All is Right in the World

The flock is returning! This is the earliest we've had a Baltimore oriole at the feeder. We don't even have any oranges - just grape jelly! And we saw TWO hummers at the same time. It should fill up quickly now! Took these pix this morning.

Baltimore Oriole



Baltimore Oriole

Orchard Oriole

Orchard Oriole

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Pileated Woodpecker

Arrivederci. Adiós. Au Revoir. Auf Wiedersehen

Two weekends ago when we left for a show, we took down the tube feeders and replaced them with several bottle feeders. We had so many hummers zipping around, they were emptying all the tubes several times a day, so we wanted to make sure they would find enough food to hang around until we got home. Sure enough, on Monday we had our standard feeding frenzy and swarm of hummers.

This past weekend we did the same thing. But on Monday, we had fewer hummers. And noticeably absent are the red-gorgeted males. It appears that the migration back to the homeland has started. The males leave first. The females will follow over the next few weeks. This year's juveniles will be the last to depart. They fly individually and no one shows them where to go. What an incredible journey!

About two weeks ago we also lost our male orioles. Only females were eating the grape jelly. And now this week, nothing is eating the grape jelly. It appears that they, too, feel the forces of nature.

Woe is me!

Hummingbird fact for today: Feathers lost accidentally within a few weeks, while those damaged but not lost are replaced during the next normal molt.

Feeding Frenzy

There is a feeding frenzy happening on our front porch. Apparently the juveniles are now flying to the feeders. We've seen two adult males and five juveniles and/or females at the same time, so we know we have at least seven hummers close by. Juveniles don't develop the red gorget until the second season, so it's difficult to distinguish them from the females right now. Since we see 3 and sometimes 4 birds sharing the same feeder, we assume they are juveniles and have not yet learned that they are supposed to be territorial and chasing the other hummers away from the food. There are 3 hummers at the tubes in this picture. We have a total of 11 tubes and one vacuum feeder out. We're currently refilling everything every day.

We're often asked if the hummers prefer one type of feeder over another. With this picture you can see that the answer is obviously, "No". These two little guys have no preferance. As long as it is food, they really don't care about the nectar container.

The frenzy seems to be widespread. We heard this week from a customer in the Kansas City area who was absolutely delighted with the activity at his two feeders. "Our feeling is that everyone who walks into your craft display should buy one of your feeders. The entertainment is phenomenal. With the activity tonight I was able to stand right by the window and watch them feed. They were oblivious to my presence." He got a great close up of a hummer feeding. Thanks to Cam Schutte for sharing with us. We've said for years that the entertainment far surpasses anything you can find on television!

The feeding frenzy isn't limited to hummers. We also have orioles sharing the grape jelly and it, too, is going faster. We're refilling the jelly every day as well. Utilizing my bird handbook, I believe this is a male orchard oriole and a female sharing.

Early morning and late evening provide the most activity and entertainment at the feeders.

Hummingbird fact for today: A hummingbird’s daily nectar requirements depends on a variety of factors, including activity level, air temperature, quality of available resources, and time of year.

Where Are My Hummers?

It's the time of year that we hear this often, "My hummers were here but now they are gone." They are not gone, but there is less activity at the feeders. Mom is now on the nest and she's eating mostly a protein diet. When the eggs hatch, she will feed the babies a protein diet. When the young are ready to leave the nest, they will be in search of nectar. So this time of year, about all you will see at the feeder are the males in the area. And since females generally outnumber males in an area, you might feel that your feeder has been abandoned. Do not dispair. Keep the nectar in your feeder fresh. About 3-4 days in the heat of the summer is the maximum time limit for nectar to be out. It's just sugar water. Dump it out and fill it again. Be patient. You will again see lots of activity at your feeder.

We are also hearing about more and more oriole sightings. I have read that oriole behavior is similar to hummer behavior in that females will not visit the feeders as much while they are on the nest. I know that is true at our house. Other birds, however, are enjoying the grape jelly and oranges that we have out. It seems that the fruit eating birds are the colorful ones. We have some gorgeous red-headed woodpeckers that visit daily.

Hummingbird fact for today: Not all hummingbirds pollinate the flowers from which they feed. Some short-billed species routinely bypass the pollination mechanism by inserting their bills between the bases of the petals or through holes created by insects or other birds.

What's Up With the Weather?

We were in Hermann last weekend for Maifest and we couldn't set up on Friday night because of storms. We're supposed to be in St. Louis on Monday. Our first time trying Gypsy Caravan. And they're calling for storms and rain, both on Sunday (set up day) and Monday (sales day). It rained on us in Springfield. This is getting old. How is a person supposed to make a living if it's raining? People don't come out shopping; you're worried about your tent blowing away; your products get wet. Give me indoor shows!!!!

Terrie is finally trying to get the painting done. This needs to be done as a result of the new ceilings that were put in, that were a result of the trees falling on the house almost a year ago. She's changing the color scheme. I guess it's a good time to do that. She says nothing has been painted since they moved in years and years ago. But now she's years and years older (sh, don't tell her I said that) and she's not as nimble on the ladder as she once was. As long as she's careful and doesn't get hurt, she can take as much time as she needs to get the job done. I'd help, but she said no - it's HER project.

We're still enjoying our Baltimore and orchard orioles. They sure go through the grape jelly! And the hummers are almost constant visitors at their feeders.

Went to see Star Trek yesterday. It was a fun movie. Probably won't win any Academy Awards or anything, but still fun.

Hummingbird fact for today: Digestion of nectar is amazingly rapid and efficient. The liquid passes entirely through the digestive system in less than 20 minutes, during which time the gut can extract virtually all of the sugars.

Flashes of Orange and Yellow

In addition to hummingbird feeders, I make fruit dishes for orioles and other fruit-eating birds. Our baltimore oriole from last year has returned! His coloring and sounds make him stand out from the crowd. And he doesn't seem to like sharing "his" orange and grape jelly with the orchard orioles and the finches. The fruit eaters are much more skittish than the hummers. Pictures have to be taken through the window. The hummers don't care if you're by their feeders with a camera. They just chatter at you and go back to eating.

The bright orange guy is the male baltimore oriole. The female has been around too - just not today. The yellow bird is one of the finches. The brownish bird is one of the orchard orioles. The blur in the second pic of the baltimore is a hummer going by to his feeder.

Artsfest on Walnut Street is this weekend in Springfield. The forecast is calling for tons of rain and thunderstorms all weekend. Last year we had a really good show. This year we'll be waterlogged.

Hummingbird fact for today: Their relationships with flowering plants have shaped virtually every part of hummingbirds’ lives, from their size, shape, and hovering flight to mating habits and migration.

An Orange for an Oriole

Because a lot of visitors to our booth have inquired about oriole feeders, I researched and developed a style of feeder that makes providing an orange-half for orioles (and other fruit-eating birds) easy and fun. I had never actually tried one myself, though. After observing both a Baltimore oriole and an orchard oriole at the hummers' nectar feeders this week, I made a simple orange holder and put it on the front porch. In no time at all the orange-half I put out was discovered! This morning I observed the Baltimore oriole for a while as he enjoyed his special treat. What a gorgeous bird!

We had a fabulous weekend at Artsfest in Springfield. The weather was perfect and thousands of people came out to enjoy the wonderful variety of art that was available. It's rained nearly every day since then though, with more predicted this week. We're working like crazy to replenish our inventory for Tulsa's Mayfest next week. And, after her final on Tuesday, my wife will have completed all requirements for her AA degree! At least we think so. She still doesn't have her final grade in the dreaded Algebra class.

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummers have poor night vision and don’t like to fly in the dark.