UPDATE FROM MT. HOO



Many of the birds of summer have departed for winter homes, but there is still plenty of activity here at Mt. Hoo. 

The hooded orioles left, right on schedule in early September, but the hummers are so happy, because now they have the feeders all to themselves. 

We use the First Nature, 32-ounce Oriole Feeders because they hold a good amount of nectar and are easy to clean and maintain. The larger holes allow the orioles to use them with their larger beaks, but they are equally popular with hummingbirds.

So, we keep them clean and filled, even after the orioles depart for winter homes in Mexico.
We add a little extra sugar water to the mixture to give the high-energy hummers a bit more nourishment during the chilly winter months. 

That mixture is one part sugar (and a just a little more) to four parts water. Make sure feeders are clean and free of mold. 

During the warm fall days we will also get bees using the nectar, so there can be competition. The hummingbirds seem to be tolerant. 


Another one our winter visitors showed up right on time, with the arrival of the white-crowned sparrows at the first of October.  Along with yellow-rumped warblers, these will be common all winter in local gardens. 


Keep those seed feeds filled and they will delight you with constant visits during the winter. 

End





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