Madera Canyon is located in Southeastern Arizona and is on the migration path for seven species of hummingbirds. Many other types of birds also make their home here, so the area is a birders paradise. It is a known resting place for many migrating species, so most people you run into have either binoculars or a camera around their neck. There are only three places to stay in the canyon (most of it is within a national forest), and all three places have multiple feeders. Righ

The Paton Center opens at 6:30 am and I was there at 6:30 sharp. At first I thought they weren’t open because I was the only one there. I learned a big lesson from the cruise to the ABC Islands. I didn’t want to hear that if I got there at 8, the hummers were already in “Siesta Mode” and hiding in the trees. A few people started arriving around 7:15 so I had the place to myself for 45 minutes to get the lay of the land. I was really happy I got there early, because I was the

Raw, organic, turbinado and brown sugar are harmful to hummingbirds. You should only make your hummingbird nectar with granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is preferable, but beet sugar is also acceptable. Don’t use confectioner’s sugar either, as it contains an anti-caking agent. Raw, turbinado and organic sugar is made by taking sugar cane and squeezing out the juice. The juice is then evaporated and spun in a turbine (hence the name “turbinado”) to produce the sugar crystals

You may have noticed that I changed the type of hummingbird feeders on the webcam. This is a method to help control bees. There is a drought in Southern California, and the local bees are desperate for water. What could be better for them than a water source that is sugary to boot! The bees are using the water dishes, but there are still a few on the feeders. Hummingbird feeders come in two basic types: saucer feeders and vacuum feeders. The saucer type is flat. You pour the

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SUGAR! One part sugar to four parts water is the norm. That’s the amount of sugar found in most of the flowers on which they feed. During the spring, when the females spend a lot of time nesting, I make the food a little more concentrated so they can get more sugar with fewer visits. You should also provide the higher concentration if you live in one of those areas where the birds are bulking up for the long migration. You can make it as concentrated as one cup of sugar to th

Flamingo Gardens is a lovely botanical garden and wildlife sanctuary covering 60 acres in Davie, Florida just outside of Ft. Lauderdale. They boast over 3000 species of rare and exotic, tropical, sub-tropical and native plants. I figured that if I was going to find a hummingbird in the Ft. Lauderdale area that I would probably find it there. I learned a very important lesson today, though. As a hummingbird photographer it is important to always be prepared, but I obviously

I’m off on my first ever trip to film hummingbirds. I love taking cruises, so I booked myself on a trip to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao on the Crown Princess. These three islands are home to the Ruby Topaz and the Blue-Tailed Emerald Hummers. Do you think that this amateur photographer will be able to find and capture some photos of these birds? Stick with me and find out! I managed to book myself into Ft. Lauderdale one day early, but it may be fortuitous. I will spend so