Get Ready for the Nectar Collectors!
Lee Jacobs
Juvenile male ruby throated hummingbird displaying his first red gorget feathers
It might seem early, but April 15 is a good rule of thumb for putting your hummingbird feeders out. My personal experience over the last 12 years has been that they arrive within the first two weeks of May. Last year, however, I received a visitor April 20th! These diminutive delights are easy to attract and require only moderate care:
Only use granulated cane sugar, NOT beet sugar (check the package!) for your feeding mixture. The ratio is 1:4 sugar to water. Never use pre-made red dyed mixtures. I use 3 oz sugar and 12 oz water that I boil and cool and store it in the fridge in a glass bottle.
Your feeder in Ohio only needs to be filled 1/4 - 1/3 of the way as you need to change the nectar every 3-4 days to prevent mold from growing. If you cannot commit to this, you should not put feeders out. You will sicken the birds if you don't keep a clean feeding station.
Put your feeder in a location you can enjoy i.e. on a patio. Wear white while having a cocktail and hold still. They are not bothered by conversation, just movement. Try placing your feeder closer to you and they may become tame. They might even perch on your finger!