Glass Hummingbird Feeders

Nature is a wondrous thing. I live in Minnesota where nature and weather are topics of conversation on a daily basis. Our weather is forever changing. Minnesota is the land of ten thousand lakes. We are also the twelfth largest state so the weather in one area can be completely different than in another. The large lakes in the north central and northern part of the state have a profound effect on the amount of rain and snow fall these areas receive. We have temperatures that can get as low as thirty degrees below zero and as high as one hundred and ten degrees above zero. Due to the extreme in the temperatures and amount of rain and snow we get annually, weather is often a topic of conversation.

Another topic of conversation is the wildlife and birds that fill our state. We have a wide range of animals. Because the population in the state is increasing, and the metropolitan area is expanding, more and more people are being exposed to the different animals whose habitat is being destroyed. Car deer accidents are part of the daily rush hour. Bear sightings in housing developments are becoming more common. The animals are being relocated to make room for people and this means that we have the animals closer to us all the time.

The birds have always been plentiful in this state. It seems that they actually benefit from more people because of the number of birdfeeders that are available to them. We have several areas for the birds to feed in our yard. My favorite is a glass hummingbird feeder that hangs outside of our kitchen window.

As I am doing the dishes or preparing meals I can watch the birds by the glass hummingbird feeder. The orioles also drink the nectar that we put out. We decided to buy a glass hummingbird feeder because the plastic ones get discolored and brittle. It is very important to remember to take in the feeder in in early September so that the birds will not stay too long and get caught in the cold. It is also a good idea to store the glass hummingbird feeder indoors during the winter months. There is a possibility of it breaking with the extreme cold in the middle of winter especially if moisture gets in it and freezes.

We keep our other bird feeders up year round so that the birds that stay in the winter months have something to eat. It is amazing to watch them feeding at the feeders when the snow is falling. They seem appreciative of the meal. It is important to remember to also supply them with water to drink and some occasional suet to help them keep warm.