Feeding hummingbirds

Trying to attract more hummingbirds closer to the lodge, was one of my first projects in Kabalebo. The main reason was, and still is, to observe these tiny energetic creatures. Getting to know them much better and of course getting used to them. It wasn't an easy project for me by the way, had to overcome some obstacles along the way:

•  First obstacle was finding the right measurement to make sugar water. It took a while before I got the right recipe, because if you add too much water, nobody will come by. Add too much sugar, a lot of bees and ants will appear instead of hummingbirds.
• Second obstacle was finding the right location. I kept asking myself the same questions:

1.  Should I put the feeders near flowers exposing them in direct sunlight?
   
2. Or should I try shady places but with less flowers nearby?

But after weeks of mistrials and failures, I finally found the right measurement and spot. Of course I felt uncertain if the hummingbirds would appear, but as many of you already know, it takes time to make a project work. My patience was put to the test and it was rewarded, I managed to attract the first hummer to the feeder:
Fork - tailed woodnymph (Thalurania furcata)

The first one to arrive: Fork - tailed Woodnymph (Thalurania furcata) - male. You can't see his beautiful colorful feathers as he is drinking in the shadows.

But here he shows off his true colors.

I guess he appreciated the extra treat, because afterwards he never left. A few months later these hummingbirds also enjoyed the sugar water:

• Fork - tailed Woodnymph (Thalurania furcata) - this time the female
• Grey - breasted Sabrewing (Campylopterus largipennis)
• Long - tailed Hermit (Phaethornis superciliosus)
• Black - throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis)

Fork - tailed Woodnymph - female getting energized.

Everyday she likes to come by and keep us company.

Here you see a happy Grey - breasted Sabrewing.

Same goes for the Long - tailed Hermit.

Female Black - throated Mango, she also discovered the extra treat.

Everyday is a celebration day for me, seeing the hummingbirds enjoy their treat. And of course the possibility to observe them at a closer level is something that I didn't expect at all. Of course it is extra work for me now to clean and refill the feeders, but seeing the hummers enjoy the treat is the best reward I can ever get.


Recently, on the third of July, the Rufous - breasted Hermit (Glaucis hirsutus) finally joined this elite club. In my next post I will tell you more about it. But for now, I am very glad that my hummingbird project is slowly progressing. And who knows who's next.

Rufous - breasted Hermit, seen here enjoying the moment.