Awwwwwww , so very cute Dee

How timely! Here's today's article:

http://garden.org/ideas/view/d...

Fabulous photos everyone, I love this group. I've been busy most of the day planting and I come back to find I'm way behind...at least 30 minutes of ogling and bird envy going on over here. I loved every minute of it!

I read the hummingbird article and I wondered is it necessary to boil the water first? I haven't been doing that. For the record, I have well water, not city water, and it does go through a water softener first. I'll boil it if I need to, but I wasn't sure about it so I figured I'd ask my panel of experts.

I haven't boiled mine in years. I do use a filter if it makes a difference

I'd say it all depends on the quality of water. Melanie, your well water is probably okay to continue doing what you're doing. When making nectar, I boil part of the water mainly to dissolve the sugar. Then I add cold (filtered) water from the tap to get to my 4 to 1 ratio. I've never found this to be a problem since the hummingbird numbers keep going up, not down around here. I'd also say if you have a large amount of chlorine in your tap water, leave it sitting for a couple of hours first, supposedly the chlorine will evaporate.

I do mine in the microwave in a 4 cup glass measure and do not boil the water, we have great well water from the town, no chlorine except when they flush the system, they use blue light. We also have a water softener.

Dee, Those baby quail are adorable! That's a lot of babies!

As for the hummingbird nectar I also do a 1/4 ratio of sugar and water. I boil about 1/4 cup filtered water with the 1/4 cup white sugar to dissolve the sugar and then add the rest of the water ice-cold to help cool it faster.

I do like Margaret, in the microwave. We have a well & softener.

So heating the water is more about dissolving the sugar? I can see that. Okay, I'm off to the movies today! I'll try not to drive into a ditch looking for wading birds. Or get stuck in a ditch. Dad really hates having to tow me out. But I have seen Roseate Spoonbills along the side of the highway I'll be driving. And Egrets are just a given. So I have to at least look!

I think so. They use to say to boil it. But think it is kind of like baby bottles. When I had my first baby I boiled bottles. By the time I had baby number 2 it was no longer necessary to do that!

Love the baby quail

In case anyone's interested, here's a link to the Loch of Lowes/ Dunkeld live video cam of their Osprey nest. There are three chicks, the last of which hatched a couple of days ago. Some of the footage is brilliant, with lots of detail. There are also links (via the 'blog' link) to video footage of the third chick emerging from its egg and receiving its first meal (trout!).

http://scottishwildlifetrust.o...

We visit the wildlife centre there every so often as John (hubby) is from that area of Scotland.

So much to see & so much to learn!!! The baby quail are adorable! Time for me to make more nectar for the hummies. My humzinger instructions say to boil the water for 1 minute but if you guys aren't doing that then I shall try the same. Just melt the sugar. I would love for the process to take less time!!!! We're on a well also. When I make the syrup, I make enough to do the 3 feeders twice. I use what I need & then the rest goes in the fridge & it's just pour it in the next time it's needed. I always wash them well though before refilling.

I stay here much longer I'll be feeding hummingbirds. I already feed mass quantities of food to the birds. Here a couple more pics from the same photo session as the quails.
The wildlife cam is so cool. You can take pictures or movies or both, it uses a motion sensor. There is also a time lapse feature, I haven't tried that yet, I should pick a flower and give it a go. However the next action is going to be at another water fountain that the hummingbirds use.

Keep up the great work Dee, that's so cool!

The baby Quail are just too precious!
I do boil the hummer food in a 4 cup glass measure in the microwave. I'm on city water, and boiling helps break down the sugar and dissipate the chlorine in the water. I just let it cool naturally.
Dee, what is the orange and black bird in that first photo? He's really pretty!

Very neat, Dee!

Mika, I look forward to taking a look at the ospray cam. Rainy here right now making the internet signal slow.

Got one quick shot of Tufted Titmouse before he realized I was there and flew away.

So cute, Christine! Love the head on the side, like he's trying to understand what you're saying!

ctcarol said: Dee, what is the orange and black bird in that first photo? He's really pretty!

Spotted Towhee.

We thought it was a black-headed Grosbeak but I think you're right and it's a spotted Towhee, they look very much the same.