Nope – it’s for the hummingbirds! And our Ruby-throated hummingbirds….traveling hundreds of miles (including crossing the Gulf of Mexico….600 miles in one non-stop flight!!!) are on their way!
They’re following the route of the Yellow-bellied sapsuckers that are migrating north, making sap wells in trees, and they’ll be flying over our houses any day now (if they haven’t already started!)
Yes indeed, April 15th may be tax day but to lift your spirits from that, it’s also when we can start getting hummingbirds back in our yards!
So, put away the baking flour and oatmeal – it’s time to put that granulated sugar to use for the hummingbirds. You need a hummingbird feeder (which you can get at any pet store nowadays), white granulated sugar, and water. Forget the special mixes they sell at the pet store – you don’t need that and the red dyes are bad for the birds.
The mixture for the sugar water is 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. So, grab the measuring cup and add 1/4 cup of sugar then fill it up to the 1 cup mark with water. Put that in the microwave to warm up the water and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Put your hummingbird feeder in a place that you can easily view it, then keep an eye out for the hummers! You’ll see the males arrive first as they start to stake out territory for the breeding season.
Be sure to keep your feeder clean and change the sugar water every few days so it doesn’t get moldy since that can make the birds sick.