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grow4birds

Annas anyone?

grow4birds
15 years ago

I was wondering if there was anyone on this forum from the PNW with AnnaÂs year round? IÂm new to this group and IÂve enjoyed reading all the posts about "sending your birds south for the winter" and "in to the care of some other hummer lover".

Here in the PNW, where the AnnaÂs donÂt migrate but are year round residents, I feed my little hummers all year and in the early fall and winter months I have an influx of Mountain AnnaÂs that spend the winter in my neighborhood. AnnaÂs, unlike other hummers, spend the summer feeding mostly on insects, are dependent on feeders in the winter and endures the freezing temps.

I would like to share info with others from the PNW with AnnaÂs year round.

Thanks for reading.

Comments (6)

  • rita_h
    15 years ago

    There's lots of us in the Pacific Northwest with Annas year-round. My sugar usage increases in the winter months, almost doubling. Once night temps dip below freezing, I change the ratio to 3:1 so the sugar goes faster, too.

    Still got some salvias, fuchsias, and agastaches blooming but the hummers seem to be lingering longer at the feeders. They seem to be less aggressive, sharing better.

    I see lots of males in full-breeding plumage... so pretty!

  • rockyplants
    15 years ago

    We too have year round annas.
    We are in Eugene, Or and are gearing up for winter[have put out 5 feeders so far], We just started winter feeding last year, in dec. when we realized there were still some around. the hardest part was getting up on cold mornings and quickly thawing out feeders. This fall, so far we haven't had a frost so salvias, fuschias etc. are still blooming, but they are already visiting feeders more and more. Of course they each think all the feeders are thiers, so there are quite a few dog fights to enjoy.

  • nannee_knitter
    15 years ago

    Hi to a fellow Eugeneian!! So glad I'm not crazy seeing my hummingbirds that are staying year 'round!! I just posted on another list about these lil guys, but nothing there was mentioned about the normalcy of the Anna's being year 'round residents~ learn something new every day! LOL. I really enjoy watching them every day and tickled that I can "help them out"! Kate

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    15 years ago

    For the coastal PNW, Anna's are pretty common year round residents......I've had them in my garden for years. I tend only to put out feeders in the winter months to offset the lack of natural blooming food sources - I let them forage on their own in the garden for the rest of the year and it's easier not to have to maintain feeders in the heat of summer (such as it is here, which is not all that much). And I do try to plant as many winter blooming, hummer attracting plants as possible. Winter blooming mahonia is a big draw, as are heaths and hellebores, sarcococca and a bit later, witch hazels, winter hazel, winter daphne and Lonicera fragrantissima.

    If one visits the Winter Garden at the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle any time from late December through March, you'd be amazed at the populations and activities of the Anna's - there's literally dozens of them.

  • rita_h
    15 years ago

    Been seeing a lot of newcomers lately... they keep trying to feed from the underside of my saucer-style feeders. It takes them a few minutes to figure out they should feed from the top. I don't know if they figure this out on their own or they watch the other birds...? I'm seeing mostly males, for some reason.

  • todancewithwolves
    15 years ago

    Yep, have them year around here too.

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