It worked!

Yes, they do! Margaret (mcash70) told me about that. I tried it & it's wonderful!!! Sooooooooooo much easier than using the toothbrush which doesn't really get many bristles down in those little holes and pipe cleaners leave something to be desired as well.

Actually, Ann, I was celebrating that the copy/paste thing worked.
But, yeah, so do the mascara brushes. Might not be as easy to clean if you use the 'waterproof' kind.

I haven't seen my hummingbirds lately, but the nectar keeps disappearing.

Female Cardinals remind me of chickens. I think it's the crest on top.



That seed looks a little big for that Chickadee. I don't know how to do the Heimlich on a bird.



Red-Bellied Woodpecker on the neighbor's palm.



This Mourning Dove was trying to hide, but my big human brain tracked it anyway.

Don't worry about the big seed on the chickadee, they usually fly away with them, and then hold them with their feet while they peck open the shell so they can get the goodies inside. I find nothing but sunflower seed hulls on the ground all over my back yard. The titmice even take away the bigger pieces of corn and peanuts to eat over in the bamboo where they feel safe.

Elaine, I've noticed the Titmice flying away with their seeds into the trees. There was one today that took one seed and spilled at least a dozen in the process. I guess the Cardinals are on cleanup duty!

GrammaChar said:Actually, Ann, I was celebrating that the copy/paste thing worked.
But, yeah, so do the mascara brushes. Might not be as easy to clean if you use the 'waterproof' kind.

I actually bought a dollar mascara in order to get the brush for cleaning hummingbird feeder ports. One of the best dollars I ever spent.



Nice photos Melanie!

Excellent idea about the mascara brush!!!!

I'm not sure, but I think this is a baby blue jay? There was a hint of blue in the tail feathers.



Titmouse, looking all regal at the top of that tree



Hummingbird feeder, with no hummingbirds, because they all hate me. Every year, I say I'm not going to put up another hummingbird feeder because they never use it, then I change my mind and get all hopeful again.

I don't get many hummers either. l0 or 15 years ago they were fighting for the fluid, today I hardly see one. Their population must be decreasing or they are just going elsewhere.

I've had hummingbirds for years, even without the feeder, but I've never seen more than two at a time. I think we just don't have very many in this area. I think it helps that I planted a ton of plants they like, although I did it more for the butterflies. And of course, even if your own yard is a sanctuary in itself, you have to consider the wider habitat around you. If you have neighbors with sterile lawns who cut down all the trees to make way for their cookie-cutter houses, it's going to be tough no matter what you do. I'm lucky my suburb has a rural kind of history. Cows graze across the street from me, and most people are smart enough to realize the trees provide shade for the house which really helps with the electric bill!

That is really true. I do grow coral bells, milkweed, columbine and lots of daylilies and iris, which the latter they probably don't frequent. A lot of my neighbors do have flowers and are really not too picky on their lawns. I don't think in my area there are a lot of people that can afford to keep their lawns weed free anymore. The economy in my area is not real good. But, it probably would help to have some woods nearby, which we don't. We do get a lot of finches, cardinals, doves and chickadees though.

I forgot to mention that I also have a Butterfly Bush and a Rose of Sharon. I have actually seen a hummer frequent the Rose of Sharon. I used to have a Trumpet Vine which both the hummers and the Baltimore Orioles loved but I had to get rid of it because it was just too invasive, coming up all over my yard.

Ibis, I had to chuckle when I read your post about the hummingbirds hating you. I'm sure there's another explanation.

I would post a picture but my pictures aren't uploading again. Not sure why.

I have witnessed hummers sipping on my daylilys as well as many other blooms you wouldn't think they would use. Having seen what I have seen with my own two eyes and repeatedly, I have to say this business you read or people say about they only nectar from certain shaped blooms is pure, outright bunk.
I think that the more blooms you have out there, the less you might see them at the feeders. They really do prefer "the real thing" as opposed to the sugar water we give them. Sure they use the sugar water but it's not their first & foremost choice -- at least from what I've witnessed.
Ibis, I think it matters too, just how many hummers you have in your immediate area. If you have 1 or 2 & there's lots out there for them to nectar on, then they may still visit your feeder but quite infrequently. The less frequently, the less you're apt to happen to catch them in the act.
If you had a population explosion, there's more competition & thus they can't each get as much from the blooms so will frequent the feeder more often.
I say keep the feeder up the rest of this year. It can take time. Then put it up next year. If mid season you don't see any then take it down.

Ibis, that's not a juvie blue jay. It has a finch beak. Not ringing any bells for me at the moment. Maybe Kurt will come on. he gets the ID's really well!

Ann, so true about the hummingbirds nectaring from a wide variety of plants. The first time I saw one on a bromeliad I could hardly believe it! And they love them! Mom and I stood and watched one do a lap and hit all of mine I had planted in a half circle. It was crazy! I've also seen one at USF Botanical Gardens using Passion Vine which surprised me. If they can get to it, I'm pretty sure they'll try it.

Thanks, Ann, I have seen a couple of hummingbirds around, but there are lots of blooms for them to feed on too. We'll see how the summer goes.

I hadn't noticed the beak on that faux-blue jay, I'll google it some more and see what I can find.

IbisFla said:Thanks, Ann, I have seen a couple of hummingbirds around, but there are lots of blooms for them to feed on too. We'll see how the summer goes.

I hadn't noticed the beak on that faux-blue jay, I'll google it some more and see what I can find.

I'm wondering if it isn't a blue grosbeak juvie. It's on my list of possibilities. Checking for others.....

I think there's a better than good chance it's an Eastern Towee juvie.

Ann, I can definitely see the similarities. I'm sure there was an Eastern Towhee adult nearby, so this most likely is the baby. Wow - I love seeing new birds at my feeders Thanks again, Ann!!