Comments on Julie Zickefoose: Hummingbird Gardening

I hope you don't mind, I've linked to this post as...

2008-09-05T19:48:00.000-05:00

I hope you don't mind, I've linked to this post as part of I and the Bird #83.

oh my! what delight! your pictures are wonderful.....

2008-08-30T14:58:00.000-05:00

oh my! what delight! your pictures are wonderful...and all those hummingbirds! i have to go swoon now....

I've been out every evening for the past week hold...

2008-08-29T09:37:00.000-05:00

I've been out every evening for the past week holding my tiny hummingbird feeder while they zip over for a few sips of nectar. I love feeling their little toes on my fingertips. I had on red nail polish and one little hummer even came by and poked my nail--that made me laugh!

Thanks for the tip on re-growing more cardinal flowers. I have 1 that does OK in a sheltered corner but have lost 2 in another portion of the garden, so I'll try again for next year using your method.

I really enjoyed these pics. I finally put up one...

2008-08-26T09:10:00.000-05:00

I really enjoyed these pics. I finally put up one hummingbird feeder this year and had a great time trying to get pics. Next year I'll do better with giving them flowers to enjoy as well. The first time I saw the ruby throat if hovered in front of my face with the sequins looking chest. I was in awe! :-)

Pollen on his snoot?I never realized it would show...

2008-08-25T21:34:00.000-05:00

Pollen on his snoot?
I never realized it would show like that! (I've seen it on mine, too--just today! Thought it might be something less magical. Phew!)

Oh, it is so sad to that the jewels are leaving us...

2008-08-25T19:28:00.000-05:00

Oh, it is so sad to that the jewels are leaving us. I was daydreaming about next year's hummingbird garden this afternoon and, once again, you pop into my day and inspire me. Your photos are amazing. I need to learn how to make my camera do that!

Your hummer photos are so much fun. It is preciou...

2008-08-25T17:36:00.000-05:00

Your hummer photos are so much fun. It is precious to capture them among the flowers. I will be adding wire cages just for them next year.

The last photo is my favorite - the wings don't ju...

2008-08-25T07:10:00.000-05:00

The last photo is my favorite - the wings don't just look blurred, they almost look liquid. We still have a fair number of hummers buzzing around our mimosa trees and trumpet vine (and feeders) although I think they are beginning to dwindle here, too.

Thanks for stepping in, Miinoh and birdbraman. I l...

2008-08-25T06:52:00.000-05:00

Thanks for stepping in, Miinoh and birdbraman. I love crocosmia too, but the bulbs don't survive the winter for me and I can never find them in my giant tangle of plants to dig them in fall. Clearly, I must plant more, and in big clumps. Cardinalflower and bee balm love shade and part sun and moist soil. What works for me is to plant them near the bird bath in a north-facing bed, so I water them whenever I clean the bird bath. In gardening, sometimes you have to think about it awhile, and plant water-loving plants only where you will already be using a hose, so you don't self-defeat.

Sorry about the delay in getting a few of your comments up on the blog, folks. I'm still getting the hang of moderating, but I am very much enjoying the absence of Chinese spam. Somehow they can tell that I'm moderating, and they've gone off in search of fresh prey. I could get used to this.

In cincy: Try a red Crocrosmia (montbretia) holds ...

2008-08-25T06:24:00.000-05:00

In cincy: Try a red Crocrosmia (montbretia) holds up better than bee balm and cardinal flower especially in our humidity. The hummers in our yard love hosta flowers...Thanks for the nice post

Thank you for the motion shots!!! You know how I ...

2008-08-25T03:14:00.000-05:00

Thank you for the motion shots!!! You know how I feel about the motion - its the magic in a photo! I love all these but the last one just makes me wanna dance around the room. You definitely know what you're doing with a camera!

All your recent posts justs scream that its well past time to get out of this great big fascinating city and back to the birds and the bees and my one true love - Oklahoma prairie! I'm hoping since I am well south of you the hummers are still hanging and my hummingbird garden is still flushed with bloom when I arrive home at the end of the week.

Thanks for sharing all this beauty!

The Anna's hummingbirds, which we get here in Cali...

2008-08-24T21:37:00.000-05:00

The Anna's hummingbirds, which we get here in California, also like to perch while feeding. They are so much fun to watch. I miss having bee balm since I moved. The hummers really liked it where I lived before. Maybe I can plant some next year, although they love lavender and salvia, too, which we do have in our front yard.

Dallas: Wet end. L. Cardinalis is a wetland plan...

2008-08-24T20:42:00.000-05:00

Dallas: Wet end. L. Cardinalis is a wetland plant in nature. They can withstand dryer conditions, but will need periodic watering.

Trixie: Cincy climate is fine. The plants are native north into Ontario. In containers, you'll have to pay special attention to watering. They have a reputation as being short-lived, and containers won't be optimal. You'll enhance their opportunity to persist by keeping the late-season basal rosette of leaves clear of covering debris (so they can continue to photosynthesize) as long as they persist.

What a treat of a post--flashing red flowers, hove...

2008-08-24T20:18:00.000-05:00

What a treat of a post--flashing red flowers, hovering hummingbirds. Just great.
I have hosted only a half dozen hummingbirgs ALL summer, but then I don't have loads of flowers for them. I will have to see about bee balm--which I do not have. I have cardinal flowers, and that is what the hummers have come to.

Julie,I was wondering when you were going to show ...

2008-08-24T19:58:00.000-05:00

Julie,

I was wondering when you were going to show hummingbird love this summer... :o) Your shots are what I'm looking for, instead of photos at the feeder. They're beautiful, Julie! So you played with ISO? Ha.

Hard to believe your crowd is leaving as the adult males are starting to leave here now. I might have three or four more weeks of dwindling numbers.

Next year I'll remember the bee balm and cardinalflower. Lovely. Thanks!

Stunning pictures, Julie! You've inspired me to s...

2008-08-24T19:53:00.000-05:00

Stunning pictures, Julie! You've inspired me to start planning some hummer-friendly areas in my yard for next year.

What a great gang of hummers! Do you think that c...

2008-08-24T19:39:00.000-05:00

What a great gang of hummers! Do you think that cardinal flower would do okay potted (big pot?) on a deck in Cincy?

Beautiful birds and plants. It always amazes me th...

2008-08-24T19:36:00.000-05:00

Beautiful birds and plants. It always amazes me that something so tiny migrates so far.

Thanks so much - next year I'll get bee balm and c...

2008-08-24T19:08:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much - next year I'll get bee balm and cardinalflower.
I knew there was a reason why I got that other shady-ish bed into shape this year.
Should they go on the dry end or the wet end ? I'll look that up.
Great pix.

Hummingbirds are truly one of the greatest marvels...

2008-08-24T17:56:00.000-05:00

Hummingbirds are truly one of the greatest marvels of the entire avian kingdom -- if they didn't already exist, nobody could make them up! I envy all the researchers who get to directly study or work with these gems.

I need to plant more things that they love. It is...

2008-08-24T17:36:00.000-05:00

I need to plant more things that they love. It is sad to know that they will be heading out, but it makes welcoming them back that much more special. :c)