We had a great time at Silver Dollar City. It was a lot of fun to actually demonstrate and talk with people. Everyone seemed fascinated, especially the kids. We had good sales and good weather. Terrie complained that the period dresses were hot, but then the weather was not as cool as we expected for September.
Visiting with so many people during this time, we heard over and over about other hummingbird feeders that leak. The common theme was the black rubber stopper. You do NOT want a feeder with anything other than white rubber!!! The composition of the colored stoppers is different and they deteriorate quickly. When that happens, air gets into the feeder which allows nectar to drip out. If you have a leaking feeder, you do not have a water leak - you have an air leak. Air is somehow getting into the feeder. Try wetting the stopper before you put it back in as water on the rubber stopper allows it to slide smoothly against the glass, go in deeper, and seal better.
The sad news is that our hummers have headed south. The juveniles were hitting the feeders hot and heavy before we left but we've seen no activity since we've been home. We'll miss the little guys but know they will return in the spring.
Hummingbird fact for today: Feeders were beginning to be developed about 1928 but a National Geographic article in 1947 used a newly developed strobe flash to show hummingbirds in flight at a feeder and interest was heightened outside the scientific community. In 1950 the Audubon Novelty Company offered an affordable feeder and hummingbird feeding has never looked back.
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