Birds and Blooms

’Tis the season when backyards are once again humming and bursting with life

Hummingbirds are very territorial. This little guy (below) was watching another hummer fly overhead and was contemplating going after him. Nothing makes me happier than seeing hummingbirds race around our yard, going from flower to flower.

Of the more than 300 species of hummingbirds throughout the Americas, the only ones found in southwestern Ontario are the tiny ruby-throated hummingbirds. While they don’t boast the dramatic and flashy colours of their exotic southern cousins, the emerald backs and brilliant garnet throats

of the males are still breathtaking. Even the females, drab by comparison without the ruby gorgets, are exciting to watch and photograph.

Planting a garden that includes some well-known hummingbird-attracting plants will help draw these little beauties to your yard. These include perennials such as butterfly bushes, rose of Sharon, cardinal flowers, turtlehead, obedient plant, bee balm, salvia, honeysuckle and trumpet vine. Annuals including pentas, lantana, cleome, agastache and fuchsia will work as well. Putting out nectar feeders will also help attract and keep them around. You can make your own nectar by mixing four parts water to one part white cane sugar. Be sure to change the nectar every few days so it doesn’t spoil. If you place perches near their favourite feeding spots, you can watch the hummingbirds pose and posture as they guard what they consider to be their territory. The positions they contort themselves into are fascinating!

BURST OF COLOUR

Above: Jeanette Jangula of Courtenay, B.C., shares this beautiful photo saying, “I took this pic in Nanaimo, B.C., in the spring of 2016. The predominant flowers are tulips, with some mini pansies in the background—i just loved the profusion of colours!“

RESTING SPOT

Left: Roselia Panacci of Etobicoke, Ont., writes: ”Sometimes in nature, you capture special moments. Last summer, I snapped a photo of this lovely red-spotted purple butterfly as it landed on a sweet echinacea flower in my backyard. It was so calm and serene with nothing around to bother it. Eventually, it flitted off to discover new and interesting places to land.” n