Máistir Nádúraí: My Hummingbird Patio Garden

7.31.2014

My Hummingbird Patio Garden

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

My patio belongs to the hummingbirds! I've put out so many flowering plants there's barely enough room for me to move around when watering them. The hummingbirds love it, though, and I've been enjoying their company all summer.

I'm not quite sure how many individual birds are coming to the flowers, but I've been able to recognize some of them by their behavior or markings. There's one that has a little piece of string stuck to one of her feet–she's been coming to my flowers since early June. She also likes to perch in the arborvitae right outside my bedroom window (pictured above). Some of the hummingbirds are pretty vocal and a bit frenetic when drawing nectar, while others seem more at ease and quiet. And there are females as well as males.

I've also observed recently hatched hummingbirds; they're a little less deliberate and more willing to experiment with the variety of flowers I've put out. While there are many possibilities for attracting hummingbirds to your garden, I thought I would take a moment to share what's been working stellar for me, well, really for the hummingbirds!

Hummingbird Magnet!

'Black and Blue' Salvia guaranitica

'Furman's Red' Salvia greggii

'Hot Lips' Salvia microphylla

Gartenmeister Fuchsia

Trailing Verbena Vepita

Bio:

Mike McDowell has been documenting southern Wisconsin’s flora and fauna since 1987 and began leading field trips in 2002. Prolific at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, other highlighted natural areas include Pope Farm Conservancy, Spring Green Preserve, and the Baraboo Hills. His nature photography has appeared in various publications, newspapers, magazines and was even featured on a Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate, a Capital Brewery beer label, and a National Geographic publication. He began journaling nature observations on this blog in 2005. He's the recipient of the 2012 Bronze Passenger Pigeon Award from the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their local communities or state to promote the field of ornithology. He was a finalist in Swarovski’s Digiscoper of the Year photography contest several times. His other interests include insect macro-photography (especially tiger beetles, treehoppers, and robber flies), fossil collecting, amateur astronomy, botany, natural history, and marksmanship with long-range firearms. Once a gigging musician, collecting Fender Stratocasters is a recently revived interest—most prized being a 1957 Vintage Custom 'Mary Kaye' White Blonde. A former IT Professional, he's spent the last 24 years employed in the sport optics industry and has more binoculars than you.