necessary. Reusable jar, dude! :)

Jill

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

I rarely see two of them at the feeder at the same time. They are the
ultimate aerial battle birds. This time, gotcha!

https://i.postimg.cc/k419by7w/landing.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/859vbMHB/two-fer.jpg

Jill <--- in Southern South Carolina

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sun, 14 Apr 2024 16:22:22 -0400
jmcquown <j_mcquown@comcast.net> wrote:

I rarely see two of them at the feeder at the same time. They are the >ultimate aerial battle birds. This time, gotcha!

https://i.postimg.cc/k419by7w/landing.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/859vbMHB/two-fer.jpg

Nice pics Jill, all three of them👍🙂

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 4/14/2024 5:32 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:

On Sun, 14 Apr 2024 17:06:19 -0400
jmcquown <j_mcquown@comcast.net> wrote:

<snip>

Why buy pre-mixed syrup? Make sugar water. Put 4-5 Tbs. sugar in a
mason jar (with a lid). Add 2 cups boiling water. Stir until the sugar
is dissolved, let cool and store covered in the refrigerator. Fill the
feeder and make more sugar water to keep in the fridge. No recycling
cans stuff necessary. Reusable jar, dude! :)

Hi Jill & Super70s,

Not sure if you two were on the group back when Lanny was
posting yet. He runs this website and had a lot of good Hummer info.
Sounds like Jill is doing great with making her own syrup though...

Maybe help out if you want some more info on syrup making🙂

http://www.hummingbirds.net/feeders.html

I just follow the "recipe" for syrup that came with the Hummzinger
feeder. :)

Jill

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sun, 14 Apr 2024 17:06:19 -0400
jmcquown <j_mcquown@comcast.net> wrote:

<snip>

Why buy pre-mixed syrup? Make sugar water. Put 4-5 Tbs. sugar in a
mason jar (with a lid). Add 2 cups boiling water. Stir until the sugar
is dissolved, let cool and store covered in the refrigerator. Fill the >feeder and make more sugar water to keep in the fridge. No recycling
cans stuff necessary. Reusable jar, dude! :)

Hi Jill & Super70s,

Not sure if you two were on the group back when Lanny was
posting yet. He runs this website and had a lot of good Hummer info.
Sounds like Jill is doing great with making her own syrup though...

Maybe help out if you want some more info on syrup making🙂

http://www.hummingbirds.net/feeders.html

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2024-04-14 20:48:24 +0000, jmcquown said:

On 4/14/2024 4:38 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:

On Sun, 14 Apr 2024 16:22:22 -0400
jmcquown <j_mcquown@comcast.net> wrote:

I rarely see two of them at the feeder at the same time. They are the
ultimate aerial battle birds. This time, gotcha!

https://i.postimg.cc/k419by7w/landing.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/859vbMHB/two-fer.jpg

Nice pics Jill, all three of them👍🙂

Thanks, Leon. :) I'm the best sit behind my desk and snap pics out the window bird photographer I know. ;)

Jill

Have you noticed any rose-breasted grosbeaks around the seed feeder
past few days? I've seen several.

I was watching the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga., on TV yesterday.
It was a beautiful day (and wow what a beautiful place) and our
feathered friends were really making their presence known in the audio
feed! Wish I had been able to identify more than the cardinals.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 4/14/2024 10:58 PM, super70s wrote:

On 2024-04-14 20:48:24 +0000, jmcquown said:

On 4/14/2024 4:38 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:

On Sun, 14 Apr 2024 16:22:22 -0400
jmcquown <j_mcquown@comcast.net> wrote:

I rarely see two of them at the feeder at the same time.  They are the >>>> ultimate aerial battle birds.  This time, gotcha!

https://i.postimg.cc/k419by7w/landing.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/859vbMHB/two-fer.jpg

Nice pics Jill, all three of them👍🙂

Thanks, Leon. :)  I'm the best sit behind my desk and snap pics out
the window bird photographer I know. ;)

Jill

Have you noticed any rose-breasted grosbeaks around the seed feeder past
few days? I've seen several.

I have never had that pleasure. Looking at a bird map it doesn't appear
they range this far south. I'm right on the coast.

I was watching the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga., on TV yesterday.
It was a beautiful day (and wow what a beautiful place) and our
feathered friends were really making their presence known in the audio
feed! Wish I had been able to identify more than the cardinals.

Augusta isn't terribly far from me. The weather has been spectacular
but it's about to get hot in a hurry.

Jill

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)