Believe it or not the hummers are on their way! Now, you may think I’m crazy saying this, but its time to get your hummingbird feeders cleaned and ready to go. And if you don’t have any hummingbird feeders, then time to purchase a few and be ready to feed them! That’s right – the ruby throated hummingbirds are already working their way north, and right now, have entered southern Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida, and could be arriving in our area in about 3 weeks, weather pending. Now, you can track their migration north, by going to www.hummingbirds.net/map. The map will show you exactly where they are now, so you’ll get a better feel for how soon they’ll be here!
If you don’t have a hummingbird feeder, there are definitely many for you to choose from – basic hummer feeders to multiple feeding stations to fancy glass globe feeders. But they all work. And the common factor between all of them is that they hold liquid hummingbird food, and the feeding stations are usually red, or a bright color, which attracts hummers. As for the hummingbird food, you’ll find several available, from instant nectar mixed with water, to ready to use nectar. You can also make your own, using 4 parts water to one part table sugar (thanks Nature Girl – Wild Bird Center). And do not use red food coloring to color it red! Research has shown hummingbirds cannot properly digest food coloring – and the red coloring isn’t necessarily needed. If you find red colored nectar, make sure its colored using fruit and vegetable coloring. So, whether you watch the migration map or just want to be ready for those early hummingbird scouts, get those hummingbird feeders filled and hung up in about 3 weeks. We’ll help keep you posted as we get closer to their arrival. By the way, feeding the hummers with the feeders is one way to attract them to your yard – planting flowers that hummers enjoy is another! Using the two together really keeps the hummers happy. Stop by our garden stores and let our garden pros show you plants that the hummingbirds will love for you to be planting in your landscape!
