Further to the other hummingbird thread, has anyone tried wrapping Christmas lights around their feeders to keep them from freezing? I have seen online that this could work and I have lots of lights that I could use vs. getting a heat tape. Plus they would look nicer right?
My Ballard Forum » Open Forum
hummingbirds and winter redux
(9 posts)-
PDaddymom
offlineMemberPosted 6 months ago # -
OingoBoingo
offlineMemberThe visual would be striking but unsure just how warm you could maintain the food. I found the heat tape a bit ungainly but certainly efficient because it is in total contact with the glass and the thermostat starts the heat at freezing. Also, when wrapping the glass feeder I begin at the bottom and move to the top securing the last bit with duct tape. You can also remove the bug screens off the ends along with the 'flower petals'. It's a hassle to refill the feeder but it can be done at night so as not to disturb your fine dining 'guests'. Enjoy them.
Posted 6 months ago # -
lakreitz
offlineMemberPDaddy,
Where do you hang your feeder? Mine is close to my house, out of the wind. The standard solution of one part sugar to four parts water begins to freeze at 27 degrees F. To keep the feeder from freezing, I bring it inside. But I only do this during cold snaps. I make sure to have it back outside well before sunrise because they begin to feed well before daylight. On rare snow days, I usually stay home (snow day = holiday IMO). I brush accumulated snow off the feeder and reheat to room temp if I notice crystals forming in the feeder.For years I've been feeding hummingbirds - mostly year round. I only take the feeder down in the summer when there are plenty of other food sources and any little ones that could be nearby have fledged.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Mondoman
offlineMemberIf you've got LED Christmas lights, they probably won't work as heaters. Remember the story a year or two ago about the northern cities having to manually clean the snow and ice off LED traffic lights, since the super-efficient LED bulbs just didn't heat up enough?
Posted 6 months ago # -
I just cleaned and filled up my feeder. I will take it outside tomorrow morning but I didn't know that the mix froze at 27 degrees. I would have thought 32 degrees, hence why I brought it in tonight. I don't think it will get down to 27 degrees in Ballard, or Crown Hill, but you never know about 32 degrees.
I will look into a heater but for now as long as I am home, I will just bring it in on the colder nights.Posted 6 months ago # -
pennygirl
offlineMemberI don't know where in Crown Hill you are Bambooboy, but there is a certain area between Crown Hill proper and Greenwood that tends to always be a few degrees colder than everywhere else in the neighborhood. If you live in the area that gets snow that sticks when everyone else has slush you know where I am talking about.
We call it the dip.
Posted 6 months ago # -
iPlod
offlineMemberHummingbirds probably don't eat at night so why not just bring them in when you go to bed and put them out again in the morning?
Posted 6 months ago # -
Penny-
I'm on the other side of Crown Hill it sounds like, pretty much right near the top a couple blocks off (west) of 15th. I get the cool air off the sound so my summers are a little cooler. It freezes where I am but apparently not last night. The HB food was in good shape though when I put it out a 5 AM this morning. Looking forward to the little buzzers. I had one do a drive by yesterday. I find it pretty neat that they feed right up till dark.Posted 6 months ago # -
OingoBoingo
offlineMemberI worry when the thermometer gets down to around 20 degrees during the day. Bringing in the feeder at night only to have it refreeze less than an hour after you put it back outside the next day doesn't keep the HBs fed. They will sit at the feeder but they don't have the mass in their tiny tongues to melt the food. I don't know if they get brain freeze either.
Posted 6 months ago #
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