Guest blog: Sugar, lights and fighting ice

~Love blooms ~

My husband and I became big fans of hummingbirds about twenty-five years ago when we lived in San Antonio, TX. Many of our neighbors had feeders, so we put one up too, and quickly became fascinated and amazed by the hummers' antics. We moved to Clovis in 1991, and it took several years of putting out feeders and planting flowers preferred by hummingbirds to attract them to our yard, although we knew there were many in the area. Persistence paid off, and now we get lots of hummers every year between April and October.

~ Meet the hummers ~

I have a hard time estimating the number of hummingbirds, but I have seen at least three different hummingbirds, a Black-chinned male and female, and a Rufous at my feeders since the beginning of October when the rest of them headed south. (Another local hummingbird enthusiast I know) has had several, including a male Rufous last weekend. Hopefully these are stragglers traveling through, not staying on. In 2007, I had one stay until mid-January. I am just seeing one at a time now, and not every day. In the summer months I often see four or five at a time. I have had Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed, and Calliope hummers – much more variety than back east where they usually just see Ruby-throats.

A juvenile Rufous feeding during a
New Mexico snow storm Dec. 7, 2011.
Courtesy photo: Lisa Moore

~ Winter woes~

With our weird weather, some of the hummers "forgot" to leave with the rest in early October. They
can still catch bugs to eat, but their natural nectar sources are gone since the flowers froze, so they are dependent on the artificial nectar from our feeders to stay alive.

We also need to be creative in keeping the feeders from freezing, since hummers can't eat popsicles. A few years ago, I had one hummingbird stay until mid-January.

If people keep their hummingbird feeders out a while longer this year, hopefully the ones still hanging around will get the urge to head south soon!

Keeping feeders out won't cause the hummers to stay longer. It will just help those who have lingered here survive until they wise up and decide to head out.

~ Lucky Punk ~

First generation winter nectar feeders.
Courtesy photo: Lisa Moore

In the winter of 2007-2008, when just one hummer we nicknamed "Punk" stayed until January 9, I clipped aluminum spot light holders to the eaves a couple of feet away from the feeders, and put infrared heater bulbs in them (nothing says "classy" like red spot lights on
the house).

"Punk" eating under the lights in 2007.
 Courtesy photo: Lisa Moore

Punk didn't seem to notice the lights, and that system worked fairly well, except for a few days when temperatures stayed below 20 degrees. Then I had to keep bringing frozen feeders inside to thaw, swapping them with thawed ones.

It was so weird to see a hummer sitting in my rosebush with snow all around. It amazes me that these tiny guys can survive this harsh winter weather, as long as they have food and can find adequate shelter.

Generation two winter nectar feeders.
Courtesy photo: Lisa Moore

~Perfecting the solution~

This year I followed a tip from a "Birds & Blooms" magazine reader (Dec-Jan 2011, p. 10) to put a strand of 20 large outdoor Christmas lights in an acrylic bowl hanging a few inches below the feeder.

So far, it is working better than the spot lights did, and is keeping the nectar from freezing, even with
temperatures in the teens.

~ Snow days ~

Early this morning, a hummer hung out on one of the feeders above the lights for a good half hour when the temperature was 25 degrees.
This hummer, which I believe is a juvenile Rufous, has been visiting my feeders for about a week.

"El Nino" enjoying the warmth of Christmas lights, Dec. 7. 2011.
 Courtesy photo: Lisa Moore.

"El Nino" eating during a snow storm snow Dec. 7, 2011.
Courtesy photo: Lisa Moore

The photo on the left is not the clearest of the photos, but one of my favorites because it shows El Nino on the feeder, snow falling around him, barely tolerating two house finches who wanted to warm up and steal a little of the nectar. 

Two different hummers were here two weeks ago. I think they were Black-chinned, but I couldn't get a good look at their colors.

I really love hummingbirds, and while it takes a bit of work and creative thinking in the winter, I enjoy them so much and consider it a privilege to help these little guys make it through.

When not rescuing hummingbirds, Lisa Moore is a nurse who spends her spare time gardening, at church and Bible study, at the gym and reading.

Photos and content submitted by Lisa Moore, exclusively for www.insearchofponies.blogspot.com