In Preparation of the Hummers!

Several days ago I hung a single hummingbird feeder in anticipation of the season’s arrival of Ruby-throated hummingbirds. One never exactly knows the exact date they will return from their winter grounds in Central America. It’s a long, arduous migration for these tiny birds, so I always want them to have a good supply of nectar to give them the energy to endure the cool, Spring weather (as an example, I just heard that there’s a frost warning here, tonight!)

Along with the nectar feeders, I have wanted to offer a water source that is specifically designed for hummingbirds – both in which they can bathe and also where they can get a drink. Yesterday, I put together a small fountain made from just a few items, which were fairly inexpensive.

1. A 6″ wide ceramic pot ($4.74 at Walmart)
2. A 3″ terra cotta pot ($0.88 at Walmart)
3. A small, solar powered pump ($8.88 at Amazon)
4. Small stones or gravel (I took a few from a bag I bought for a small landscaping project)

I fitted the pump in the bottom of the ceramic pot, secured it with the stones, fitted the output tube through the drainage hole in the terra cotta pot which I set atop the stones. The ceramic pot was filled with water. The solar panel was positioned to face the sun and the pump started pumping. Once the smaller pot filled with water, I added more water to the ceramic pot.

The little filter was a bit too strong (and doesn’t have a regulator), so we had to set a stone atop the hole where the water was being pumped into the little pot. It helped the water to be less wavy on the surface, although in the video below it still seems a bit over active.

Finally, I added a small, hummingbird sized “twig” into the ceramic pot so that birds can land on it, if they prefer. What I’ve seen in examples that other people have posted in social media, is that the hummingbirds will perch on the edge of the smaller pot and lean into the moving water to bathe or drink. With my option, they might also land on the edge of the larger, ceramic pot where the water is less active.

Here’s my little Hummer Fountain, which for now, is sitting in my newly planted, raised herb garden.

CURIOUSLY, as Robert and I were setting up the new fountain, I heard the familiar buzzing of a hummingbird. I turned to see a male Ruby-throated hummer taking a few sips from the feeder that was hanging near the red Begonia hanging basket. I didn’t have a camera to catch a photo. The color red attracts hummingbirds. I got this basket up just in time! Now, we just need to be patient for many more to arrive! I can’t wait.