I had a good chuckle, this morning, as I was getting breakfast.

[Frustratedlady]

I saw something on the hummingbird feeder out of the corner of my eye and looked to see a Baltimore Oriole doing all kinds of contortions to try to get its beak in the holes. He finally gave up.

The message? "Fill my grape jelly cups asap."

Now, how would he know there was something sweet in that feeder? He sure worked hard enough at it.

[Ohiogal]

1. I have two bird feeders outside my kitchen window

The birds are very entertaining! If you observe them for a while, you can see the hierarchy of their little society.

[Frustratedlady]

5. I have 7 feeders hanging from the "T" pole and they put on quite a show.

The feed ranges from peanuts to sunflower seeds to suet cakes to two different mixes. It gets a bit confusing for them when noon and 4:00 rolls around, as there is a constant positioning going on. The sparrows manage to empty one of the large mixed seed feeders and scatter all the seed on the ground. However, the doves come in and clean much of it up. When they are done, the deer clean up the rest.

I was sick this spring when I discovered why my pileated woodpeckers were diminished in numbers until I caught a small hawk picking one off a feeder. I wanted to chase it so badly. I felt guilty because I had basically set up a buffet. I don't know if it is still working in my area, or not. I haven't seen it in a while.

The day I caught it flying off with one of my woodpeckers, it hit my office window, fell to the ground and never lost its grip on the woodpecker. When he was sure the woodpecker was gone, he flew away. I imagine they had a nest of little ones and that was their food for the day, but it still made me ill.

[cyclonefence]

2. Oh, tell me about grape jelly cups!

I want Baltimore Orioles in my yard!

[Frustratedlady]

3. This house that I downsized to, last year, had a large "T" iron pipe set-up for feeding birds.

He had strapped metal cups (the kind frosting comes in for cinnamon rolls) on the top. They hold enough grape jelly to last a few days. What is fun to watch is after a rain. There is rainwater mixed in with the grape jelly and the orioles love it. They take a beak full of rainwater, hold their heads up high and let it run down their throats. You'd think they were in heaven. I imagine it is kind of like Kool-Aid.

[cyclonefence]

4. Thanks so much

I'm going to get right on that. I have a hummingbird feeder right up against the window where I sit to read the morning paper, and I am continuously amazed by how gutsy these little guys are. I used to think I had to freeze to avoid scaring them away, but now I find I can move around as I like--they're not scared of anything!

[Frustratedlady]

6. I had to laugh a few days ago when I saw the first hummingbird in my yard.

I decided it was a bit ditzy, though. It was trying to get food out of the red brick of my house. I watched it for several minutes and it kept going up to a brick like it was looking for a hole. It must have thought it hit hog heaven with all that brick.

[cyclonefence]

7. Last summer I was working in my yard

wearing a hot-pink teeshirt (I bet you know where this is going!), and I sat down to rest for a minute. A hummingbird started flying around me in ever-closer circles. It never did actually try to sip from my shirt, but it sure was interested. I guess those little guys need so much fuel that a big pink/red thing is always worth investigating.

[Frustratedlady]

8. My son-in-law was relaxing in the hot tub one evening when he started yelling for my daughter

to come help. She had planted cannas at the end of the deck as a privacy wall and it was blooming. The hummingbirds took possession and were dive bombing my sil, over and over again. He couldn't get out of the water, but had to keep submerging himself to get away from them. She waved a kitchen towel and they gave up. So did my sil. He was actually terrified at one point, as there were a whole "flock" of them and they were determined.

I was going to wear a Hawaiian shirt, this afternoon, but maybe I won't.

For their size, they sure have a lot of confidence.

[cyclonefence]

11. It's crazy, isn't it

Those little bombers! I can understand big birds, like blue jays, feeling confident enough to attack cats and people, and I certainly stay out of the way of catbirds when they're nesting nearby, but ounce-for-ounce, does anybody or anything out-toughguy hummingbirds!

[Frustratedlady]

13. Maybe speed is their defense.

They are in/out so fast, you couldn't catch them.

[elleng]

9. He must have heard rumors!!!

[LakeArenal]

10. We serve the birds brunch everyday

Don’t forget oranges for the Orioles.
I have votive candle holders stuck on the railing with florist clay. The orange is held by a nail. All removable in winter.
Way in the back you can see the corn for the turkeys.

[Frustratedlady]

12. I have tried oranges for the orioles and everyone ignored it.

Even if the orioles didn't take to it, others surely would out of curiosity. I'll try it again.

I'm hoping to build an arbor type arch to hang the feeders from so the birds have protection from the predators. It would also allow me to get rid of this pipe set-up that was here when I moved in. My first reaction was "it has to go" but there were so many birds that came to check for food, I gave in and kept it. I think the arbor with a vine covering the top will be much better.

[LakeArenal]

14. Put grape jelly on it. It'll work.

Their music in the morning and the entertainment value is worth every cent.

🕊🦆🐥🌱☘️

[Frustratedlady]

15. I'll give it a try. Thanks!