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Dalton
Roberts |
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Last weeks column on redwing blackbirds brought a gush of questions about birds. I will to answer some of them this week: Q: When should I put out my hummingbird feeder? I put mine out the first week in April but sometimes it is a while before they come to it with any regularity. The advantage in putting it out early is that they will find it and make a note of you and your address in their little “where to dine” books. We have an abundance of honeysuckle vines in this area and they love them. As long as those vines are blooming, our feeders are their second choice. Be patient and they will definitely come. Be sure to change the water every five days. Sugar water goes bad in hot weather. Q: Someone told me not to use the red food coloring in my hummingbird water? Wouldn’t the red color attract more hummers? Someone gave you wise counsel. I do not know why manufacturers persist in putting red food coloring in the box with their hummingbird feeders. Ornithologists say it is not good for the birds. The feeders are usually red and that is plenty of enticement for the birds to come to you. Q: What is your formula for hummingbird water and wouldn’t it be better to use natural honey? Use one cup of regular granulated cane sugar to four cups of water. Too much heat changes the quality of the sugar water so just use enough heat to make the sugar dissolve. Never use honey or any other kind of sugar. Cane sugar may not be the healthiest choice for humans but it is definitely best for hummingbirds. Q: Why do my hummers fight all the time? They spend as much time fighting as sipping. Many birds are territorial and the hummingbirds are probably more aggressive than most species. Despite dive-bombing each other all day long, the good news is that I have never seen one hurt another bird. Just relax and enjoy their aerial antics. Q: I really like goldfinch but thistle is their favorite food and it is the most expensive seed of all. I have more house finch than goldfinch and the hordes of house finch get most of it. Is there any way to control them? There certainly is. Wildbirds Unlimited on East Brainerd Road sold me an “upside down” tube thistle feeder. The perches are set so the birds must hang upside down to get to the seed. Goldfinch have no trouble doing that and house finch do. Could anything be more beautiful? I bought one of those wondrous inventions about five years ago and it has been a great pleasure to see six goldfinches at a time hanging upside down from it. Q: I love cardinals but they seldom come around. Someone told me they are the most skittish of all birds. Could it be that my feeders are too close to my window? I don’t think so. For years I set out a cardinal feeder farther from the window and when it broke I discovered they would come right on in and dine with the other birds. They do seem to be a little more skittish but I knew their big dietary weakness was safflower, so I just set out one feeder with nothing but safflower. It has worked beautifully. Q: I have tried for years to attract bluebirds. Any suggestions? The secret is the right food and the right box. The right food for me has been mealworms but they will crawl away. You might try bluebird banquet, bird grub or dry fruit tenders from Audubon Workshop (www.AudubonWorkshop.com). The right box is a bluebird box with a 1& 9/16 opening. My Sawyer log box has really brought them in for me but a ragtag old ugly thing also brought in a pair last year. Thanks for the questions and happy birding!
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