Im afraid Im the guilty party. But I have never tried the best-1. I have used the first nature for at least 3yrs. I have about 3 of those. Ive never had a problem with it nor have I heard of anyone having a problem. There is a space but maybe the feeder port is closer than on the best 1. It is a good feeder and easy to clean. I did pic up a port brush at ace hardware for $.99 doesnt exactly break the bank. It makes it handy for cleaning the 8 ports that can get clogged.

Thanks Steve!

Are you still using the Perky Pet 209? Hummers have a preference?

Hummingbird.net has 3 new sitings in my area today. I am completely surrounded! Hopefully I'll see one of these first wavers.

OH Yeah I will be using the pp209 out of neccessity. I start out slow usually one of those out back and then one other kind out front. Just depends on how many arrive. Later on when the juvies are out and about I will have to hang more feeders. The first flower blooms will coincide with the first batch of juvies.

First Nature is my absolute favorite, and I have not had any problems with them. I love that they are so easy to take apart and clean and also that they are inexpensive and have so many ports.

Ken
I have been using First Nature feeders since they came out on the market (about 4 yrs. ago). I have 3 along with several saucer feeders, test tube feeders and mini generic feeders. I have never had any problems with the first nature feeders and will be purchasing another this year. I have two hanging right now in the event an early migrant passes through.

Penny

I just bought this feeder and hung it yesterday. I had never had a bottle type feeder before and today I noticed something. During the day, when the air warmed up, the nectar level in the bottle fell significantly. Tonight, after the temperature fell, the nectar level was up again. I have to assume as the air warms the pressure inside the bottle increases and pushes the nectar down. I had never seen this mentioned by anyone. This constant rise and fall will make it difficult to tell exactly how much nectar the hummers are drinking.

Hi hawkeye,

I have noticed this too. I have the 30 oz pp 209 and since I only have a few hummers in the summer I only fill it so that there is about 1 inch in the bottle when hung. During the day all the sugar water can leave the bottle and in the evening it is mostly back. I wonder though if it pushes down into the base as I don't think there is a way it would rise up again. I am thinking that the water may turn into a vapor in the bottle. Just a guess. How much air space was in your bottle when you originally hung it?

If I am right I am wondering about one thing. IF the sugar water is able to fill the bottle in a vapor and if the seal on the bottom is low enough that the mouth of the jar is opened I am thinking that the concentrated liquid drops into the base and when the temp cools and fills the bottle again that it is just the water. One day I may be brave enough to taste it. LOL.

Yes Ive noticed this before on my bottle feeders and it must be happening now to my pp209 only it never seems to fill back to the point where it started. I think maybe when hummers feed from it , it relieves the pressure and it settles to a normal stage. But in the past a lot of times I notice overnight the bottle nectar will seem to rise a bit by the next morning early.

I am only putting 3 oz of nectar in my feeder. At filling time that puts the liquid level only at the very bottom of the bottle. As soon as the morning sun hits the bottle the liquid level falls by 1/2 to 3/4 inch. I can barely seen any liquid at that point.