With colder temperatures forecast, it is worth repeating some simple but needed reminders for birders keen on keeping hummingbirds safe and regularly fed.
With eleven years of experience feeding hummingbirds twelve months of the year, throughout weather changes, it is essential to realize that once a commitment is made to attract them to your garden this must be maintained on a daily basis. As temperatures drop it may be necessary to keep a back-up feeder ready to replace one that is freezing. With the advent of cold nights, feeders should be taken indoors but only when it is quite dark because the smaller the bird, the later it continues to feed and likewise feeders need to be set out before daylight when they are desperate for that first feed after awakening from their nightly torpor.
While it is not always convenient, a dedicated supporter of these small marvels even considers how long one can leave home and the responsibility of the freezing factor becoming serious. This even goes so far to identify neighbours who are feeding the birds to ensure someone is backing up the program.
Author: Audrey Ostrom, Life Member MG, Vancouver Chapter
Photo courtesy of Gerry Fairbrother
