We did have some unexpected visitors in the barn today. The hummingbirds are suddenly attracted to the orange colored light that I hung in the barn as a night light so I can see Emma. This little guy somehow got tangled in a spider web and wound up on the floor in the corner of the barn. I heard a rattling and was quite surprised to find him. It never occurred to me that a hummingbird could get stuck in a spider web. I guess I need to get a feeder hung up....
I don't have any sugar on hand, does anybody know if there is any reason hummingbirds can't eat honey syrup instead of sugar syrup? It is honey from my own hive so I know there are no chemicals in it and it seems like it would actually be better for them. I think this guy could use a boost after his ordeal...
I've been spending a lot of time on gardening while I wait for Baby to arrive. I decided this year that all my garden beds were going to have weed fabric on them. I tried this on one bed last year and it worked great. It never needed weeding or watering and was the most productive bed. It was the only bed that didn't get out of control.
I like gardening and I always have big plans and good intentions, but I can never keep up. Something always comes up and I get behind. I end up frustrated and depressed when things inevitably slip out of control. The garden ceases to be fun or productive and turns instead, into a Weapon-of-Self-Destruction, a constant reminder of failure. This year, I am trying to make sure everything is manageable with the limited time I am able to devote to it.
Tanner, however, is not impressed with gardening no matter what I do with them...
To cheer him up and stretch my legs we took a walk around the fields just as the sun was setting, my favorite time of day. Tanner got to to chase a rabbit and I got some nice shots of this little tree as the sun went down...
Time to tuck Emma in for the night and give her another pep-talk...
Gosh! Must be hard to wait - good luck with everything. I hope it all goes smoothly for Emma - can't wait to hear about the foal!
ReplyDeleteCynthia
I understand that honey can harbor bacteria that can make a hummingbird sick, or worse. Human infants are not supposed to be given honey for the same reason. I guess you can google it. Seems pretty sick that sugar is better for them than something as natural as honey, but I'm not willing o kill a hummingbird to find out. I feed my hummingbird feeders a ratio of one part sugar to four parts water, briefly boiled, and cooled. And repeat every three to four days after thoroughly cleaning all the feeders. It's like having another, very needy, pet!
ReplyDeleteSo cool that you got to touch, and save a hummer! Hooray for you! Several years ago, I found a bat that had gotten stuck in some burdock, but it was too late for him. Amazing the things that can befall wildlife!
http://www.sabo.org/hbfaqs.htm#honey
ReplyDelete(Southeastern Arizon Bird Observatory)
Q: Wouldn't honey be more natural to use than white sugar?
A: No! Honey is both unnatural and unhealthy for hummingbirds. Honey is made from the nectar of flowers seldom visited by hummingbirds. This nectar is chemically different from that of hummingbird flowers and is further changed by the bees. Honey also contains spores which have caused fatal infections in hummingbirds.
The nectar produced by hummingbird flowers is a relatively pure solution of sugars and water. White sugar, also known as sucrose, is not only a natural food for hummingbirds but also the sugar they prefer over all others in "taste tests."
According to iVillage Garden Web -- never use honey. It quickly ferments and can culture toxic bacterium. Love pats for little Emma.
ReplyDeleteThis comments are so interesting,even that I don't get this birds here.
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to know more about how it goes with weed fabric.Doesn't get to warm under?
Love this 5th photo!
Good luck to Ms. Emma, hope that baby comes soon! Kudos to you for saving the hummer, love those little guys!
ReplyDeleteWell - I hope you didn't put out any honey! Now we know. I hope your gardens are an inspiration this year and not the opposite. I like your idea.
ReplyDelete