WOOOHOOOO! I just put mine out today......I can't wait!

Erica

THere is a report from Hambirg/Orchard Park area also. My first feeder went up last Monday. My Salvia Guaranitica Black and Blue is in full bloom, my Savia Azurea seeds have sprouted and I am ready! Now if the garden centers would just get in some gartenmeister fuschia, I would be good to go.

Penny

My sugar water is cooling as I write...c'mon up the Hudson guys!

I wish I had something in bloom for them. The native columbine doesn't look close to blooming. Anxious to see if their agastache 'Desert Sunrise' does well. It has leaves on it. I'm with you, Penny- waiting for the fuschia! Last year they loved it.

Got a new digital camera this year- one with a good telephoto and image stabilization- so I'm hoping to catch one at the feeder. I feel like a hummingbird stalker...

I stopped at the nursery the other day to check on the fuschia and they told me maybe mid to late may...well that is too late! I have one Salvia G. Black & Blue that I grew myself from seed last year that is in full bloom right now. So I will at least have one plant for them that is blooming if they come early.

Penny

Penny, do you have a Lowe's near you? I just got back from there, and ours has a brand new shipment of blue butterfly delphinium in bloom. I know my hummingbird visitors last year loved mine. I had to resist buying another one, they looked really good. If I had more room...

Misstish
THe closest Lowes is about 45 minutes away in Orchard Park. One of the other nurseries I stop at only occasionally does have delphs in stock. I stopped there over the week end and pickeed up a penstemon and and gastache. I have seeds sown for both of these but I wanted ones that would bloom this year so I got one plant of each. Also I now have 3 of my salvia guaraniticas in bloom. One is the hybrid of my original black and blue and the other is a true black and blue. Looks like things are starting to pop now that is is finally warming up.

There is a new siting in Liverpool, NY

Penny

Uh oh...that's about 25 miles south of me.
I'm new to feeding hummers and I just bought a feeder on Saturday. Do they like the nectar cold or room temperature?
I just mixed some up and have it cooling on the counter.

Here is the correct method of preparing nectar for your feeder:
1 part plain white granulated sugar (don't use powdered sugar, honey, artificial sweeteners or the stuff they sell in the stores labeled as hummingbird nectar as it has red dye which isn't good for the hummers)
4 parts boiled water The water should be boiled first and then add the water to the sugar.
Stir to dissolve sugar completely
DO NOT add red food coloring to the nectar. This is harmful to the hummers and there is enough red coloring on the feeders to be noticed by them.
Let the nectar completely to cool to room temp before filling the feeder

WHen I use refrigerated nectar, I let it sit for a little while to bring it closer to room temp before putting it outside. FLower nectar is at the same temp as the air around them.

Unused nectar may be stored in the refrigerator for a week. Freeders should be emptied cleaned and refilled with fresh nectar every 3 days. Nectar can mold on hot days quickly and cause serious illness or death to hummers.

If you are just starting to feed hummers or only have one or two don't fill a feeder all the way. For an 8 oz. feeder you can use 4 oz. of nectar. that way you aren't wasting a lot of sugar.

At the beginning of the season I half fill my feeders. When they start to empty them on a daily basis I either add another feeder or add more nectar to the feeders. I usually make my nectar the night before I am going to fill the feeders. that way it is ready first thing. I take it out of the refrigerator while I am making coffee and my husband's lunch by the time I am ready to fill the feeders the chill is gone.

Penny

Thanks, Penny :-)

You are welcome. Here's hoping that we all see our humnmers very soon. I just finished making a new batch of nectar so I have it ready to change out the feeders later today. THis time of year I change them Sunday and Wednesday since it is still cool. Once we start getting warmer weather I do them every 2-3 days.

Penny

Check out this website, it is a Kids website but this page has some cute Hummingbird downloads!

Here is a link that might be useful: Billy Bear's Hummingbird Page

Penny,
Spoth's Greenhouse on Tonawanda Creek Road (Amherst Side) usually has beautiful Gartenmeister fushias. They grow their own stuff right there and open on May 1st.
Carol

Greetings! As an avid Birder, I'm amazed that Hummingbirds are being reported from NY State before May. Have any of you actually SEEN one yet?? We are talking record early here...

In Syracuse, most of the RUHU (Hummingbirds) arrive around May 1st. In my yard, the average is around May 9th. It doesn't hurt to get your feeders out early, just make sure to change the fluid each week. Orioles are due this week, and they too come to feeders. Mine are also attracted to juice oranges cut in half and impaled on tree branches, etc.

Both Orioles and Hummingbirds benefit from a sweeter nectar in early spring. Exhausted from migration, they load up on calories as soon as they arrive. I usually make a 3:1 solution for the first two weeks. Follow Penny's advice above, just use 3 cups of water to 1 cup PURE CANE SUGAR. Note the bag must say PURE CANE SUGAR. The Wegmans brand of cheap sugar is made from beets, and RUHU ignore it. After mid-May, RUHU nectar goes back to 4:1. Good Luck!! I'll post when my Hummers return!!!

PS: You can make a hanging basket for them by using cheap annuals potted in last year's Fuschia basket. Use Salvia, Impatiens, Phlox, etc. Most superstores have something in the L&G section by now!!

also anxiously awaiting their return. nothing really in bloom yet but, i do have some wave petunias in hanging baskets that i hope will help.

Here is a link that might be useful: some pics of last years hummers

Matt - mine have also shown up the last 5 years religiously between May 1-3, so I haven't rushed to fill my feeders just yet. I, too, am surprised that they have been seen way before that...

Matt,
Last year My report to Lanny Chambers was the first one in this area. I reported it on April 28th although I thought I saw him at the feeder on the 27th of April but I startled him and me too and flew off before I could confirm for sure. But early on the 28th. There he was at the feeder in front of my front porch so that is the date of record. There is already a confirmed siting in Mississauga, Ontario as of Friday.

Carol,
Thank you for the tip about Spoth's. I will take a run out there and check out what they have. I can also see what they bring to the farmers' market in NY when they come on the week ends.

I do generally make up my own hanging baskets of impatiens,etc. But I also like to get something that had some nutritional value that is why I like the fuschias.

Penny

This will be my first year having feeders for the hummingbirds, so I'm not sure I'll spot them right away since my feeder will be a new feeding point for them.
I haven't seen any yet, and it has cooled off significantly-- I don't know if that's a factor in their migration or not at this point.

My Gartenmeister Bonstede Fuchsia spent the winter in the livingroom and is ready to put out just as soon as it stops freezing at night. It flowered all winter in a south window and I'll cut it back a bit before it goes outside for the summer.