Time to Paint the Yard Red

On April 12, the Stokes Birding Blog published an article called "Hummingbirds are Coming!" They were attempting to answer the question of when we should put out our hummingbird feeders. The surprising answer is right now. Our little Ruby-throated Hummingbirds spend the winter in Mexico and then cross the Gulf of Mexico in a continuous flight before resting in Texas and Lousiana. The birds have been in Texas since February, and recently they have spread across the country reaching Connecticut and southern Massachusetts. If you have one of those red hummingbird feeders mix up a batch of sugar water and put it out. If you don't have one and want to try to attract the most spectacular flier in the bird world, the round plastic feeders are available at many places including especially Wild Birds Unlimited on Belmont Street in Easton. The formula for the sugar water is one part sugar to four parts water. Bring the mix to a boil to make sure the sugar is completely dissolved and cool before putting it in the feeder. Feeders placed out now will help migrants moving further north and may attract a nest on your property. Hummingbirds are very territorial so it's fun to watch a resident try to chase away an intruder. Better to keep a couple feeders in different parts of the yard to increase the action. One problem this time of year is frost although the freezing point of sugar water is lower than for plain water. Later in the year try to keep the feeders out of direct sunlight. In warm weather the sugar water should be changed often lest you intoxicate the little birds or kill them with some kind of mold toxin.

Watch the feeder carefully because despite your best efforts it's likely ants will discover the feeder also. For a long time people believed hummingbirds were strictly nectar feeders, but there have been reports that hummers are not averse to picking off an ant or two at the feeders as well. See if you can catch these birds acting as our tiniest avian predator.

April 15 marks the unofficial beginning of the spring warbler migration as well. Be on the look out for these little birds that generally have some yellow markings. Many more species of warbler migrate through the state than actually nest here. The end of the peak migration period is around May 15 although both the start and finish of the season is weather dependent. Borderland, Wheaton Farm, and Sheep Pasture have the diversity of habitat that attracts a wide range of warbler species. Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge is also a legendary site for observing warblers because the birds pick up on the patch of green in the urban wilderness as a resting and refueling spot. I've actually been on a whale watch in Boston Harbor on a rainy day when a flock of warblers landed on the ship to rest while crossing from Cape Cod.