Humming bird refueling

[Garrabo]

I provided a 60 calorie mix, they seem to like it.

 

[midlf]

So what is 60 calorie mix? We always just use the stuff from the store. I presumed there were homemade recipes but I never thought the stuff would be mixed to different "proofs".

 

[goaliedad]

we had always used the packaged stuff- recently bought a new feeder and the store did not have any foo. a quick google and we were feeding the buzzers- three cups water to one cup sugar to start- then four to one. boil the water, add the sugar, mix, cool, feed. do not use coloring- it can be bad for the birds. keep the feeder clean and enjoy. i'm trying to get some pictures- we have three regular's, buzz, speedy and red.

 

[livincountry]

We have window boxes filled with impatiens (northern exposure) and we get lots of visitors.

I have heard the 3:1 ratio and used it in years past. works well.

thats a great pic by the way

 

[Donnyj]

We have always used just plain old sugar water. Sometimes as many as 8 fighting over the mixture.

 

[scott_vt]

We have always used just plain old sugar water. Sometimes as many as 8 fighting over the mixture.

Mornin Donny,
We use the sugar water mix like you and it works just great!

 

[Garrabo]

what kind of cam do you use to get the wings instead of a blur? perhaps I need to play with my shutter speed.

As to the question, I have heard that 1 to 1 mix (I cup sugar- 1 cup water) is a 60 cal mix which they like after their migration, then you can step down to a 2 to 1 mix (2 cups water - 1 cup sugar) I think thats a 35 cal mix.

 

[Donnyj]

what kind of cam do you use to get the wings instead of a blur? perhaps I need to play with my shutter speed.

As to the question, I have heard that 1 to 1 mix (I cup sugar- 1 cup water) is a 60 cal mix which they like after their migration, then you can step down to a 2 to 1 mix (2 cups water - 1 cup sugar) I think thats a 35 cal mix.

I use a Fugi FinePix 2650 2.0mp camera. Nothing special for sure. I mostly just use the 1 mp setting and leave it on auto. Camera was actually free... A present from Ford Motor Company when they sent us on a cruise a few years back. The camera is really outdated. The camera does all the work. I have no clue how to set it up manually.

The two feeders we have are drained empty within 2 days. We can actually set out on the porch and watch them fight over the mixture up close. Sooner or later one of them is going to hit me right in the head. Fun to watch.

As far as the mix goes. I let my wife handle that. My sister told her the "secret mix". I'm sure it is very close to what most use. We have found that if no flowers are around the feeders, then everything is very quiet. As soon as my wife added the 2 hanging flowers near the feeders then all the fun started. We usually have one or two males set in the flowers and chase the other males away from the feeders. Truly enjoyable to watch.

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

Okay, I can't resist. Nice pics Donnyj. Like you guys, I have an ongoing informal "capture hums in flight" project. I just recently saw the most outrageous hum-in-flight pic I have ever seen! I have exchanged emails with the fella that took it, and have begun following his instructions. The first photo is my very best shot to date. Many times better than I have ever done before. The second shot is this fella's fantastic photograph!

My shot was taken at about 7:50 in the evening on the fourth of July. The essence of this deal is to stop action with flash. Our hums come around until about 8:15 or so. So the time of my shot was during their last evening feeding. There was still enough light that I could see the trees in the background, but the flash pretty much blacks out the background.

My shot was taken from about three feet away, at 1/60sec. shutter speed and f 3.5, which most cameras will do as a default flash setting. The only other secret to it, is to lock the focus on the feeder, which is I guess a little fancier thing to do than some cameras may be capable of. You can probably tell I'm into photography. It isn't a very fancy camera though, a newish Canon A620.



Mike

 

[scott_vt]

Okay, I can't resist. Nice pics Donnyj. Like you guys, I have an ongoing informal "capture hums in flight" project. I just recently saw the most outrageous hum-in-flight pic I have ever seen! I have exchanged emails with the fella that took it, and have begun following his instructions. The first photo is my very best shot to date. Many times better than I have ever done before. The second shot is this fella's fantastic photograph!

My shot was taken at about 7:50 in the evening on the fourth of July. The essence of this deal is to stop action with flash. Our hums come around until about 8:15 or so. So the time of my shot was during their last evening feeding. There was still enough light that I could see the trees in the background, but the flash pretty much blacks out the background.

My shot was taken from about three feet away, at 1/60sec. shutter speed and f 3.5, which most cameras will do as a default flash setting. The only other secret to it, is to lock the focus on the feeder, which is I guess a little fancier thing to do than some cameras may be capable of. You can probably tell I'm into photography. It isn't a very fancy camera though, a newish Canon A620.



Mike

Mornin Mike,
Wow what a beautiful pic, thanks so much for sharing that !!!