Mother’s day is over which signals the end of frost danger so I’m ready to put flowers for my garden on the deck. Living in Pound Ridge where the deer love plants it seems the deck is the only safe spot for my favorite flowers.

While planning my flower garden I make sure I have lots of Impatiens (I usually buy red) to attract my favorite little hummingbirds! I don’t wait until the flowers are potted to start attracting the birds so I set out the feeders the end of April to catch the early ones. It is such a delight to see them return year after year and I can’t resist setting out new and decorative feeders. I place my feeders in places that give them room to fly up, down, and around the feeder and they are close to branches of trees that give them camouflage cover. Some feeders have a ring for them to perch and drink without using their wings, others hang and offer the option of landing or hovering.

I make my own nectar and change it frequently when the summer heats up. By the middle of summer I also hang a bee trap away from the feeders (filling that with beer) to keep the yellow jackets from attacking the birds and competing for the sweet stuff. Here’s my recipe for the nectar:

Combine 1 part white sugar (be generous) to 4 parts water. Bring it to a boil for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar and then let cool before putting in feeders. Keep any excess in the refrigerator for refills. Never ever use honey or artificial sweeteners, and do not use food coloring! The feeders and your flowers are the magnet to attract these sweet birds.

If you live in Pound Ridge, Katonah, South or North Salem, get yourself a hummingbird feeder and enjoy these wonderful birds. Capturing them with the camera takes patience, but I wanted to share with you what I see all day, every day!

Posted By: Sonja Lovas