What is your weather like ... today

[JBtheExplorer]

56, very foggy. Hoping the fog clears up, I'm heading to an airshow today.

 

[sissy]

cool all morning transplanted over 100 flowers i grew from seeds and weeded and next will mow as soon as grass is dry enough .Getting hot and steamy out now

 

[j.w]

I think as long as there is some kind of red on your hummer feeder to attract them you don't need to color the water. I just have the plain water w/ 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.

We have sun glorious sun and warmth and even warmer tomorrow in the 80's hopefully

 

[sissy]

A lot of people do not realize you should sterilize your feeders and and refill them every 2 days or you can make the hummers sick .I add sugar to the prepackaged hummer food .Reason for hummer food is it has stuff in it that helps the hummers digest it and get vitamins they need.Lots of hummers die every year from eating bad food or getting bad stuff from a dirty feeder

 

[HARO]

Apparently what kills them is the red dye!
John

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Disappointing day. Air Show was fogged out & cancelled. No fog anywhere but right on the lake shore.

Imagine the skyline of Milwaukee here (trust me, there are a bunch of buildings there):

and imagine airplanes doing stunts and flybys here:

 

[fishin4cars]

High today 94! Feels like 99! Ugh it's hot and muggy out there. Was trying to get out and do some plumbing work but 20-30 minutes outside and it's back inside to check the forums. Bad thing is, next week the high is expected to reach 99 with a heat index of?? Living in the deep south does have it's disadvantages!!!

 

[addy1]

64 today..............

 

[j.w]

Hummingbird Nectar Recipe
How to Make Sugar Water for Hummingbirds
By Melissa Mayntz

Attract hummingbirds with a simple nectar recipe.
Hummingbirds eat a variety of different things, but the food they are most attracted to in many birders’ backyards is the basic hummingbird nectar recipe. This recipe approximates the natural sucrose content of top nectar-producing flowers and offers the birds a healthy, nutritious, easily digestible source of energy and calories.

Classic Hummingbird Nectar Recipe
To make hummingbird nectar…

1. Combine one part plain white table sugar and four parts water.
2. Slowly heat the solution for 1-2 minutes to help the sugar dissolve and slow fermentation.
3. Allow the solution to cool completely before filling feeders.

Nectar Recipe Tips
For the safest, best nectar from your homemade recipe...

• If your tap water contains heavy chemicals, consider using bottled or purified water for purer nectar. You can also boil the water before adding the sugar to help purify it, but double check your water amount after extended boiling to be sure you have not reduced the volume too far, which could make the sugar concentration much higher. Hummingbirds will enjoy the sweeter nectar, but it will ferment more quickly and may clog feeding ports as the sugar crystallizes.
  
• Do not use honey, brown sugar, molasses or artificial sugar substitutes for any hummingbird nectar recipe. Honey and molasses (brown sugar contains molasses products) are too heavy for hummingbirds to digest efficiently and can ferment more quickly, creating a mold that is fatal to hummingbirds. Sugar substitutes do not have the caloric energy that hummingbirds need for energy.
  
• While boiling will help slow the fermentation of the nectar initially, the nectar in hummingbird feeders is contaminated as soon as it is sipped by a bird. Therefore, it is not necessary to boil the nectar once the sugar has been dissolved. If you use extra fine sugar no boiling or heating may be needed.
  
• The ratio of sugar and water can be slightly adjusted, but a solution that is too sweet will be difficult for the birds to digest and one that does not contain enough sugar will not be suitable to attract hummingbirds. The 4:1 water to sugar ratio most closely approximates the sucrose levels in natural nectar.
  
• Hummingbird nectar must be completely cool before filling feeders. Hot nectar can warp or crack both glass and plastic hummingbird feeders and warm nectar will ferment more quickly.
  
• Commercial hummingbird nectar products may advertise different flavors, vitamins and other additives that are supposed to attract additional birds. These additives are not necessary for hummingbirds’ health and a simple sugar solution will attract just as many birds as more expensive commercial products.
  
• Unused hummingbird nectar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. When making your own nectar, adjust the recipe quantity to only make enough for one week to eliminate waste and ensure birds have the freshest possible nectar to enjoy.
  
• Clean hummingbird feeders at least once a week and refill them with fresh nectar. In warm weather or when multiple birds are using the feeder, clean them more frequently.

Though it only takes a few minutes to make homemade nectar, if you don't have time to make your own hummingbird nectar, you can purchase powdered or liquid nectar concentrates to use as well. These concentrates often come in pre-measured portions to fill a single feeder, depending on its capacity, and can be convenient for RV travelers, using at a campsite or giving as a gift with a hummingbird feeder.

To Dye or Not to Dye
The use of red dye in hummingbird nectar recipes is a controversial issue. While hummingbirds are attracted to bright colors, especially red, some red dyes in the 1970s were found to be toxic and were subsequently banned from food products. Today, red dyes found in food coloring and commercial hummingbird nectar are safe for both human and animal consumption, but the color is not necessary to attract the birds. Many hummingbird feeders have red bases, feeding ports or other accents that will attract the birds without risking the use of unessential dyes. If you want to use red to attract more hummingbirds to your feeders, consider planting red flowers nearby, hanging red ribbons from the feeder or adding a red gazing ball near the feeder to help catch the birds’ attention.

Following the classic hummingbird nectar recipe is a great way to create hummingbird food that is far less expensive than commercial nectar's or nectar mixes. With a few simple steps, you can fill your hummingbird feeders with attractively delicious sugar water all season long.

 

[HARO]

We were sitting on the front porch a few days ago, watching a female Ruby-throat continuously probing one specific plant, which had no flowers yet. Finally I went to check, and it turns out she was picking aphids off the leaves! A hummingbird does not live by nectar alone!!
John

 

[j.w]

Yes I've heard that when they are nesting they feed the meat to the be'be's. Gosh it's just beautiful outside right now. I've been shooting pix like crazy

 

[j.w]

@JBtheExplorer sorry for your bummer of a day

 

[JBtheExplorer]

@JBtheExplorer sorry for your bummer of a day

Yeah, really disappointing.
I'd been waiting two years to get back to an airshow and 4 years to see the Blue Angels. I give the organizers credit for trying their hardest to get the show going, even getting two planes up in the air hoping it would clear, but once the fog really set in, it was over. I suppose at least what I can take away from today is a nice view of the Milwaukee lakefront. Love watching the boats come in and out.

and someone, even with fog and clouds, I wind up with a sunburned face!

 

[j.w]

I miss seeing the Blue Angels here. They didn't come last year to Seafair in Seattle. It just isn't the same w/o them.

 

[haver79]

Stormy day today. Pouring rain right now. Keeping me indoors. At least I'm getting my house clean.