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Hummingbird Nest Cam—Live

Mar 17th, 2010
by Hummingbird.
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Hummingbird nest with one egg.

Hummingbird nest with one egg.

I just ran across this web cam that is focused on a hummingbird nest. So you can watch the mother hummingbird sitting on the nest, up close!

Ah, well, she was here a few seconds before I captured this shot.

Here is the web address for the original web cam site:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/Hummingbird-Nest-Cam

ou can also watch through the video link in this article (below).

If you check back here often, you may be lucky enough to get to see the eggs hatch. Then you can watch the babies as they grow.

Free Webcam Chat at Ustream

For everyone’s convenience, I will also add that link to the sidebar, so you can easily find it again.

Happy Spring!

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Create a Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden

Nov 6th, 2009
by Hummingbird.
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Close-up photo of purple Buddleia flowers.

Image via Wikipedia

Creating a Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden
Word Count:
384
Summary:
With just a little bit of planning, you can have beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds flocking to your garden. That’s good news for gardeners because not only are these winged creatures fun to watch, they’re essential pollinators.
Keywords:
Creating a Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden
Article Body:
With just a little bit of planning, you can have beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds flocking to your garden. That’s good news for gardeners because not only are these winged creatures fun to watch, they’re essential pollinators.
The key is to know what hummingbirds and butterflies look for, which is flowers with nectar. So when you select nectar-rich plants for your garden, look for varieties that are both prolific bloomers and have a long bloom time. Prune your plants to prevent excessive woody growth and encourage the growth of new flowers.
Try these tips from Monrovia, one of the leading growers of plants:
• Hummingbirds are attracted to bright orange, red and hot pink blossoms. Their long, narrow beaks can reach the nectar of long, tubular flowers such as the Balboa Sunset Trumpet Vine with its large scarlet blossoms, and the Goldflame Honeysuckle, which has vibrant yellow and red flowers. Other good choices are the Super Red Flowering Maple and the Navajo series of Salvia, available in many colors, including bright red, rose and salmon red.
• Not all hummingbirds feed at the same height, so plant an array of shrub sizes and climbing vines for food sources.
• Butterflies are attracted to yellow, orange and red. They too are seeking nectar, but their mouths, or proboscises, are much smaller, so they prefer flatter flowers they can perch on while they feed. The no-fail plant for butterflies is the Butterfly Bush, or Buddleja. However, since they can get too large for some gardens, consider the Petite series of Dwarf Butterfly Bushes. Petite Indigo has a profusion of lilac-blue flowers; Petite Plum sports reddish-purple blooms and the Petite Snow has pure white blossoms.
• Lilacs are favorites of butterflies, but don’t typically flower well in climates with warmer winters. The Blue Skies Lilac produces huge clusters of light lavender-blue flowers that don’t require winter chilling. Butterflies love Coneflowers, such as the bright pink Pixie Meadowbrite. Asters are great because they bloom well into fall. The new Farmington Aster has a profusion of lilac bloom clusters that butterflies flock to.
• Supply a source of water. Hummingbirds enjoy flying through a fine mist, which cools them off. Butterflies like drinking from shallow puddles. Position some large flat rocks in a sunny spot, on which butterflies can sun themselves to warm their wings.

With just a little bit of planning, you can have beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds flocking to your garden. That’s good news for gardeners because not only are these winged creatures fun to watch, they’re essential pollinators.

The key is to know what hummingbirds and butterflies look for, which is flowers with nectar. So when you select nectar-rich plants for your garden, look for varieties that are both prolific bloomers and have a long bloom time.

Prune your plants to prevent excessive woody growth and encourage the growth of new flowers.

Try these tips from Monrovia, one of the leading growers of plants: Continue reading →

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This Weed Is Dangerous to Hummingbirds

Oct 24th, 2009
by Hummingbird.
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Brittle Spike - Burdock :~))

Image by freebird4 via Flickr

Copyright: 2005 Marilyn Pokorney
If you love hummingbirds, keep your garden, yard, and property clear of weeds. Especially burdock. The prickly seedheads of common burdock can trap and kill hummingbirds.
During September, 1998, three hummingbirds were caught and died in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. A fourth hummingbird was rescued by bird watchers.
According to National Park Service biologists, the burrs act like Velcro. The barbed points on the burrs cling steadfastly to fur, clothing, skin, feathers—almost anything that comes near.
As the tiny birds thrash around trying to free themselves they become even more entrapped.
Continue reading →

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Hummingbird Feeders to Attract Nature’s Loveliest Creatures

Oct 15th, 2009
by Hummingbird.
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Hummingbird at the feeder - hummingbird 1, pho...

Image by John "K" via Flickr

Title:
Hummingbird Feeders: Sheltering Nature’s Lovely Creatures
Word Count:
562
Summary:
Even before manufacturers took advantage of the growing popularity of feeding hummingbirds, the first hummingbird feeders were typically constructed out of laboratory apparatuses. These were constructed primarily to attract the birds that would normally fly around a garden. To these, the response of the manufacturers is to market and create sugar-water feeders. Many of which are uniquely created thus giving logic to the high cost of each feeder. But most are mass-produced to …
Keywords:
hummingbird feeders
Article Body:
Even before manufacturers took advantage of the growing popularity of feeding hummingbirds, the first hummingbird feeders were typically constructed out of laboratory apparatuses. These were constructed primarily to attract the birds that would normally fly around a garden. To these, the response of the manufacturers is to market and create sugar-water feeders. Many of which are uniquely created thus giving logic to the high cost of each feeder. But most are mass-produced to provide such equipments to the larger public.
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.
Glasses have longer lifespan and may be cleansed easily but may shatter when dropped. Plastics on the other hand are relatively cheaper than that of the glass reservoirs but discoloration is notable.
Small feeders typically have only a port for feeding while larger feeders have three or more. Many of which may provide perches for hummingbirds to rest upon while feeding.
The most common mistake among novice feeders is the buying of overly sized hummingbird feeders. This is wrong since the water-sugar solution easily stales even before the arrival of the birds.
One hummingbird feeder may not be enough for the birds in a moderately sized garden. It is best to place two or if possible, several hummingbird feeders throughout the garden. Chances are, the dominant birds would not defend all locations. This may welcome larger number of birds in your place. Logically, it is a good idea to put these hummingbird feeders in locations where you may observe the birds feeding. After all, the sugar solution we give is just a bonus the birds get for dropping by in our places. They, at all rate, can survive even without our help.
Most hummingbirds are gone during winter. This is because they migrate to the tropical regions. If in any case a bird visits you during this season, it is likely that it is genetically inferior and cannot travel. To provide shelter for such birds, some enthusiasts prefer to leave the hummingbird feeders outside their homes, offering both food and sanctuary for the lovely creatures. The sugar-water solution in the hummingbird feeder must still be changed daily.
When choosing a hummingbird feeder, most experts recommend those that are red in color. Though there so little scientific research to support the claim that hummingbirds are especially attracted to red, most feeders seem to appear in shades of red. Plus the common practice of dying the water sugar solution with red. Choose a hummingbird feeder that has excellent protection over ants.
It is also good to restrain from buying a yellow-colored feeders. This is to avoid the bees and wasps from being attracted to the feeder. Look also for feeders that have built-in perches and those that are small. Only when you have determined how thick your visitation of these birds is, may you only start using bigger feeders. This principle will prevent the nectar solution from spoilage.
Hummingbirds are truly marvelous to look at especially with their aerial display. This probably is reason enough why most enthusiasts go crazy over feeding hummingbirds.

The earliest hummingbird feeders were typically constructed from laboratory apparatus. These were constructed primarily to attract the birds that would normally fly around a garden.

To these, the response of the manufacturers was to market and create sugar-water feeders. Many of those are uniquely created, justifying the high cost of each feeder. But most are mass-produced for the general public.

Like with most things in the market, hummingbird feeders come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and designs. The ideal feeders are those that can be cleaned easily and hangs readily.

Good hummingbird feeders are sturdy and have few parts that can be lost or broken. Most hummingbird feeders come with both glass and plastic reservoirs.

Glass feeders last longer and are easier to clean and sterilize, but they are likely to shatter when dropped. Plastics on the other hand are relatively cheaper than that of the glass reservoirs but discoloration is notable. Continue reading →

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Control Hummingbird Feeder Pests Such as Ants, Bees and Wasps

Oct 6th, 2009
by Hummingbird.
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It is a rare (hard to catch) shot of a humming...

Image via Wikipedia

How You Can Control Hummingbird Feeder Pests Such as Ants,  Bees and Wasps
Word Count:
831
Summary:
Tips on controlling hummingbird feeder pests such as how to keep pests from finding your feeder, how to keep pests away from the nectar if they find your feeder, how to make your own ant moat to keep away pests and what type feeders are the best to use that control pests.
Keywords:
ant moat,bee guard,hummingbird feeder pests,controlling hummingbird feeder pests
Article Body:
The same sugar solution that attracts Hummingbirds to your feeder, will also be attractive to ants, bees and wasps. Not only will they drink, they will also contaminate the nectar and sometimes even keep the Hummingbirds from using the feeder. Ants  getting inside the feeder will drown and contaminate the nectar as their bodies decompose.
As for bees and wasps,  I have seen bees and wasps at my feeder so thick that the Hummingbirds couldn’t feed at all. Thumping them with a rolled up newspaper seemed to help a little, but every time I thumped one, it wasn’t long before it was replaced by another. Besides being a little too risky, after a while it begins to take a toll on your feeder! So, let’s examine some alternative possibilities to controlling pests at your Hummingbird feeder.
Keep the ants from finding your Hummingbird feeder. Using a drip less feeder is one way to help keep the ants from locating your Hummingbird feeder. Bottle-type feeders have a tendency to drip. When the air that’s trapped above the nectar heats up, it expands and forces the nectar out through the feed ports. Basin or saucer type feeders are designed so that they are less likely to drip.
Keep the ants away from the Hummingbird nectar. Okay, the ants have found your feeder, go to plan B. The best way to keep ants away from the nectar is to use some sort of “ant guard”. An ant guard is a barrier that’s placed between the ants and the Hummingbird nectar. These aunt guards are built into some feeders in the form of an ant moat that can be filled with water to keep the ants away from the nectar. But they can also be purchase separately and added to a feeder. They usually consist of a plastic cup about 3 inches in diameter that fits tightly around the hanger wire above the feeder. Once the cup is filled with water the ants can’t get to the nectar.
You can also make your own ant moat using the plastic cap from a spray can. Punch or drill a hole in the cap to run the feeder hanger wire through, then use hot glue or silicone sealant to seal the hole and make the lid water proof so you can fill it with water.
How to control  bees and wasps. Buy a feeder with bee guards. Some Hummingbird feeders come equipped with plastic mesh bee guards. Unfortunately, a lot of these Hummingbird feeders will also be prone to dripping which will undermine the effectiveness of the bee guards.
Try moving the feeder. Sometimes just moving the Hummingbird feeder a few feet will trick the insects into thinking that it’s gone and they won’t find it. If your insects happen to be too smart to fall for this one, try taking the feeder down for a day or two until they quit looking for it. The Hummingbirds won’t give up as quick as the insects, so once you hang it back up the Hummingbirds will find it again.
Give the insects their own feeder. Personally, I would rather go back to thumping them with a rolled up newspaper before I conceded and tried this trick, but it’s a technique used effectively by lots of people, so I thought it appropriate to mention here. You will need two Hummingbird feeders, one for the bees and wasps and one for the Hummingbirds. Bees and wasps are more attracted to higher concentrations of sugar, so in their feeder use a nectar ratio of 1 part sugar to 3 parts water. In the Hummingbirds feeder, instead of using the standard 1 to 4 ratio,  use a ratio of 1 part sugar to 5 parts water. This ratio although not as sweet as the 1 to 4, will still be good enough for the Hummingbirds , but not nearly as attractive to the bees and wasps as the feeder with the 1 to 3 ratio. Give the bees and wasps a few hours to attach themselves to their feeder then move it away from the Hummingbird feeder and hope they follow.
Buy a basin or saucer-type Hummingbird feeder. These type feeders are pretty much drip proof, so they’re not as likely to attract insects in the first place. Also, the nectar level will be lower and out of reach to the insects, but not out of reach to the Hummingbirds with their long tongues. My favorite basin-type feeder is the HummZinger,  which can be purchased at most places that carry a good selection of Hummingbird feeders. It’s kind of expensive, but has several features that might warrant a high price. The HummZinger has patented Nectar guard tips which are flexible membranes attached to the feed ports that prohibit entry from flying insects, but allow Hummingbirds to feed as usual. The HummZinger also has a built in ant moat that will stop crawling insects from getting to the nectar. This Hummingbird feeder can solve your ant, bee and wasp problems all at the same time.
The sugar syrup, or nectar, that attracts hummingbirds to your feeder is also attractive to ants, bees and wasps. Not only will they drink, they will also contaminate the nectar and sometimes even keep the Hummingbirds from using the feeder. Ants  getting inside the feeder will drown and contaminate the nectar as their bodies decompose.
I have seen bees and wasps at my feeder so thick that the hummingbirds couldn’t feed at all. Thumping them with a rolled up newspaper seemed to help a little, but every time I thumped one, it wasn’t long before it was replaced by another.
Besides being a little too risky, after a while it begins to take a toll on your feeder! So, let’s examine some alternative possibilities to controlling pests at your hummingbird feeder. Continue reading →

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Attract Hummingbirds to Your Backyard with Bird Feeders

Sep 16th, 2009
by Hummingbird.
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Hummingbird. (An actual bird. Not a moth! Yay!)

Image by RunnerJenny via Flickr

Title:
Backyard Bird Feeders: How To Attract Hummingbirds
Word Count:
500
Summary:
For many people, bird watching is an enjoyable pastime. Birds are absolutely fascinating creatures to watch and because of this, we love the antics of
the different birds as they try to get the best and largest amount of food.  In this article, we’ll look at choosing a backyard bird feeder to attract
hummingbirds.
Keywords:
Backyard Bird Feeders: How To Attract Hummingbirds
Article Body:
Your first glimpse at bird watching may come through the use of binoculars. Binoculars are an essential piece of bird watching equipment, therefore,
your binoculars must be able to keep the images stabilized as this is necessary for long distance bird watching. Although you donít have to spend
hundreds of dollars on an expensive model, it does pay to have a pair of binoculars that can stand up to the terrain that youíll be going through, and
the weather that youíll have to endure.  They must be able to work in dim lighting and not fog up. As birds are not stationary creatures you should be
able to focus on them very quickly.
The Hummingbird is a beautiful yet very agile bird. The chance to see them very closely in the wild is somewhat rare. This is because like most wild
animals, they are simply not comfortable around us humans. One option to eliminate this problem is to provide a place for them to find supplementary
food.
A popular way to attract hummingbirds to your garden is by using a backyard bird feeder. You can fill the feeder with seeds or even nectar and thereís
also the possibility of having a bird bath in your garden. This provides your visiting feathered friends the opportunity to splash about and get
themselves nice and clean.
You can of course go to your nearest pet store and buy the latest and greatest in bird tables and backyard bird feeders, or you can simply try your
hand at making your very own bird feeder. This is a simple easy project to do and the satisfaction that youíll gain as you look at the many birds will
definitely be worth your effort.
The main reason for buying  a hummingbird feeder is to see these tiny birds in action. Decide what Copper Hummingbird Feeder will look, and work
best in your garden. After all, what you want most is to attract these beautiful jewel-toned birds to your garden. The decorative effect the Copper
Hummingbird Feeder will have in your garden is just an added benefit.
There is one particular hummingbird feeder that has the ability to catch the attention of the busy little birds. The copper base on this feeder is one of
the main reasons for this. The Schrodt Facet Hummingbird Feeder is made entirely out of red cut-glass. The shape of this bottle somewhat
resembles a prism. The base of the bottle is narrow, but the bottle widens as you go upwards. This will allow you to store enough nectar to last for a
few days.
The base of the feeder is made entirely of copper. This copper base reflects any light that is shining on it. As the reflected light may bounce off the
red glass bottle, curious hummingbirds will definitely decide to come and investigate your garden that has a Schrodt Facet Copper Hummingbird
Feeder in it.
And then enjoy all the beautiful birds to your garden.

The hummingbird is a beautiful yet very agile bird. The chance to see them very closely in the wild is somewhat rare. This is because like most wild animals, they are simply not comfortable around us humans. One option to eliminate this problem is to provide a place for them to find supplementary food.

A popular way to attract hummingbirds to your garden is by using a backyard bird feeder filled with nectar. You can also put a bird bath in your garden. Birds do like to bathe in fresh, clean water.

You can, of course, go to your nearest pet store or garden center and buy the latest and greatest in hummingbird bird feeders, and you can very simply try your hand at making the hummingbird nectar. That is a simple, easy project to do, and the satisfaction that you’ll gain as you look at the many birds will definitely be worth your effort.

The main reason for buying a hummingbird feeder is to see these tiny birds in action. Decide which hummingbird feeder will look best, and find a good place to hang it in your garden in the place where you most want to attract these beautiful jewel-toned birds so that you can watch them. The decorative effect the hummingbird feeder will have in your garden is just an added benefit.

There is one particular type of hummingbird feeder that is especially beautiful and has the ability to catch the attention of the busy little birds. It is made entirely out of red cut-glass. The shape of this bottle somewhat resembles a prism. The base of the bottle is narrow, but the bottle widens as you go upwards. This will allow you to store enough nectar to last for a few days.

Hummingbirds are attracted to the color red. So as the reflected light bounces off the red glass bottle, curious hummingbirds will definitely decide to come and investigate your garden. And then enjoy all the beautiful birds to your garden.

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Learning About Hummingbirds

Sep 4th, 2009
by Hummingbird.
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Perched Copper-rumped Hummingbird (Amazilia to...

Image via Wikipedia

Author: brian ramsey

Hummingbirds are a joy for a birdwatcher to observe. They are found only in the Western Hemisphere, from as far north as Southeastern Alaska and the Maritimes of Canada and as far south as Southern Chile. There are approximately 350 species of hummingbirds with 320 species found in the tropics.

Within the family of hummingbirds is found the smallest bird in the world, the Bee Hummingbird of Cuba at 2.17 inches (5.5 cm) and weight 1.95gm (0.07 oz). Hummingbirds range in size from 2 inches to 8 inches.

The hummingbird derives its name from the humming sound that is produced by its rapid wingbeat. Generally the wingbeat is so rapid that the individual only sees a blur as most of these birds flap their wings about 50 times per second.

The speed of the wingbeat depends on the size of the bird, the largest the Giant Hummingbird, has a wingbeat rate of 10-15 times per second. The fastest recorded rate was about 80 times per second, on a tiny Amethyst Woodstar, and the slightly smaller Bee Hummingbird – the world’s smallest bird – may have an even faster rate. Continue reading →

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Hummingbirds the Original Helicopter

Aug 28th, 2009
by Hummingbird.
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Rufous Hummingbird - All fired up to impress t...

Image by Rick Leche Photographer via Flickr

Author: ATrujillo

Hummingbirds are tiny, but rather sturdy little birds. They are wonderful little creatures and each one has its own personality, not to mention attitude.

Hummingbirds are the original helicopter and are considered by many to be little clowns as they dash and dart amongst each other. They are among the smallest of all warm-blooded animals and lack the insulating downy feathers typical of many other bird species.

Hummingbirds have long narrow beaks and long thin tongues. Their tongues are incredibly long ,about 2 ½ times the length of their beaks, which are rolled at the back of their throat (the best image to describe this is like a party blower, curled at one end). Their bills come in different sizes and shapes, also.

Hummingbirds have muscular bodies, extremely flexible wings and can beat their wings about 80 beats per second. They are famous for their many aerial displays. Hummingbirds are built for power and dazzle, they are little more than flight muscles covered with feathers. Continue reading →

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All About Hummingbird Feeders

Jul 14th, 2009
by Hummingbird.
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A hummingbird feeder with red nectar.

Image via Wikipedia

Author: Mayoor Patel

Unlike many of the birds you may try to attract with feeders in your garden the hummingbird is not one to share. This is because they are one bird that is protective of its own territory and will not readily share a food source with other hummingbirds. That means if this is the bird you want to attract you will need to put several hummingbird feeders around your garden.

Hummingbirds are very accepting of where their feeders are located so you can put them in many locations. They can be outside a window of a home or office or on an apartment’s balcony. These places are as comfortable for the birds as if they are hanging from a tree branch.

The thing you need to be sure of is whether the area you live in is one that hummingbirds travel through on their yearly migrations. You can find this out by doing a little research on the internet. Continue reading →

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Tips for Turning Your Backyard Into a Hummingbird Habitat

Feb 1st, 2009
by Hummingbird.
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http://www.public-domain-image.com (public domain image)Author: Steve Peek

Hummingbirds notoriously have a high wing-beat rate, and it is its fast wing-beat rate that generates the hum for which the hummingbird is named.

High Metabolism Rate

The largest of hummingbirds, the Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas), grow to be about 24g and have an average wing-beat rate of 8-10 beats per second.

Mid-sized hummingbirds, the Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus), grow to weigh about 3g and beat their wings at a rate of 20-25 beats per second.

The smallest species of hummingbirds, the Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae), only grow to approximately 1.8g, and yet they beat their wings at about 70 beats per second.

One might wonder how a hummingbird could generate such an incredibly fast wing-beat rate, but this kind of metabolism is very similar to the energy derived by giving a three-year-old child a can of Mountain Dew to drink. The high sugar-intake taken by the child creates a situation where the child seems to bounce off the walls. Well, the same thing happens with the hummingbird too.

Continue reading →

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