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Nobadays
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# Posted: 4 Aug 2020 07:59pm
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We live in a breeding/nesting area for both Anna's and Rufus hummingbirds. We have 7 feeders along our deck. At any one time there are 20-30 hummingbirds at the feeders. So far since they started trickling in in mid April we have gone through over 70 pounds of sugar! We went into town 7 days ago and my wife bought two 5 pound bags as that was what the store had in stock.... they are now gone and this morning she had to open her last 10 pound bag. I think we are going to have to put sugar for the hummingbirds in as a budget item! We love watching them so it cheap entertainment!
We also feed a variety of other birds, so far this year... two different Grossbeaks, Western Taningers, 3 different finches, black capped and mountain chickadees, StellarJays, and Banded Pigeons ... probably a few more I'm forgetting... oh several different woodpeckers and Sap Suckers...
Love these moun!
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LittleDummerBoy
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# Posted: 4 Aug 2020 09:27pm
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We get hummingbirds and quite a variety of other birds when we feed them. We later get a variety of bears to indicate where we were sloppy cleaning up.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 4 Aug 2020 10:41pm
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We have chipmunks and ground squirrels to do the clean up!
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frankpaige
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# Posted: 5 Aug 2020 09:10am
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I was very surprised when I put out the hummingbird feeder and SO many showed up. At 9500 feet in Colorado, I did not expect hummingbirds. Such!color. And the way they seem to play. Always hoping the bears don't want to stop by. Enjoying the summer for sure.
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hueyjazz
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# Posted: 5 Aug 2020 12:38pm
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We have a few feeders on our deck and there is constant action. It seems they travel in pairs.
We watch daily several hummingbird wars as one pair knocks another pair off a feeder. We refer to it as the hummingbird gang wars.
Why, some of them are even wearing gang colors
We often have pancakes and maple syrup on porch. They have sipped syrup right off my plate
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justinbowser
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# Posted: 5 Aug 2020 03:29pm
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I'm not sure how many we have but they will run through 1 quart and a half of juice in 2 days.
Remember that old saying, 'When pigs fly?" We have living proof!! But, they are fun to watch "dog-fighting" around the feeders..
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 5 Aug 2020 07:53pm
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Frankpaige... we too are as t 9500' in Colorado, directly west of La Jara... Monte Vista being maybe a little closer. It's a full hour into Monte from our place.
Yep, we had hummingbirds other places we have lived but here is crazy! Like hueyjazz... we watch them dancing and fighting as the zip around! Right now there are two Rufus on two different feeders running off any that try to eat there... 5 more feeders with at least 7-8 birds at each.
My wife mixes up at least 1 1/2 gallons of feed each day.
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hueyjazz
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# Posted: 6 Aug 2020 12:14pm
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We notice one particular feeder tends to be warmed by sun more than the others and gets more action. I often wondered if syrup in this feeder ferments.
Perhaps the wars we see is really a bar fight and they don't want to share their hooch. It's usually the more colorful birds that start the fights and I think these are the males. Boys will be boys.
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drb777
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# Posted: 7 Aug 2020 12:58pm
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I've been feeding the hummers at the cabin for 10 years now and they have me well trained. From mid April to mid September, I maintain 7 or 8 quart feeders that are empty in 4-5 days, so about 2 gallons/week. Lots of sugar, water and effort required keeping them well supplied. No regrets, they provide lots of entertainment, like little fighter jets that can even fly backwards. Humming birds and whippoorwills are my favorite warm weather visitors at the cabin.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 7 Aug 2020 08:20pm
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I see I first posted this on the 4th and my wife had just opened her last 10 pound bag of sugar.... she used the last of it last night to mix up the syrup for this morning. Fortunately for the hummers today was town day... she picked up 2 x 10# bags and s 25# bag, 45 more pounds, I doubt it will last until fall when they head south. Still... they are a joy to watch!
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