Random DIY mixing and More

[englishmick]

All birds seem to know when you get the camera and split. Sphinx moths are cool too, they are hard to tell from a hummingbird when they are flying about.

Ain't that the truth. A few weeks ago the hummingbirds started feeding two at a time on my feeder, never seen that in all the years. I kept my phone out on the kitchen table but every time it happened they took off before I could get the phone ready.

 

[FranC]

Not sure when they leave, probably varies by location. The internet says you should change the mix from 1 part sugar in 4 parts water to 1 part sugar in 3 parts water before they leave so they can get beefed up for the long trip. I need to look the timing up.

I read once that they learn their feeding route early in the season so if you start putting out feeders late you will only get intermittent visitors. I put mine out this year the first time I saw a bird and they have been all over it. More than I've ever had. When the new generation starts flying they follow their parents around to learn the route.

For years I got feeders based on how cool they looked. Like fancy blown glass and so forth. This year I ordered a couple of basic cheap plastic feeders from Amazon. Not as cool but they work, don't drip, and the birds love them. Having a spare is good. I can fill one up and take it outside to swap for the empty one in a single trip up the ladder.

Yeah, I’ll be less lazy next year and get the feeder out early.

 

[ShamrockPat]

The internet says you should change the mix from 1 part sugar in 4 parts water to 1 part sugar in 3 parts water before they leave so they can get beefed up for the long trip.

We're back at 1:3 already. We have 2 pairs for feeding. The males arrive first in the spring and leave first to head back. Some are very trusting and will sit for a bit.

 

[englishmick]

Well, I dumped a ton of commercial juice and lots of old batteries. This is tedious, slow organization and did I mention...boring?

Old batteries. I started saving them up rather than taking them to Lowes regularly so I could just do one trip. A while back after a discussion here I realised I could put old batteries in the charger and use them to charge up cellphones during a power outage. I recycle them after 2 years so they still have plenty of life outside of vaping. Problem I have now is that couple of these are bad. One went in the charger and never finished charging, and another got overheated in the charger. And I don't know which ones they are. The little shelf is almost full so I need to make a decision.

 

[ShowMeTwice]

Good evening EveryOne

Hummingbirds huh? Very cool little buggers. And extremely difficult to photograph. Last time I was in San Diego there were probably 50 or so feeding in the garden at the hotel I was staying at. I tried getting pics, but didn't have a decent enough camera with me. My photos sucked!!!

A few years ago I came across a pro photographer, Christian Spencer, who shot some truly amazing pics of hummingbirds. They're among the best photos of hummingbirds I've ever seen.

Here are a couple of his pics.....

Link to story:

A Rainbow of Light Diffracts Through Hummingbird Wings in Photographs by Christian Spencer — Colossal

Australian photographer Christian Spencer has lived within Brazil’s Itatiaia National Park for nineteen years. The lush natural surroundings offer a multitude of photo opportunities ranging from pumpkin toadlets to false coral snakes. One of Spencer’s most fascinating finds is the way that light...

www.thisiscolossal.com

Link to Christian Spencer's website, with more hummingbird shots (and much more of his works). The guy is an awesome photographer.

photo - HUMMINGBIRDS

www.christianspencer.pro.br

 

[rosesense]

Old batteries. I started saving them up rather than taking them to Lowes regularly so I could just do one trip. A while back after a discussion here I realised I could put old batteries in the charger and use them to charge up cellphones during a power outage. I recycle them after 2 years so they still have plenty of life outside of vaping. Problem I have now is that couple of these are bad. One went in the charger and never finished charging, and another got overheated in the charger. And I don't know which ones they are. The little shelf is almost full so I need to make a decision.

View attachment 1000114

I keep old ones that charge just fine but the bad ones blinked rapidly when I put them on the charger and I figured that wasn't' good so time to let them go.

 

[FranC]

Goodnight random folks. Sweet dreams.

 

[ShowMeTwice]

My misbehaving sometimes leaking dravw didn't leak a drop while sitting on my computer desk. I'm going to take it with me this evening just to see if it leaks. I am running two other dravw's that have never leaked.

Where is your Dvarw leaking from? Around the base? Or from the airflow hole?

I have several Dvarw's. About a year ago one starting seeping juice around the base of the build deck. I replaced the build deck o-ring and that fixed it.

 

[englishmick]

I've now officially got a new favorite mix for the first time in years.

Blueberry Menthol.

Given my jaded taste buds I need a lot of fruit to hit the spot. I messed around for a while trying multiple blueberry flavors before I settled on these three. Someone with a more discriminating palate could tweak the amounts of the blueberries to their own taste and maybe use a different method of adding the menthol flavor, but this works for me. The Creme De Menthe has a nice amount of creaminess though.

TFA Blueberry Extra 2%
FW Blueberry 2%
WF Blueberry Jam 2%
TFA Creme De Menthe 5%

 

[hittman]

I've now officially got a new favorite mix for the first time in years.

Blueberry Menthol.

Given my jaded taste buds I need a lot of fruit to hit the spot. I messed around for a while trying multiple blueberry flavors before I settled on these three. Someone with a more discriminating palate could tweak the amounts of the blueberries to their own taste and maybe use a different method of adding the menthol flavor, but this works for me. The Creme De Menthe has a nice amount of creaminess though.

TFA Blueberry Extra 2%
FW Blueberry 2%
WF Blueberry Jam 2%
TFA Creme De Menthe 5%

Blueberry has been one of those flavors that I’ve struggled to find something that I like. I don’t know if I have creme de menthe but might try that blueberry combination.

 

[hittman]

I’m surprised I don’t have the WF blueberry jam. I have Cap, Vta, and Mb jam. I wonder how much of a difference it would make?

 

[rosesense]

I’m surprised I don’t have the WF blueberry jam. I have Cap, Vta, and Mb jam. I wonder how much of a difference it would make?

I should think the MB one would work.

 

[Kat56]

Goodnight random folks. Sweet dreams.

Sleep tight

 

[hittman]

Good morning. I woke before my alarm.

 

[Territoo]

Good morning Hitt. I woke up early, too. Not before my alarm, because I didn't have one set.

 

[DavidOck]

Morning, mixers.

Must be contagious, so did I. Although the alarm here is the cat

While Hilary's remnants have given some relief for the firefighters east of the Cascades, not a drop here. The "cut off low" was supposed to move through overnight and provide some. If it did, it too was elsewhere... The weather guessers persist in teasing us.

 

[FranC]

Where is your Dvarw leaking from? Around the base? Or from the airflow hole?

I have several Dvarw's. About a year ago one starting seeping juice around the base of the build deck. I replaced the build deck o-ring and that fixed it.

View attachment 1000122

I expect that's what I need to do also.

 

[FranC]

I’m surprised I don’t have the WF blueberry jam. I have Cap, Vta, and Mb jam. I wonder how much of a difference it would make?

Give it a try.

 

[FranC]

Good morning random folks. Have you any plans today?

 

[FranC]

Heather surprized me with a few pics.