Brandon,
I was referring to Anna's which I have at my feeders all year. Numbers have
gone from maybe 6 to about 20 Anna's, the migration is on for them. My
feeders need constant filling. No Rufous yet.
Tim R
Coos Bay
On Wed, Feb 3, 2016 at 6:54 PM, Tim Rodenkirk <timrodenkirk@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
The Anna's are moving through in good number on the South Coast- as usual,
some birds are already on nest. Expect to see them all over Oregon soon (or
at least increasing in number if you don't already have them in winter).
Merry migration!
Tim Rodenkirk
Coos Bay
busily trying to keep the feeders full- we have four and one empties daily
On Wed, Feb 3, 2016 at 6:48 PM, Brandon Green <brandon.green18@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
I have two nectar feeders up between March and April. Outside of that, I
only maintain one because I find it more than enough work to bleach the
feeder once per week and replace the sugar/water solution twice per week
between the late spring and early fall. I can't imagine doing that for four
or five feeders.
Instead, I plant hummingbird-friendly plants that are native to the West
Coast. I've found that both Anna's and Rufous really like some of the
California fuchsias. One of the earlier-blooming (July-August) species is
Hummingbird Trumpet (Zauschneria garrettii). This species grows in the
interior West (Utah, Wyoming, and down into some of the California deserts)
and is fully drought-tolerant and hardy in Western Oregon. Mattole River
fuschsia (Z. septentrionalis 'Mattole River'), from Humbolt County, CA,
blooms a little later (August-September) and does well in part shade with
regular garden water (it does best with at least a little summer water).
Hummers like some of the penstemons as well. My Anna's like Penstemon
'Margarita BOP', which blooms May-June. This one needs full sun, summer
drought, and is finicky about soil drainage. They're easiest in pots with
"cactus mix" soil and once-per-week water. Unlike the fuchsias, they're
evergreen and look nice year-round.
Brandon
Eugene
