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Garden Gate: Episode 216 – Hummingbirds and Orioles (May 21, 2021)

 

t’s the time of year again when we’re all so excited to orioles and hummingbirds.

You can feel the excitement in the air. People are chatting online trying to figure out when these sweet birds arrive. And when they do–we hear about it! I suggest getting your feeders out the first week of May.

In recent years we get our first reports of sightings around May 5th or 6th. On this episode I give you some very quick tips on what types of feeders to look for for both orioles and hummingbirds.

The most important thing you need to be aware of if you’re offering nectar is that the feeders are cleaned every 3 or 4 days and new nectar is put into the feeders. Hummingbirds won’t use dirty feeders and the moldy nectar can make them sick.

4 parts water to 1 part sugar. Boil. Cool. Fill. Refrigerate extra.

As they say “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”