Hello Lars,
Another thought occurs to me, I have watched Anna's Hummingbirds take sap from
Sapsucker wells. I have also seen them feed on sap oozing from Douglas Fir
cones in the spring/summer at the Tualatin River Wildlife Refuge.
I see Anna's Hummingbirds in places I am sure they are not being fed during the
winter, such as along the 40 Mile Loop Trail in Troutdale and at Company Lake.
There are plenty of Sapsucker holes and Sapsuckers in those woods. Lots of
bugs. Another source of food must be sapsucker wells and maybe early blooming
plants such as native willows and the native hazelnut. So, someone studying
Anna's Hummingbird nutrition might watch those species of plants when they here
an adult male singing.
Now that my curiosity has been tickled I will have to allow sitting time along
the 40 Mile Loop. Trail. Hot coffee, a blanket and a chair. Binoculars and
camera. My trip is planned! Maybe some cookies.
Sandy Leaptrott
NE Portland
Sent from my iPad
On Dec 28, 2021, at 8:20 PM, larspernorgren <larspernorgren@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I read on Obol over ten years ago that Rufous Hummingbirds tolerate 3:1 syrup
but that more than 4:1 was unhealthy for other species. No references or
explanation how this was determined. Everyone seemed to accept it as fact.
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: Christine Maack <cmaackster@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: 12/28/21 7:32 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: Sandy Leaptrott <sandyleapt@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Obol <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [obol] Re: Hummingbird nectar ratios
Do you know if those plants are the ones with a higher sugar content?
Chris
On Tue, Dec 28, 2021 at 7:12 PM Sandy Leaptrott <sandyleapt@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Hello All,
Somehow I missed the nectar ratio discussion the first time around. Maybe
this explains why, even in this cold weather, my Anna's favor blooming
plants over the feeders. They use the feeders first thing in the morning
but once they get warmed up and moving around they head for the Viburnum
bodnantense, winter blooming heathers, and a winter blooming jasmine in my
garden and a neighbor's Strawberry Tree (an Arbutus of some sort).
My winter blooming plants seem to be blooming about a month early this
winter.
Sandy Leaptrott
NE Portland
Sent from my iPad
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