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The hummingbirds visiting my balcony have been the highlight of my summer.

Then “POOF”. They are gone!

Hummingbirds (also known for their nickname “hummers”), gorge themselves in order to double their weight before they take off for the tropics. They can fly 500 miles a day after they’ve “fueled” up.

Over Labor Day weekend they were gorging for sure. My balcony looked like the drive through at a Chick-fil-A during rush hour! My big, beautiful midnight blue salvia plant was extremely popular.

Most folks think you should plant red plants to attract hummers. I used to do that with little success. This year I went a different direction and planted the midnight blue salvia which grows tall and wide with trumpet-shaped blossoms that the hummingbirds love.

When I watered my plants this summer, I told my husband I was “going out to feed the hummingbirds”. Yes, I was watering the plant but each time I watered, the plant was producing more nectar and the hummers would come “running”. There are other plants on my balcony, but the salvia is my favorite.

I never saw more than three hummers feeding at one time, but they just kept coming and going. I could not tell them apart because they all had the same coloring. They were not the fancy red throated hummers. They were more plain.

In any case I decided to name them.

The names I gave were Henri, Miss Mimi and Lucifer. I decided all my hummingbirds were French.

Each time one or two came I called out their names and my husband would come running to try to catch a glimpse. Half the time as he got close to the window they’d fly off, but I could see them from my lounge chair, so they were not startled by me.

Who knows which one was there at any time. I just made it up.

I had fun with it.

But now they’re gone. I am a bit sad but for the fact a new one has shown up. She must be late in leaving. I can tell she’s new because she has a white throat. We named her Blanche. (French for white).

Fun Facts About Hummingbirds –

• They are the only bird that can fly backwards.
• A group of hummingbirds is called a “glittering”.
• Hummingbirds are the smallest birds that migrate. They travel alone.
• They weigh about as much as a nickel.
• They have no sense of smell. Go figure!
• Their nests are mostly made of spider web material and fuzz from flowering plants. They don’t use twigs or sticks.
• Their nests are about the size of an egg and hold two baby birds. They only produce two.

Oh, and one more.

• Hummingbirds are named because of the sound their wings make when they fly. (Most of us already knew that.)

You can guess what I’ll be planting in at least one of my balcony pots next summer.

Cheers,