Hummingbird Stew Anyone?

[Rams]

My wife loves colorful birds, we have bird feeders in several locations.   Every shopping trip she takes, whether it's for groceries or to one of the local nurseries, she comes home with some sort of bird seed.   She's also has at least five Hummingbird feeders.   Those little buggers are something to watch.   Today I counted 14 of them all fighting over two different feeders.   I guess those two feeders flow better, not sure why.   The other three feeders each had one or two Hummingbirds that would fend off any others that came near "their" feeder. 

It's something to watch.   I used to think I was a damn good helicopter pilot.   If, we were on the same scale, they would make me look like a rookie.   Amazing little creatures.   

Rams 

[Willow]

...
It's something to watch.   I used to think I was a damn good helicopter pilot.   If, we were on the same scale, they would make me look like a rookie.   Amazing little creatures.   

If it makes you feel any better they're skilled at operating the equipment nature supplied but they're not crap at the stick of a helicopter.   

[carolinarider09]

Yes they are and what has amazed me (since I just put our humming bird feeder out this year) is that one bird will take charge and fight off the others.  

Does make you wonder why.  There is plenty of food, there are several feeding points.   What part of the birds makeup drives it to want to control the food supply?  

I don't know of other birds that do that but... I am not an expert on birds.

My wife has a Chase tree in the front yard.  The blossoms are visited by bees.  Yesterday I saw a couple of bees running off interlopers form specific blossoms.  Not all blossoms just one or two in an area.  Again, makes one wonder.  

[Rams]

Yes they are and what has amazed me (since I just put our humming bird feeder out this year) is that one bird will take charge and fight off the others.  

Does make you wonder why.  There is plenty of food, there are several feeding points.   What part of the birds makeup drives it to want to control the food supply?  

I don't know of other birds that do that but... I am not an expert on birds.

My wife has a Chase tree in the front yard.  The blossoms are visited by bees.  Yesterday I saw a couple of bees running off interlopers form specific blossoms.  Not all blossoms just one or two in an area.  Again, makes one wonder.  

That behavior reminds me of my younger days, back before I stopped consuming beverages that made me act foolish.   I was told they all look better at closing time.............  

But, back to the Hummingbirds.   The wife (bless her heart) buys more sugar for those darn feeders than dog and cat food combined and I'm not allowed to touch the stuff (sugar not the dog food).  Makes me wonder if she only keeping me around to haul in the groceries.  

Rams

[carolinarider09]

Regarding helicopters, I have great admiration for helicopter pilots.  Mostly because of a book I read in the mid 80's,  Chickenhawk by Robert Manson.  

Recently, while on one of our longer rides, I played the audiobook for my wife. She was impressed with the book as well.  

Flying with rotors overlapped, leaving an LZ using the rotors to clear away some of the trees, makes you wonder about the skills some of these pilots possessed.

[Rams]

Regarding helicopters, I have great admiration for helicopter pilots.  Mostly because of a book I read in the mid 80's,  Chickenhawk by Robert Manson.  

Recently, while on one of our longer rides, I played the audiobook for my wife. She was impressed with the book as well.  

Flying with rotors overlapped, leaving an LZ using the rotors to clear away some of the trees, makes you wonder about the skills some of these pilots possessed.

Yep, that is a good book.  It's a shame the way his life turned out.  Made a few bad decisions.

Yeah, the real skill comes in being able to judge how big those limbs are.   I assure you, I've trimmed a bunch of trees.  

Rams

[cookiedough]

we have a few hummingbirds every year in our backyard, pretty neat to watch as they get 4 to 5 feet away from us sitting still on our patio.    We use to have a hummingbird feeder (still do) just do not put it out any longer since the few years did attract the birds in but more so the darn ants all over it were horrible.  It is one of those cheap plastic red feeders you put liquid in.  The big problem was anchoring it solid top/bottom close to our patio since the high winds we get in our backyard always tipped the liquid out to the ground somewhat thus attracting the ants all over the feeder.

I need to figure out a way to anchor solid the top/bottom of the cheap small plastic lightweight feeder to not move in the wind.

[The emperor has no clothes]

What kind of seasoning do you use ? Instant Pot or Crock Pot ?

[RP#62]

Their metabolism is so high, they have to eat every 20 minutes or so, so they regard a reliable food source as life or death and will defend it appropriately.  To be able to sleep, they have to go into torpor, essentially hibernating every night.    I've watched them go into torpor while being banded.  It takes them a few minutes to come out of it - they'll lay in the palm of your hand stiff as a board and then they just suddenly explode.

-RP

[Rams]

we have a few hummingbirds every year in our backyard, pretty neat to watch as they get 4 to 5 feet away from us sitting still on our patio.    

I need to figure out a way to anchor solid the top/bottom of the cheap small plastic lightweight feeded to not move in the wind.

Our feeders all hang from the front porch and swing with the wind.   Doesn't seem to bother the Hummingbirds.   If, you have a leaking Hummingbird feeder, you will have ants.   I've probably thrown away or returned a hundred Hummingbird feeders.  

Reference them hovering near us, I've had them with in inches of my nose and we're both constantly getting buzzed by them.   Just yesterday, I felt the breeze from one hovering right by my ear.   It flew off when my wife reached for her camera.   You have to sit very still.   I've gotten better at that as I have aged.  

What kind of seasoning do you use ? Instant Pot or Crock Pot ?

If I or the cat ever catch one, I'll let you know.

Just how many Hummingbirds does it take to feed two people?  

Rams

[Patrick]

Humming birds. I think its called survival of the fittest. I enjoy watching the little guys and feed and try to attract more. They don't seem to like all of the different flowers I plant for them. I thought they would all trumpet type flowers, apparently not.

Helicopters. I've spent quite a bit of time in them, riding not driving. Had a couple real bad experiences. All the science for the reasons they fly, I say is BS.  They fly because they simply beat the air into submission. 

[Jess from VA]

My wife was the same way with seed and hummingbird feeders.  So much seed outside and inside (sheds) we had mice and possum and raccoon and skunk, and pantry flys and larvae, and ants up the wazoo.  And bird sh!t all over the house and roof and concrete and cars, especially when the migrating birds came though in the hundreds and thousands.

When I kept my hummingbird feeders going, I'd be going through big bags of sugar every week, and it got to be a PITA.  When the feeders went dry (often in only 24 hours), the little guys would hover outside my windows to let me know to get back to feeding them (reminded me of democrats).  

I stopped it all after she departed, and after a couple years, no more mice or other animals, and much less mess.

I'm still working on the ants, but none in the house now for several years.

I will fill a couple big bird baths when there is drought (birds need water more than food), but there has been no drought for 3-4 years, more like a rain forest here for 3-4 years.  I live right next to a giant protected wetlands (1500+ acres) so none of them are going hungry or thirsty.

I miss the small wild birds, and esp the hummingbirds, but don't miss the mess and pests/ants that it brought with it.

[cookiedough]

we have a few hummingbirds every year in our backyard, pretty neat to watch as they get 4 to 5 feet away from us sitting still on our patio.    

I need to figure out a way to anchor solid the top/bottom of the cheap small plastic lightweight feeded to not move in the wind.

Our feeders all hang from the front porch and swing with the wind.   Doesn't seem to bother the Hummingbirds.   If, you have a leaking Hummingbird feeder, you will have ants.   I've probably thrown away or returned a hundred Hummingbird feeders.  

Reference them hovering near us, I've had them with in inches of my nose and we're both constantly getting buzzed by them.   Just yesterday, I felt the breeze from one hovering right by my ear.   It flew off when my wife reached for her camera.   You have to sit very still.   I've gotten better at that as I have aged.  

our feeder only leaks out of the feeder holes on bottom for the birds when the winds tilt it sideways then drips down,  otherwise does not leak.  once the liquid of the feeder holes goes onto ground then the ants go up the trellis all over the feeder, etc. 

[Moonshot_1]

Yes they are and what has amazed me (since I just put our humming bird feeder out this year) is that one bird will take charge and fight off the others.  

Does make you wonder why.  There is plenty of food, there are several feeding points.   What part of the birds makeup drives it to want to control the food supply?  

I don't know of other birds that do that but... I am not an expert on birds.

My wife has a Chase tree in the front yard.  The blossoms are visited by bees.  Yesterday I saw a couple of bees running off interlopers form specific blossoms.  Not all blossoms just one or two in an area.  Again, makes one wonder.  

Would you let anyone just walk up and ride your Valk? There you go.

[csj]

This year we have only two feeders going. I made a Moat that hangs above each feeder. The ants would have to swim across. They dont. No more ants in feeders.

[Crackerborn]

While I have never had hummingbird stew, I have had Hummingbird cake. I believe no birds are actually in the cake.

[Jess from VA]

My hummingbird feeders mostly hung from roof soffit in front of windows.  I put big globs of red grease on the hanging wire and hook, and that mostly kept the ants off.  But I would have bee (and yellow jacket) problems too that didn't solve.  If they got bad enough, I'd just open the window and execute them with Raid.  Didn't bother the birds at all (but the bees did, hummingbirds are brave bastards, but work hard at not getting stung). 

I'd watch a big male dominate the feeder.  The smaller females would end up working together, so when he took off after one, another would get to drink (briefly).

They tell you not to put feeders within sight of each other, otherwise a big male will try to dominate both of them.  Energetic little buggers.

If you sat long enough, you might get two or three sharing, but not very often.  Mostly at dusk when they were tired of fighting all day, and looking to power up for the evening.

[Rams]

My hummingbird feeders mostly hung from roof soffit in front of windows.  I put big globs of red grease on the hanging wire and hook, and that mostly kept the ants off.  But I would have bee (and yellow jacket) problems too that didn't solve.  If they got bad enough, I'd just open the window and execute them with Raid.  Didn't bother the birds at all (but the bees did, hummingbirds are brave bastards, but work hard at not getting stung).  

I'd watch a big male dominate the feeder.  The smaller females would end up working together, so when he took off after one, another would get to drink (briefly).

They tell you not to put feeders within sight of each other, otherwise a big male will try to dominate both of them.  Energetic little buggers.

If you sat long enough, you might get two or three sharing, but not very often.  Mostly at dusk when they were tired of fighting all day, and looking to power up for the evening.

Ours might be illegal aliens then, I'm not sure.   I  haven't been able to check their papers yet.  

What we are seeing on a daily basis is a couple of our five feeders will have one or two birds, I believe they are females that dominate those feeders.   Those specific feeders that have two birds, the birds will always be on opposite sides of the feeders and kind of acting like they don't know the other bird is there.   Of the three other feeders, it is always the same thing happening, the "flock" (if that's what is called) will concentrate on one or two of the feeders and leave one alone, once one of the chosen feeders is empty, they will move to the last one.   Today, I counted 14 Hummingbirds all fighting to dine at one feeder until it was empty, they then moved on to the next feeder.   It's funny watching them, one will hover above a feeding bird and peck it in the back of the head until it can't take it any more and leaves.  They challenge each other constantly in fly offs doing some crazy maneuvers.   Acrobatic son of a guns they are.  

Territorial as hell.   We believe we have one bird that comes to the same feeder every day and will spend most of the day eating and defending that feeder.   She or it won't leave it for more than a few minutes even if the wife and I come out and stand near it.   She buzzed me several times, I assume as a warning to stay away from her food source.  

Very entertaining.   Almost as good as watching Valkyrie riders around a camp fire.  

Rams

[DirtyDan]

What kind of seasoning do you use ? Instant Pot or Crock Pot ?

 

Dan

[Rams]

I read recently that the average Hummingbird weighs about 3 to 4 grams.   I assume that means still alive.   So, I'm guessing that any edible meat would amount to less than half of that.   Hmm...

I've been told there's a number of ways to skin a cat but, never considered skinning a Hummingbird before.   Like a chicken or other birds I assume?   Should they be fattened up prior to being harvested?  Not sure how to go about that......   The wife has to fill the feeders on a daily basis.   That means more trips to the store to buy sugar.   This is starting to make my Hummingbird Stew get expensive.   Still no idea on how many I'm gonna have to capture.   Would a 12 gauge be considered overkill? 

So many questions, so few answers.   

Rams

[Patrick]

I read recently that the average Hummingbird weighs about 3 to 4 grams.   I assume that means still alive.   So, I'm guessing that any edible meat would amount to less than half of that.   Hmm...

I've been told there's a number of ways to skin a cat but, never considered skinning a Hummingbird before.   Like a chicken or other birds I assume?   Should they be fattened up prior to being harvested?  Not sure how to go about that......   The wife has to fill the feeders on a daily basis.   That means more trips to the store to buy sugar.   This is starting to make my Hummingbird Stew get expensive.   Still no idea on how many I'm gonna have to capture.   Would a 12 gauge be considered overkill? 

So many questions, so few answers.   

Rams

You want to skin a bazillion Humming birds ?  I think that would wear out the microscope.

[Patrick]

While I have never had hummingbird stew, I have had Hummingbird cake. I believe no birds are actually in the cake.

A cake with no protein !?

[Rams]

I read recently that the average Hummingbird weighs about 3 to 4 grams.   I assume that means still alive.   So, I'm guessing that any edible meat would amount to less than half of that.   Hmm...

I've been told there's a number of ways to skin a cat but, never considered skinning a Hummingbird before.   Like a chicken or other birds I assume?   Should they be fattened up prior to being harvested?  Not sure how to go about that......   The wife has to fill the feeders on a daily basis.   That means more trips to the store to buy sugar.   This is starting to make my Hummingbird Stew get expensive.   Still no idea on how many I'm gonna have to capture.   Would a 12 gauge be considered overkill?  

So many questions, so few answers.    

Rams

You want to skin a bazillion Humming birds ?  I think that would wear out the microscope.

Well, the plan was for the wife to do all the preparation and cooking, I'm just researching for her.  
That's the one perk of not being allowed into "her" kitchen.   

Rams

[0leman]

As we are in heavy smoke right now, I find it interesting that the smoke is not effecting the critters, humming birds, quail, finches, or quail and also deer. 

DW had me put a rack on our fence to she should hang a humming bird feeder.   We tried several different place over the years, but ants seem to find the feeder.   This place seems to be doing OK, no ants yet.  Also she has planted a lot of flowers all over the place, which is more or less normal, that the hummers seem to like.  They flick between the feeder and the flowers.  Then go to willow tree to rest for a bit then back to the feeder/flowers.  Fun to watch.

As far as harvesting them, a 12 gauge, that seems to be a bit of an over kill.  Think I would use a fine mesh net to catch them.  Not sure how to skin them, tweezers maybe.  May have to go over to neighbors, while they are gone, to get enough for a mouth full. 

[Rams]

As we are in heavy smoke right now, I find it interesting that the smoke is not effecting the critters, humming birds, quail, finches, or quail and also deer.  

DW had me put a rack on our fence to she should hang a humming bird feeder.   We tried several different place over the years, but ants seem to find the feeder.   This place seems to be doing OK, no ants yet.  Also she has planted a lot of flowers all over the place, which is more or less normal, that the hummers seem to like.  They flick between the feeder and the flowers.  Then go to willow tree to rest for a bit then back to the feeder/flowers.  Fun to watch.

As far as harvesting them, a 12 gauge, that seems to be a bit of an over kill.  Think I would use a fine mesh net to catch them.  Not sure how to skin them, tweezers maybe.  May have to go over to neighbors, while they are gone, to get enough for a mouth full.  

Best advice I've received so far.    
I doubt I can hit them with a 30-30, they're a lot faster than I am.  

Reference those ants.   Our feeders don't leak and if they start leaking, they go into the trash and she gets a new one (or two).   But, I'm going to try that moat idea on the next one, going to mount a shepard's hook on top of one of her bird bath yard art things and hang a feeder above that. 

Rams  

[Moonshot_1]

They sell a hummingbird grilling kit.

It is a standard hummingbird feeder but you use a flavored schnapps instead of the usual hummingbird sugary stuff. In fact, the hummingbird feeder was first developed for dosing them with high amounts of alcohol. You surround the feeder with mirrors. The birds, once they get plastered will fly into the mirrors until their feathers completely fall off as they fight with themselves. Kit comes with a magnifying glass and pen knife to clean the birds.

Put the birds, already marinated, on the grill or smoker.   

[Rams]

They sell a hummingbird grilling kit.

It is a standard hummingbird feeder but you use a flavored schnapps instead of the usual hummingbird sugary stuff. In fact, the hummingbird feeder was first developed for dosing them with high amounts of alcohol. You surround the feeder with mirrors. The birds, once they get plastered will fly into the mirrors until their feathers completely fall off as they fight with themselves. Kit comes with a magnifying glass and pen knife to clean the birds.

Put the birds, already marinated, on the grill or smoker.   

Dang, as Will Smith said in that movie Independence Day, I got to get me one of these!!!!

Rams 

[The emperor has no clothes]

They sell a hummingbird grilling kit.

It is a standard hummingbird feeder but you use a flavored schnapps instead of the usual hummingbird sugary stuff. In fact, the hummingbird feeder was first developed for dosing them with high amounts of alcohol. You surround the feeder with mirrors. The birds, once they get plastered will fly into the mirrors until their feathers completely fall off as they fight with themselves. Kit comes with a magnifying glass and pen knife to clean the birds.

Put the birds, already marinated, on the grill or smoker.   

Grill or smoker ? I thought it was supposed to be stew ?

[Rams]

They sell a hummingbird grilling kit.

It is a standard hummingbird feeder but you use a flavored schnapps instead of the usual hummingbird sugary stuff. In fact, the hummingbird feeder was first developed for dosing them with high amounts of alcohol. You surround the feeder with mirrors. The birds, once they get plastered will fly into the mirrors until their feathers completely fall off as they fight with themselves. Kit comes with a magnifying glass and pen knife to clean the birds.

Put the birds, already marinated, on the grill or smoker.   

Grill or smoker ? I thought it was supposed to be stew ?

All Options are open at this point, those little suckers are too fast for me.   

Rams   

[Moonshot_1]

They sell a hummingbird grilling kit.

It is a standard hummingbird feeder but you use a flavored schnapps instead of the usual hummingbird sugary stuff. In fact, the hummingbird feeder was first developed for dosing them with high amounts of alcohol. You surround the feeder with mirrors. The birds, once they get plastered will fly into the mirrors until their feathers completely fall off as they fight with themselves. Kit comes with a magnifying glass and pen knife to clean the birds.

Put the birds, already marinated, on the grill or smoker.   

Grill or smoker ? I thought it was supposed to be stew ?

Give them enough schnapps, problem solved. Stewed birds.

[Rams]

They sell a hummingbird grilling kit.

It is a standard hummingbird feeder but you use a flavored schnapps instead of the usual hummingbird sugary stuff. In fact, the hummingbird feeder was first developed for dosing them with high amounts of alcohol. You surround the feeder with mirrors. The birds, once they get plastered will fly into the mirrors until their feathers completely fall off as they fight with themselves. Kit comes with a magnifying glass and pen knife to clean the birds.

Put the birds, already marinated, on the grill or smoker.   

Grill or smoker ? I thought it was supposed to be stew ?

Give them enough schnapps, problem solved. Stewed birds.

I'm think'n these are illegal aliens from south of the border, they don't have green cards or papers that I can see.  So, Tequila is probably more to their liking.   Shrug

Rams