Hummingbirds Return
| Those winged wonders, supping at daffodils, Judd viburnum, pulmonaria and nearby woodland wildflowers have been slow to return this year. The first one appeared just before dusk on April 25, flew past the feeder and landed on a branch outside the window. In other years, they have returned about April 12, but the cold, wet spring may have kept them away. Insects supplement their diet but a feeder filled with sugar water is their favorite watering hole. (Mix four parts water, one part sugar, boil for a minute to prevent fermentation, then cool. In hot weather, feeders must be emptied and cleaned every 3 days or so.) Red tubular-shaped flowers are touted as their favorites, but Salvia guarantica, the tall annual with flowers in shades of pale blue, dark blue and purple, are a real magnet. — Nina Koziol |  |
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