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Monday Morning in the Kitchen: Hummingbird Nectar


Who can resist the magic of hummingbirds?  They buzz around so quickly, their tiny wings nothing but a fluttering blur.  Their diminutive size is almost unbelievable.  

I plant flowers that they enjoy, but I also like to keep feeders around my house.  I am delighted by the hummingbirds distinctive "whirr" and the flash of color as they zip by.  

Stores carry packets of hummingbird nectar to fill the feeders, but I prefer to make my own.  It's so simple, and cost-effective.  To make hummingbird nectar, simply boil sugar in water in a 1:4 ratio  (1 cup sugar in 4 cups water, for example) for 2 minutes.  Let cool, then fill your feeder.  



It might take a day or two for the birds to discover a new feeder, but don't worry, before you know it, you'll be having to boil sugar water every few days!  

 Do you have bird feeders?  What kind of birds do you see?

(This house in a nearby neighborhood clearly is attracting something bigger than hummingbirds!  I couldn't resist snapping a photo when I noticed this nest the other day.)

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Thanks for our feathered friends.

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Comments

  1. ChristineJuly 14, 2014 at 11:03 AM

    I certainly can't resist them. I rarely see them, so they're a special treat.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marisa BJuly 14, 2014 at 12:09 PM

    we have robins, blue jays, cardinals, sparrows, crows and few other type - I love the idea of a humming bird but hadn't done one yet...my friend has seen humming birds on her property they are spectacular - their speed and size :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. NancyJuly 14, 2014 at 2:19 PM

    I love watching and listening to hummingbirds. I used the same recipe to fill my feeders.

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownJuly 14, 2014 at 3:49 PM

    I do see hummingbirds sipping from the plumerias in the backyard but this year I have seen lots of house finch. LOTS of them! And they sing so pretty! I don't give them nectar but I do feed them bird seeds. I am convinced that when I don't get the seed out there early enough in the day the sparrows sit out there and yell at me! We have lots of sparrows, too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. MarissaJuly 14, 2014 at 5:12 PM

    This reminds me...
    My husbands turn to boil the sugar :)
    I love watching them its so relaxing.
    at least to me it is..
    Xo Marissa

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownJuly 15, 2014 at 7:32 AM

    So fun! We don't have bird feeders but I think the kids would love it!

    ReplyDelete

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