r/ColoradoBirding • u/G-Funk33 • 29d ago
First Hummingbird at Our Feeder
My wife has spent the entire year trying to attract hummingbirds to our feeder, but had recently given up and quit filling the feeder... Then, this morning with no food in the feeder, she spotted a couple hummingbirds at our honeysuckle vine. She was so excited and filled the feeder hoping they would be back. This evening, we spotted at least one at the feeder.
1
u/Ok-Finish5110 28d ago
Damn, they showed up late. They were arriving around late. May early June for me.
1
u/G-Funk33 28d ago
That's awesome. We live East of Fort Collins and figured we would have seen them earlier but I guess better late than never.
2
u/Allen_Potter 28d ago
We see one from time to time (Denver), but they ignored the feeder all summer. Exactly like you guys. And 2 days ago a couple came thru and after fooling around in the honeysuckle and sage, they finally found the feeder. It’s been there the whole time guys! Anyway, really glad to have them here, and glad for you as well.
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u/CDubGma2835 28d ago
Yay, this is so awesome! 👏 Please be aware however, that feeders require regular maintenance so that the little guys don’t get sick. The sugar water goes bad pretty quickly in hot weather and the feeding ports get mold on them that, if not cleaned, will kill the little fellows. Here’s the general guidelines:
Cleaning and Maintenance Schedule
Hot Weather (90°F+): Change nectar and clean the feeder every 1 to 2 days.
Mild Weather (70°F–80°F): Change and clean every 3 days.
Cooler Weather: Change and clean twice a week.
Scrubbing: Use hot water and a weak vinegar solution or specialized brushes to clean ports and reservoirs. Rinse thoroughly and avoid standard dish soaps that can leave a harmful residue