I am often asked and see the question posed on various listserves as to what happens to hummers in the summer, folks have their feeders out but no birds. Unless you live in an area where hummers breed, you will have few or none from early to mid-June until about mid-July when the young begin leaving the nest and birds begin moving south. Juvenile Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have begun arriving at the feeders the past couple of days. Now is the time to clean and put your feeders out if you haven't and make sure the sugar-water or nectar is kept fresh, best changed every 4-5 days during hot sunny weather. Sugar-water is preferred as it is without food coloring which isn't necessary to attract the birds, and pure cane sugar is best. A ratio of one part sugar to four parts water is ideal. Boiling isn't required and I just fill the mixing pan with hottest tap water then stir in the sugar until it dissolves, letting it cool before refilling the feeders. It won't be long before the feeders are swarming with hummingbirds and most everyone should have them at their feeders within the next couple of weeks. Beginning now, vagrants become more likely, so be sure to keep you eyes open for and please report any unusual hummers. David L. Roemer Bowling Green, Ky. ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS============== The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign your messages with first & last name, city, & state abbreviation. -------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx -------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx