Bye Bye Birdie!

From what I understand, my hummers are all the ruby-throated variety. The female is simply green, so she doesn't look like the brilliantly-colored male. This is obviously a meeting of the Ladies' Circle!

Will our hummers be gone soon??

This cooler weather makes me wonder--When will our little hummingbird leave us and head south?

Each year, it seems that I have to check the internet for information on when the little birds arrive and leave our state. I try to have my feeders ready to go as soon as the weather is warm enough, without waiting for the hummers to fly to my windows and do their little "I want food!" dance. I could swear they see me inside! They chirp and bob up and down, as if to signal me!

According to my quick internet search on a mo.gov site, the birds leave for warmer climes in late August or September. I still have an abundance of them at my feeders, drinking about 4 cups of my homemade nectar per day.

I use 3 cups sugar for 1 cup of water, but the recipe on the mo.gov site is even stronger--4 cups sugar for 1 cup water. I mix the sugar in a 4-cup measuring cup with hot water, stir it up, and then put it in a pan on the stove to make sure the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. I don't usually boil it, though it's okay to do so. I've heard that it doesn't "go bad" as quickly if it's boiled, but my hummers drink it so fast that it doesn't have time to get bad. Of course, I let it cool, before I put it in the feeders and hang them out.

My theory about why I have so many birds is that I get my feeders out as FAST as I can--and I don't let them sit empty. I also provide two feeders on the same large window over my deck, so that I can accommodate the little bullies, who spend all their time chasing the other birds away!

Right now, I think the birds know that this cold spell won't last--so they're hanging around, drinking VORACIOUSLY to get themselves ready for the trip. My internet source says that there are more in the fall, because the young ones are added to the summer population.

I love these tiny, delicate creatures, with their incredibly fast wings, iridescent colors, and happy little chirps!

From the green hills of Tillman, this is your rural reporter, Madeline, enjoying the incredible change of the seasons. Hold on to Autumn as long as you can!