OK, OK, so it's not really National Hummingbird Day. In fact, I don't think there really is such a thing.
But it is Local Hummingbird Day if for no other reason than that we just saw our first hummer of the season. Linda and I were surprised to see a bright male hummingbird show up at the dining room window at first light this morning.
I had neglected to take the feeder down last year, so it's been up all winter. I thought we had another month before any hummers showed up, so I haven't scrubbed it out or changed the nectar.
That changed, however, with the appearance of the season's first hummingbird. I immediately boiled up the first batch of nectar--4 parts water, one part sugar, and gave the feeder a thorough cleaning. It's back up now, waiting to welcome our favored guests home once again.
Editor's Note: Since cleaning the feeder, filling it with fresh nectar, and hanging it back up outside the window, the male is now feeding regularly. I was a little worried that the condition in which he initially found the feeder would deter him, but that does not seem to be the case!
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