Sweet tooth anyone?

[hazelrunpack]

The grape jelly is finally working its magic.
I hung it from the nectar station, since that's where the orioles hang out, anyway,
but the first customers weren't orioles...
or even catbirds, which I've heard really like grape jelly, too.

Nope. The first visitors were rose-breasted grosbeaks! Who woulda thunk it?!?

[hazelrunpack]

Mama Grosbeak checked out the area from the top of the shepherd's hook for a while, then snuck in for a quick snack.

[hazelrunpack]

Papa Grosbeak, who's molting (notice the twisted wing feathers?), is a little more direct.
He just sidles down the wire hanger and helps himself to dessert.
And he doesn't seem to mind having a sticky beak afterward.

[hazelrunpack]

After the grosbeaks have left the restaurant, the orioles finally start making an appearance!!

The female showed up first.

Mama Oriole is suspicious like Mama Grosbeak was. She looks both ways...




...before finally taking a sip of nectar.


(There is always one hummingbird feeder out there with a bee guard removed so the orioles have easy access
Keeps the birds from pulling out the bee guards by themselves and dropping them into the hummingbird garden,
where they get demolished by madame hazel's clumsy feet )

[hazelrunpack]

And finally, the prize!!

Handsome Papa Oriole arrives, checks out the area from the pine...


...then flies down to check out the grape jelly.




But wait!! Now there's two!! And the newcomer seems to have a bit of attitude...

[hazelrunpack]

And suddenly there are three gorgeous males at the feeder



And hazel thought there was only one couple in the neighborhood Another case of 'Who woulda thunk it!?'

After introductions, things settled down and they shared their nectar and jelly quite companionably.

[hazelrunpack]

The nectar feeders are still attracting the hummingbirds, too, of course.

Pop Ruby-throated Hummingbird:


Mom Hummingbird:


And now that the first broods are out of the nest, Junior comes, too!

[hazelrunpack]

And they, of course, bring their friends

[Marcha]

Hazel, your bird photos are gorgeous! You sure do attract a lot of different kinds.

What is it that you're putting in the feeders? Recipes are meant to be shared, yes?

[hazelrunpack]

We actually bought this house because it was a bird paradise.

"Forget the house, honey! What does the habitat look like?"

The only thing on the flat orange feeder is grape jelly. It's an oriole feeder and is meant to be filled with sugar-water nectar, but none of the birds ever figured out it was there so I stopped filling it. Why waste good nectar, eh?

The nectar in the hummingbird feeders is 1 part sugar to 4 parts water (or 3 parts water for an extra strong nectar--I use the 1:3 ratio very early in the season when the birds are just coming off migration and need the extra calories, or if it gets very cold).

Heat the sugar / water solution to boiling, stirring to keep the sugar from settling on the bottom before it dissolves in the water, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool and store in the fridge. It should keep for a week in the fridge, but it never lasts that long here. I make it in 8-cup batches (2 cups sugar; 8 cups water) and that'll last a day this time of year. When the migration is at its peak, I'll need three times that amount each day

When we were in the city and not seeing many birds, I'd usually make it with a half cup sugar and 2 cups water and that would hold me for almost a week.

During hot spells you might have to change the nectar every day. If you see it getting cloudy or even slightly opaque, it means bacteria is building up and you need to change it.

[Dee-O-Gee]

Congratulations on the Jelly Hazel! Whoot Whoot!

If you don't have a green thumb, you sure have a spot for your feathered friends.

Pictures are stunning!

[hazelrunpack]

Thanks, klm. I had given up on the jelly but then you posted your thread about it and I decided to try it again, this time on the oriole feeder.

[dmc123]

I soooooo love your bird posts! Never heard of birds liking jelly, but you photos are proof they do.

Keep up the great work and the photo sharing

Diane

[hazelrunpack]

Thx, Diane. I'm glad you're enjoying them! I sure do like taking them...

[Love4himies]

Holy smokes, I can't get over how many birds you have, Hazel , I am so jealous

[hazelrunpack]

I was just out trying to photograph a mob of grosbeaks...seriously, there were about 20 of them on the platform feeder or on the shepherd's hook it was hanging from!!! But the mosquitoes were so bad, even in the blind, that I had to run screaming into the house! So you get the best of both worlds, L4H--I'll share pics, and you can see them without having to put up with the bloodsucking hordes!

[Love4himies]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

I was just out trying to photograph a mob of grosbeaks...seriously, there were about 20 of them on the platform feeder or on the shepherd's hook it was hanging from!!! But the mosquitoes were so bad, even in the blind, that I had to run screaming into the house! So you get the best of both worlds, L4H--I'll share pics, and you can see them without having to put up with the bloodsucking hordes!

Deal.

[TeriM]

What a bird paradise you have, I'm jealous .

Gorgeous pictures Hazel, especially papa oriole .

[hazelrunpack]

I'll offer you the same deal I offered L4H!

Orioles really are beautiful I noticed today, though, that they're all joining the grosbeaks in molt and starting to get a little ragged-looking.

[Rgeurts]

Oh wow!!! Those photos are wonderful!!! I, as well, am extremely jealous

I wish I had trees, or something lol! That's the downful of a new home... takes several yrs to have a decent yard!

Post more piccies

[hazelrunpack]

But the upside of a new home is that you can plan your gardens and yards to really pull in the wildlife It just takes a while to grow up. I always loved the shows on HGTV where they redid the yards to make something wonderful from literally nothing. One thing this place doesn't have is HGTV, though. So I watch the birds, instead

There's lots of pics in here, Robyn...from a bunch of members

[Dee-O-Gee]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

Thanks, klm. I had given up on the jelly but then you posted your thread about it and I decided to try it again, this time on the oriole feeder.

So glad the jellies working for both of us Hazel! Only problem on my end is that I haven't seen any hummers lately. Do you think the hummer's sense the orioles on the nectar feeder and are stearing clear of it?

[hazelrunpack]

I don't think so, klm. Our hummers keep coming to the other feeder even if the orioles are monopolizing the small one, and the feeders are less than 3 feet from each other. And once the orioles leave, the hummers go right back to the small feeder again.

I wonder if your hummers are busy with a brood and coming less often?

[Dee-O-Gee]

Don't know why I haven't seen the hummers lately.

They were catching onto the feeders and once the orioles started lapping up the jelly nearby, I haven't seen any around.

I guess that doesn't mean that maybe they come by early mornings when I'm still sleeping and don't see them. I'm so not an early riser!

[hazelrunpack]

We get our biggest 'crowds' in the hour starting at sunrise and the hour ending at sunset. Try watching for them as the sun starts to set--they should be fueling up for the night.

Are you changing your nectar every day? If it gets too old, they'll stop drinking it.

[luckypenny]

WOW! Amazing shots, Hazel .

[hazelrunpack]

Thanks, LP. Do you ever see orioles there? I'll bet you have a few of them around... They like the woods!

[pbpatti]

Hazel, wow what stunning shots. I miss my birdies, the old campsite was heavily treed this one is pretty bare still. We are in the process of planting to encourage more birds to come. Thanks for sharing. pbp

[hazelrunpack]

I have skeeters to donate for that true north woods flavor, too! Free shipping and handling! Want some?

I hope your trees grow quickly!!!!

[chico2]

Hazel,OMG those are beautiful pics,you are so very lucky to get all these birds,I am green with envy
I have never heard of an Oriole-feeder before,that is just amazing