In a message dated 2/18/2006, Scott Ray writes:

<< I don't know how hummingbird feeder owners are doing it here in Yakima
where there are several Anna's Hummers. The low last night was 6
degrees here. Was your feeder freezing? >>



Hello Scott -- At 17 to the mid 20's, the feeders first freeze up at the
openings where the hummingbirds feed and too hard for the birds to penetrate.
Inside the tubes and bottles, it just turns slushy with the slush accumulating
from the top down. It would eventually freeze solid I suppose if I didn't
bring them in for warm up. At 6 degrees like over in Yakima, I don't think
there is any hope or anything you can do except maybe try some sort of
electrical heating device which I know some people do use. That's a little more
trouble and hard freezes are rare enough over here, I don't think it's worth it.
Anna's are such hardcore survivors and they have been dealing with this
naturally for eons, otherwise they wouldn't be here at all, and I'd guess when
things really get tough, they just bundle up, shut down, and go into a
hibernation of sorts.


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Richard Rowlett
Bellevue (Eastgate), WA, USA

"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what
nobody has thought" --Albert Szent-Gyorgi (1893-1986).
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