BajaNomad

Fun with Baja Hummers

Osprey - 2-3-2007 at 12:45 PM

Dedicated to Iflyfish, our new Buzzbee secretary/master at arms.

"Brother, Can You Spare Some Sugar"

Lynda lost all of her approval (or disapproval) power when she died two years ago. Well, almost all. Now, mostly I do what I want. I did get crazy for awhile after she died and I did some things I wish I could take back -- especially the thing with Julio. Move on, don't dwell. That's the secret. So I don't consider how she would feel about what I'm doing with the hummingbirds, with the feeders.

We always had at least two feeders going on the patio. She made up the sugar water, I filled them, watched to make sure they were never empty for very long. She gave me the simple recipe and when she was not around I would boil the water, mix it up; four parts water, one part sugar. We would buy the coarse-ground sugar at the little store behind the church -- five pesos a kilo, we could afford it.

Needless to say, the birds love the feeders. All my gringo neighbors in this little part of Mexico have the same kinds of feeders and enjoy watching the birds drink, flit about, squabble over the right to drink, the territory, prospective mates, nesting areas nearby. Larger and more mature birds are able to frighten off smaller species or young birds, keep them from drinking. It took me awhile to find out the biggest of the hummers in this area are called Xantus. They comprise almost 80 percent of the hummingbirds we see here at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. My Peterson book on Birds of Mexico does not even mention this bird. It is obviously not from Mexico.

This thing with birds, about where they live, has been under my skin for a long time. I want Mr. Peterson to consider publishing some books called "Birds Sometimes Seen in Chicago But Which Live (for the other 364 days of the year) in Patagonia". Or how about, for the people in New Hampshire, "THESE ARE NOT YOUR ROBINS -- THEY JUST CAME HERE THIS SPRING TO EAT YOUR BUGS -- WHEN IT GETS COLD THEY WILL GO HOME. THEY LIVE IN ECUADOR."

Since I can't find any of the hummingbirds (living off my charity and largess) in books of "BIRDS OF MEXICO", I guess these little beggars are just passing through. They're bums. I've watched them - they do not take nectar from flowers. They prefer the free food -- let the bees, moths and butterflies do all the work, pollinate the flowers. Little green pan-handlers. Our patios are tiny soup kitchens for these little con-birds. But we feed them anyway, why not; they're so cute -- they'd better be cute, it's their con. Small, feisty, colorful comes to mind. Over the years I made lots of jokes about them. Said I was putting Equal, Sugar-Twin in the feeders instead of sugar -- that they were dropping like flies, that I was making earrings, jewelry from their feathers. When Lynda cleaned the sugar-covered feeders with hot water she would occasionally rinse them with bleach to kill any germs. I quipped to my friends that she left just enough bleach in the feeder to insure that any tiny nests under our palapa would produce less eggs per nest (maybe none).

These little jokes did get me thinking. Just for diversion I could put certain things in the feeders, added to the sugar-water to see how the birds would be effected. The same birds seemed to be returning, day after day, it would give me a chance to see how they might tolerate subtle changes in the daily fare at my soup kitchen. What would be the harm? They don't live here, they're just on their way someplace or maybe on their way home. If they aren't adversely effected, they'll return to feed; if I've added things they can't tolerate, they will go to my neighbors, get a regular meal.

This is not some kind of obsession. I'm only going to use harmless things I already have, things in the medicine cabinet, under the sink in the kitchen, the spice rack, the garage:

A quick check.
Aspirin (probably use the little Baby Aspirin)
Melox
Premarin (Lynda's menopause stuff)
Prozac (that should slow them down some)
Drano (way too strong)
Chili powder (well, they are passing through Mexico!)
Kahlua
Vodka
Paint thinner
Bleach
Soap

I'm not cruel. I don't want to kill the little things, just have some fun. No bleach. The stuff is way too strong, that was just joking. Kahlua. It's already sweet, probably sweeter than sugar. I mixed three ounces of Kahlua into the sugar-water. This richer brew, darker than the usual mix, I put in one feeder -- the other the regular stuff -- I can have my own "control group". The alcohol in the new potion amounts to less than 1% by volume; probably not enough to get them drunk. I can always increase it as I go along. While I'm deciding what other chemical possibilities there are in the house, I think I'll need some kind of identification device for this experiment.

In the bodega, next to the dreaded washing machine I can't seem to get working correctly, I found some Rit dye. Found three empty plastic Windex bottles under the kitchen sink; mixed it up, set the spray nozzle just so for the desired distance, saturation and I was in business. The birds are practically tame and in no time at all I had marked a dozen of the them with the harmless solution. I'm afraid I overdid one or two -- right in the eye. They shook it off. The stuff works great; I could write testimonials for these Rit people -- the stuff is not even coming off in the fountain when they bath. I am beginning to see some feathers in the water but that is probably just from normal molting.

Boy, if I thought they were colorful before! I did all red, all blue, all yellow, alternating side colors, head red, body yellow, like that. Now I have to be more careful what I give them. Although I have not discussed this little pastime with my neighbors I'm sure they're going to be able to read something in my look if they come over and say things like "do you know anything about the red and blue hummingbirds I found dead under my feeders?"

While I'm being so scientific about things I might as well have some sort of journal. I think I'll make up some sheets on the computer. Maybe something like: Bird One, Size and Color, Dyed (yes or no), feeder One, feeder Two. For now I'll just keep my observations irregular and informal; just jot down what I'm observing that I think might be caused by the addition of the Kahlua.

Friday, February 12: The Kahlua feeder is definitely getting more action than the plain sugar one. One large yellow- dyed bird (with a spot of red dye on his head) has taken over the darker feeder. He is very aggressive, insular. Seldom leaves the feeder unattended.

Sunday, February 14: Despite the actions of the combative yellow bird, the dark feeder had to be refilled while the other is still about half full. None of the birds seem to be adversely effected by the Kahlua mixture -- they all seem to be thirsty for the dark stuff; enough that they seem to be working in small teams -- two or three keep the big yellow bird busy while some of the others drink. An active team leader is a small one I tinted all blue.

Friday, February 19: The big yellow bird is gone. There are some yellow feathers around. The blue one has taken over the Kahlua feeder. The feeder is empty. He drinks at the other one but rushes back to protect his now empty feeder.

Monday, February 22: Increased the Kahlua mixture to 5 oz. in feeder one. Orioles came to the feeder twice today. The hummers were more aggressive than I have ever seen them -- led by the small blue bird, they ran the Orioles off before they could drink. With the one that came right at dusk, I think if I hadn't intervened they might have killed him.
(I'll have to change the experiment for the time being -- I drank the last of the Kahlua myself -- will get more next month in San Jose Del Cabo).

Wednesday, February 24: Both feeders now have only the regular sugar water. (Can't go to San Jose for Kahlua until my S.S. check comes in on the 7th). Very strange things happening. I left the empty Kahlua bottle on the table on the patio. The blue bird (and another unmarked bird) are protecting the bottle as though it were a feeder. I swear to God. One or the other keeps guard over the thing from dawn to dusk.

Friday, March 4: Out of sugar. One feeder has been empty for two days; the other is almost empty. No more vodka till I get to town. Taking the Prozac twice a day. The small wars continue. The fights over the bottle were fun to watch for awhile (from the bedroom, through the window -- they won't let me near it). If they don't get some sugar-water tomorrow I'm afraid they will start killing each other. Let em. What do I care? Little Ecuadoran drunks, bums.... Let em. I don't think I have to wait til dinner time for the other Prozac, I'll take it right after lunch.

FARASHA - 2-3-2007 at 05:39 PM



That is the one who survived!:cool:

Jack Swords - 2-3-2007 at 06:42 PM

The Xantus hummingbird is native to BCS. I first encountered it on my first hike up La Laguna above Todos Santos. Very distinct with the white stripe over its eye. The La Laguna area is an "island" of plant and animal species found nowhere else, being left as the peninsula dried up. It is a vast area of oaks and pines. Many animals have Xantus in their genus or species name as John Xantus collected birds in Fort Tehon in California and then went to Baja and collected fish and birds. All this in the 1800s. Must have been an amazing guy. Enjoyed reading your posting.

danaeb - 2-3-2007 at 07:42 PM

Kahula Especial. 70 proof, darker and not quite as sweet. Might attract a different class of hummer.....

Santiago - 2-3-2007 at 09:05 PM

God that's funny, Osprey. I can all most hear MH laughing....

David K - 2-3-2007 at 09:39 PM

I thought THIS is what you had in mind:

DavidT - 2-3-2007 at 09:44 PM

Thanks for the laugh.
Just wait 'till those little guys get into AA and find the coffee pot.

DanO - 2-4-2007 at 10:41 AM

Hilarious, George.

Minnow - 2-4-2007 at 10:54 AM

Here is everything you ever wanted to know about feeding Hummingbirds.

http://www.hummingbirds.net/feeders.html#recipe



I don't see the kaluha in the recipe. It should be noted that too much sugar in their mixture can cause a condition where the beak drys up and breaks. I wonder what alcohol does?:?:

Good luck with your research.:biggrin:

on the subject of birds....

woody with a view - 2-4-2007 at 12:11 PM

anyone know if mourning doves come back to the same nesting place every year? it's the third years that we've had birds in the same hanging basket. maybe they just fly past, slam on the air brakes and come check it out???

birds 007 (Small) (Small).jpg - 37kB

Expectations

MrBillM - 2-4-2007 at 02:14 PM

Like David K, I was anticipating something different. Not the Vehicle, but Another kind of Bird.

When I was a lad on the Beach in the 60s and 70s, it was common to refer to gals who wouldn't do it all, but were always willing "Oral" participants, as Hummers.

While I love putting out the feeders and watching those cute birds congregate, It's not quite as pleasant.

[Edited on 2-4-2007 by MrBillM]

bancoduo - 2-4-2007 at 02:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
Like David K, I was anticipating something different. Not the Vehicle, but Another kind of Bird.

When I was a lad on the Beach in the 60s and 70s, it was common to refer to gals who wouldn't do it all, but were always willing "Oral" participants, as Hummers.

While I love putting out the feeders and watching those cute birds congregate, It's not quite as pleasant.

[Edited on 2-4-2007 by MrBillM]
I guess all those stars under your name gives you more literary freedom than others.

Launching Lilting Literary License

MrBillM - 2-5-2007 at 10:20 AM

The Constitution should be good enough, don't you think ? Regardless of stars. As long as the post is well-framed in language acceptable to the general public, there shouldn't be any logical objection to it.

Thinking about the "Hummin" 60s and 70s, I got to wondering if that particular expression is still around. An Internet search brought up a number of such current references among the younger generation. Interesting.

vgabndo - 2-5-2007 at 12:58 PM

Duo: Bill is well aware that it is possible to share his obsessions here without using "four letter words". I think that Hose A has cut him a free pass. As you know he's really a sweetheart running in the mainstream. I mean who DOESN'T think that political protesters should be gunned down like at Kent State. Bill does.

Yes, that's off topic, right where Bill's sexual history should be.

I have received two u2u's from Hose A. He has NOT cut Mr. BM a free pass. He HAS moved my poll about what is appropriate in the general forum to the OFF-TOPIC.

U2U confidentiality prevents me commenting on the most interesting, and unsettling, part of Hose A's message.



[Edited on 2-5-2007 by vgabndo]

Humming Bird Recipe

Mike Supino - 2-5-2007 at 01:17 PM

Hi,
If anyone has a recipe for Humming Birds, please post them in the recipe section.