The hummers are on their way!

As is so often the case, spring seems to drag its feet and then suddenly rush forward with a burst of colour as the earliest flowers start to bloom, tree buds swell, birdsong fills the air, winter jackets are cast aside, and snow retreats. I love this annual swell of activity and optimism as the world comes alive with hopes for another season of successful nest-building, family rearing, blossoming and growth.

Many of us love to watch this progression. In particular, I’ve noticed a lot of interest in the migration of hummingbirds. You can track their migration with the interactive maps at Hummingbird Central. The first hummingbirds are likely arriving in New Brunswick about now. Have you seen one? Are you thinking of inviting them to your yard?

While many people are sharing recipes for hummingbird ‘nectar’ (boiled water and white sugar), cautions to clean the feeders every three days, and tips for keeping wasps away, I have found a much better way to attract hummingbirds: just provide them with nectar-rich flowers. No fuss, no bother, no worries about a contaminated solution or pesky wasps, and a much nicer background for all those photos you’ll want to take! 

In general, planting flowers is a great way to attract all kinds of pollinators to your yard. Native plants are best suited to our environment and are the perfect food for pollinators, but other plants can also be excellent food sources. Just be sure to buy plants that have not been treated with any kind of pesticides. Also, be aware that native species and older or heritage varieties of garden plants often produce more nectar than newer cultivars bred for showy doubled flowers or unusual colours (some of these produce no nectar and, thus, are useless from a hummingbird or butterfly’s perspective!).

Different pollinators prefer different kinds of flowers – and if you watch you’ll soon see which are the favourites. Hummingbirds are known to be attracted to red flowers and others with bright colours. They like tubular flowers that accommodate their long bills and provide ample nectar. Columbines, lupines, salvia, cardinal flower and bee balm are just a few of the flowers they find tempting. I always have several hanging baskets of fuchsias (in memory of my grandfather – they were his favourite) and the nearby hummers visit them regularly, along with visits to petunias and others.

As we await our hummingbirds and other pollinators, let’s do what we can to provide them a warm welcome!