Hummingbirds and butterflies from Patti's backyard

[Patti from Kentucky]

Lots of photos...so if you use the thumbnail-oriented version, note that there are multiple pages of thumbnails.  Some of the photos might benefit from seeing them in higher resolution, so from thumbnail version you can click the big photo to expand it, and then make it even bigger from the choices at the top, I think.

Huge year for butterflies, and the hummingbirds weren't half bad!

Thumbnail version:  http://tinyurl.com/22o49ab

Slideshow version:  http://tinyurl.com/2b76ff6

Enjoy!

Patti

[Nic1Pic]

Nice photos. It was more funny when you had your helmet on the head. 

[valhalla]

You're ahead of me in posting these, but it was an amazing butterfly and hummingbird year here in Southern MD, too.  Thanks for sharing.

[MAK]

Stunning and colorful! Thanks Patti!

[Donna]

That's it........I'm putting up a Hummingbird feeder next year. They are the cutest little birds and I WANT some. Loved your pics Patti. What's more perfect besides Hummers & Butters! Oh yeah, Falcons. Thanks.

[valhalla]

Hanging fushia will attract them and they went loony-tunes over the coleus (spelling) that grows blue stalky flowers - up and down like an ear of corn!

[Patti from Kentucky]

Hanging fushia will attract them and they went loony-tunes over the coleus (spelling) that grows blue stalky flowers - up and down like an ear of corn!

Janet is giving you good advice...though my hummers focus largely on my feeder; I think it was/is the flowers that draws them in...and as you saw, it's more fun when I can get photos of them using the flowers.  I think maybe, especially during migration, that a big patch of flower garden is more visible and likely to draw them in, and then they may discover the flower.  I've had the best luck with lantana, pentas, and the most popular of all is a flower called black and blue salvia.  In my area it comes in a little later than most of the nursery flowers...I have to pick it up, usually from Lowes, at least 2-3 weeks after I've bought and planted my other flowers.

Also, migrating hummingbirds will continue to follow consistent routes (so I hear from the experts) and stop at the same locations along the way, so if you attract a migrant who's happy with your provisions, and he/she manages to survive the arduous migration both ways, you'll probably see that bird again, and in this way your population may slowly grow over the years...mine certainly has.  This was the first year I actually had a bird visiting from Derby Day all the way through summer; I'm assuming she was nesting in the neighborhood; in years past it was more typical to only see them during spring and fall migrations (with them being mostly absent during late May through most of June).  August is the best month for me, when I spot a hummingbird just about anytime I look out into the yard.

[MAK]

Hanging fushia will attract them and they went loony-tunes over the coleus (spelling) that grows blue stalky flowers - up and down like an ear of corn!

      You spelled it right and I had one of those kind in my shade garden this year. I just cut the blue stalky flower off yesterday to put in my fall window box. It looks good with my cuttings of ornamental grass fronds that I always stick in there. It does resemble an ear of corn!   

[valhalla]

I didn't have as much luck with the salvia, but this was the first year for that colorful garden out front (yes, I will post the pictures sometime in this lifetime).  I think the flowers really bring them in, although we believe that we had a nesting pair and a few kids hanging about in August, as we counted 6 at one time between 3 feeders, flowers, and chasing each other.  I will try some salvia next year, as this was the experiment year (see what grew well in my clay).  I begged the garden center to let me put out the fuschia in early APRIL (on the porch) and had the early migrants instantly!  We now have only one feeder out and the occasional traveler and we will bring that one in probably next weekend (lots of flowers still), so as not to encourage over-staying.  Oh, I didn't have the luck with the heliotrop that I had wanted, so I moved it to the backyard and the tomato plants for bees and pollination. 

[Bird Crazy]

Get a Torenia (blue has more flowers than purple at least for me) they have so many flowers its amazing. My hummers like that better than the fuchsia. also "lady in red" salvia is a hummer magnet.

[Patti from Kentucky]

We now have only one feeder out and the occasional traveler and we will bring that one in probably next weekend (lots of flowers still), so as not to encourage over-staying. 

Janet, I have read numerous experts who say that leaving feeders out will not encourage the hummers to stay too late; if they're hanging around late it's probably that they're not in the best of health, struggling, and your feeder may give them the boost they need.  The experts believe that feeders won't override the instinct to migrate; there's still plenty of natural food around (flowers), and that doesn't encourage them to hang around.  Around here the experts on my Ky Bird List (most of them employees of KY Fish & Wildlife) recommend leaving our feeders out until at least mid-October to give those last stragglers an extra chance.

[Patti from Kentucky]

I didn't have as much luck with the salvia, but this was the first year for that colorful garden out front (yes, I will post the pictures sometime in this lifetime). 

I found that the "annual" salvia sold in most garden shops doesn't attract hummers, but other kinds are better.  The Black and Blue Salvia (Salvia guarantica) is the one my birds go gaga over:
http://www.rainyside.com/features/plant_gallery/perennials/Salvia_guaraniticaBlackAndBlue.html

[Bobbie Ireland]

I didn't have as much luck with the salvia, but this was the first year for that colorful garden out front (yes, I will post the pictures sometime in this lifetime). 

I found that the "annual" salvia sold in most garden shops doesn't attract hummers, but other kinds are better.  The Black and Blue Salvia (Salvia guarantica) is the one my birds go gaga over:
http://www.rainyside.com/features/plant_gallery/perennials/Salvia_guaraniticaBlackAndBlue.html

I am sitting here all by myself on Sunday morning and laughing my head off... reason??

I have been reading "SALIVA" and wondering just how one could get such a substance. And why would hummingbirds like it anyway? Then Patti mentioned garden shops, and I am still reading "SALIVA". Then - at last! - I see a specific variety mentioned and the penny drops. SALVIA!

[valhalla]

Patti - point taken and my dates are moving targets anyway   

As for the salvia, I meant that it didn't do too well in my soil/garden location.  4 non-annuals and only 2 remain and they are in rather poor condition (we did watch a mole take down one).  So, I'll keep trying a little of this (I have bought a number of plants in 2s and 3s and have only one remaining) and a little of that and see what survives.  I'm guessing that anything that survived this year is very hardy.

[Patti from Kentucky]

Patti - point taken and my dates are moving targets anyway   

As for the salvia, I meant that it didn't do too well in my soil/garden location.  4 non-annuals and only 2 remain and they are in rather poor condition (we did watch a mole take down one).  So, I'll keep trying a little of this (I have bought a number of plants in 2s and 3s and have only one remaining) and a little of that and see what survives.  I'm guessing that anything that survived this year is very hardy.

OK...I don't know about the other varieties, but I know the "Black and Blue" likes it dry...in fact the instructions say to let it dry out before watering.  The one in my garden has been happy in the drought this year; the other two I have in large pots on the deck, and I don't have to water them often.  Last year, when we had a cool, wet summer, they didn't do very well.