Hummingbird Shaman - Symbols of Divine Presence » hummingbird feeder

Hummingbirds in Winter and Happy Cliches

Hummingbird Shaman — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:08:44 +0000

You’d think this time of year would be uneventful in the case of hummingbirds, but far from it. The usually mild winter Pacific Northwest has taken its turn, and snow has arrived. While we didn’t get quite the volume of snow that was expected we did wake up today with a surprise. The slight warming in the late afternoon had frozen during the night, and now the snow was covered with a sheet of ice. Temps remain below freezing, and branches are caked in ice as well, with many tree limbs snapping from the weight they cannot shake.

Hummingbirds in Winter

There are three hummingbirds who live near me year-round. The feeders may not empty nearly as fast during this time of year as the summer, but they continue to visit. During these freezing times the hummingbirds stay much closer, conserving their energy to sustain body temperature.

Hummingbird Food – Simple Sugar Water

Hummingbirds do eat bugs, lots of them, and this gives them the protein they need, but they also drink nectar and our home-brewed sugar water to give them the carbohydrate boost they need. As for me I rarely consume sugar, at least white sugar, but keep a 10 lb bag for you know who. How ironic to run out of sugar just in time for the ice storm.

Already mid afternoon and the temperature has not risen. Time for drastic measures. I bundled up, braving the dangerous 100 yard walk across the ice to my neighbor’s house. “Can I borrow a cup of sugar?” Yes, I was suddenly living the life of a cliché. My neighbor was glad to help, passing to me the rest of the bag that didn’t quite fit in the sugar storage container. Within no time I was ready to prepare a new batch of sugar-water for my fine feather friends.

Tomorrow will bring warmer weather, and soon enough the ice will be gone. For today I’m happy for these hummingbird moments and what has turned out to be a very pass through the land of cliche’.

Hummingbird In Winter and Happy Cliches © 2011 Estee Taschereau, HummingbirdShaman.com™. Estee offers MetaVisionary™ sessions via phone and Skype to help you unlock the visionary and meta-designer in you. Call now to schedule.

Hummingbird Feeders – Design or Beauty?

Hummingbird Shaman — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:18:11 +0000

There are many styles and sizes for hummingbird feeders, each with their own merits. There are many details to consider, depending on your environment, and how dense the hummingbird population. My own feeders are ferociously guarded and owned by my year-round hummingbirds, and each day is filled with maneuvers maneuvers maneuvers chases as the new younger hummingbirds enter the scene. In other areas the a couple of feeders can support dozens of hummingbirds, requiring daily refilling. What type of feeder should you use? Is design or beauty the most important detail?

Is the feeder easy to clean, giving you the ability to run your hummingbird feeder cleaning brush in every nook and cranny? Don’t think you can just bleach out any deposits! Never use bleach or soap in your feeder. Clean often, use your brush with hot water, and refill.
How many hummingbirds visit? A big feeder might take weeks to empty. While this seems like the easy route the sugar water will likely go rancid before you think of refilling. If you have many hummingbirds visiting you may need that bigger sized feeder!
Is the design and color(s) appealing to you and the hummingbirds? I have a feeder gifted by a friend that is purple. I love the color but the hummingbirds would not visit this feeder, even when it was the only feeder available.

By design, this has to be my favorite feeder. I like the covering, though it doesn’t offer actual shade for the sugar water, and you will have to refill often, but this one works for my situation, as one of many feeders offering variety. This feeder is called the Parasol Bouquet Basketweave Shelter Hummingbird Feeder.

No matter which hummingbird feeder you use, always give clean, fresh sugar water. Do not add food coloring, it coats the tongue and is harmful to the hummingbirds.

Many admire the hummingbird, sharing special moments or feeling that there is some spiritual meaning in those rare visits. Hummingbirds are, in my opinion, the most special of birds, and it is a blessing to have hummingbirds in our lives.

Hummingbird Morning – Walk with Wings

Hummingbird Shaman — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:28:02 +0000

For those who have yet to see this amazing video, the nature channel has the most wonderful show on hummingbirds, giving great insight into the movement and life of the hummingbird. This video can be seen on PBS Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air.

This morning the hummingbirds are with me, even though I have yet to look out the window. An article I have written about hummingbird spirits has posted on the website Intuitive Meaning.

Spring is in the air, at least in this corner of the world, and the hummingbirds are preparing for expansion. Two males show tail feather fanned out, and make sounds you would not expect from such a little bird, all in an attempt to secure a place in the world of the female who sits calmly on her branch.

Today is a wonderful day, one worthy of a walk, and perhaps a hummingbird encounter. What might be said for these little spriits? “Walk with Wings, let every step along the way be filled with passion.”

On a more humorous note: I was gifted a nice purple feeder after the hummingbirds in that location refused to feed from it. Fine, I thought, so I brought it home. Cleaned and filled with fresh nectar the new feeder was soon in place. Once I saw a hummingbird feeding from it, once. It must be the color. I finally decided it was time to try again, so I purchased a bottle of red finger nail polish and proceeded to paint the flowers red. Plenty of time to dry and allow the chemicals to evaporate, and fresh feed, and again no show. I’ve even tried switching places of the preferred feeder and the new one. Perhaps as the springtime population grows I will give this new feeder another chance, or more precisely, maybe the hummingbirds will give it a chance.

Hummingbird Shaman Editor and Author Estee Taschereau offers clear, compassionate assistance to individuals who seek to understand their own path and abilities. Phone sessions are available in the US, as well as sessions via Skype.

Alliances Mean Everything

Hummingbird Shaman — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:55:05 +0000

It’s true: Alliances mean everything. A few weeks back we’d had freezing weather, and its unusual that our temperatures stay below freezing during daylight hours. Even with these drops in temperature there are at least two hummingbirds that remain. As I typed this story I look out the window to see the alpha male perched near the window at his “hiding place”, watching over his territory.

With this freezing weather it was challenging to keep the content of the feeders in a liquid state. I know with rabbits it is suggested to add a little bit of food-grade alcohol to the water to keep it from freezing, not with the intent to get the little four leggers intoxicated! I refused to try any such technique with the hummingbirds.

Each evening after the last feeding session at dusk I would take the feeders inside. This is easier and quicker than trying to thaw them in the morning when fast-winged hummingbirds are anxious for the life sustaining nectar. The only challenge was getting the feeders outside as early as possible each morning.

This early morning connection seems easy, but during those last few days I have been finishing the design phase for my new book, “Being Here Now”, with the support and help of a most amazing branding specialist and designer. Talk about alliances! For the most part we have been handling our own tasks individually, but our work hours seem to mutually carry deep into the night, which means offset sleeping hours.

Along comes Angie, bringing about an unusual alliance. Angie is normally a quiet dog, and she will stay on her bed as long as I remain in my own. These last few days have been the exception: At daybreak I’d find her trotting down the hall. I choose not to follow. Next thing I know Angie would be barking. As I got up and look down the hallway I would see her facing me instead of the door, with great determination in her eyes and conviction in her muscular body. “Open the door”, she conveys. Of course I cannot help but notice the feeders that await, hung in an obvious location by the door.

We’ve recently celebrated Thanksgiving, a time to share appreciation. We’ve had our holiday month, a time of giving and receiving, or a time of giving back. The alliance shown between dog and hummingbird says it all, that we can support and honor one another with the simple little things we do. As we move forward into our new year, our new decade, and our longing for spring, let’s not forget to care for one-another.

Happy New Year, everyone – welcome to 2010.
Estee Taschereau
Hummingbird Shaman

Feeding Hummingbirds

Hummingbird Shaman — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:08:18 +0000

The common formula is 4 parts water to one part sugar. Boil the water, then add the sugar and stir until dissolved. I add a little turbinado sugar as well, it is less refined and may contain additional nutrition. Never add food coloring, it coats the hummingbird tongue and will be fatal. Do not add honey, as it will turn rancid.

Keep the feeder in a shaded space, the sunlight will cause the sugar water to go rancid much faster. Watch the feeders, if the food gets cloudy toss it out. Hang additional feeders out of sight of other feeders, hummingbirds are very territorial and will chase others from their food source.

Cleaning your feeder: Some will suggest bleach, but our bleach is not pure, and has many chemicals added such as whiteners. I use hot water and soak the feeders before each refill, use a dedicated brush to scrub and clean the feeding holes (not used for any other purpose, no soap). The “cleaners” I will use are vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, in fact if you keep spray bottles in your kitchen with both those substances (separately), you can use them to clean your kitchen. They combine into a powerful disinfectant. Rinse all feeders thoroughly before refilling.

I keep my feeders within view of my living spaces, and my friends care not when I am outside with them during a feeding session.