Thanks.
Spent lots of time at my folks’ place and have fed hummers myself. They do dive bomb the feeders though, I’ll tell you what. And each other.
Watched Monarch butterflies migrate through the old Getty museum on the PCH on afternoon, too. Right over top of my sandwich. That was a sight to see. Never have figured out how to get butterfly bushes to grow though. They always die off. Just as well. The better half’s allergic to bees, but I’m not much for bees myself—although I do like whatever they pollonate!
oops. ‘one afternoon’
LOL I knew what you meant.
The Monarchs gather over at Pismo Beach every year. It’s supposed to be a wonderful event to be there for, but I’ve never been there at the right time. Even though Pismo is Fresno’s home away from home. Some even call it “Fresno Beach.”
There are hummingbirds up here at our house in the foothills. One was hovering close to my foot and stayed there almost a full minute when I was sitting on my front porch. Just darling! It was getting nectar from the tiny yellow fiddlehead flowers. We have Christmas lights still hung on the front porch (of course, it’s a mobile home in a park, LOL), and they try to get nectar from the red bulbs all the time. They are just precious!
>>>>Watched Monarch butterflies migrate<<<<
Those Monarchs migration is really a spectacular undertaking - Their Eastern migration involves them coming up from Mexico, lay eggs in Texas - New Mexico area, then die the next generation flies North to around Virginia, Maryland West Virginia lay eggs and die, then they fly to Upstate New York and New England and lay eggs and die - the next generation spends last of summer in Canada and that generation lives for the entire trip back to Mexico. All in one year...
They are a Milk Weed specific species, so I let my milkweeds grow in the hedgerows just for them.
I hope I have better luck than you are with butterfly bush. I planted 8 of them last year and so far they are hanging in there... they all did bloom last year but are not very full yet.
We get hummers here for about 3 weeks during the summer and we too have feeder out. They are the most fantastic birds. No matter what I am doing, when I see one I have to stop and just watch...