The warm weather over Mother’s Day weekend ushered in hummingbirds, wood thrushes, warblers and Baltimore orioles to our neck of the southwestern Cook County woods. I quickly filled the hummingbird feeders with sugar water.  But the hummingbirds seem more interested in the pink flowers on the weeping candied apple crabapple. At dusk this week, several bumble bees and a lone hummingbird were feeding from the flowers.

A pair of Baltimore orioles have been trying to sip from the hummingbird feeders as well. Garden centers offer a special, larger feeder just for orioles so I may have to buy one. The Baltimore oriole is easy to spot with its stark black head and brilliant orange breast. White, black and orange feathers mark the bird’s shoulder, back and tail. Orioles favor deciduous trees like large oaks, hickories and maples for their nests. The female (slightly more drab looking than the male), weaves a gourd-shaped nest that’s usually suspended 20 to 30 feet above the ground. We often don’t spot the nest until autumn when the branches are bare.

All of these beautiful birds and their wonderful early morning bird song are a pleasant distraction from the creeping Charlie and dandelions that have been blooming yellow and blue across the lawn. But that’s okay. Weeding can wait another day.

There’s no need to buy “hummingbird food.”  It’s easy to make. I boil four cups of water and one cup of sugar—a 4 to1 ratio. Boiling helps prevent the liquid from fermenting. I place a few ounces in several feeders located around the garden. You can make a large batch and refrigerate leftovers for use as needed or make a smaller batch—1/4 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Clean and refill feeders every three days when the weather is hot; otherwise the sugar water becomes slimy. Placing feeders in a shady spot will help to slow down the fermentation, and feeders with perches allow the birds to rest while they’re drinking.

— Nina A. Koziol 

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