Hummingbirds of Colorado Springs

We have a beautiful Rock Garden in the backyard and we love to sit out there and watch the birds and the Spring flowers now beginning to bloom.

dsc_9077A little early this year, it seems like the little guys are ready to being their summer stay with us. We have two feeders on our little deck above the garage and just outside our office window. It’s not easy to get good pictures of them from this vantage point but Doug came up with the idea to add a third feeder out in the backyard in the rock garden so the camera and tripod are eye level with the feeder. The little guys cooperated in just a matter of an hour! By the next day word had gotten out and the whole gang was buzzing and nose diving between the three feeders on two sides of the house.

Reminder! The RECIPE! See my previous blog on hummingbirds for the recipe for a winning, hummingbird attracting syrup!

dsc_9032Coming up soon! There’s a beautiful red throated hummingbird that has been elusive to the camera in the last couple of days. Doug will persevere – all we need is for the little guy to slow down for a second!!!

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Hummingbird Nectar Formula – Irresistible

dsc_9064We have the secret formula.  People from the whole neighborhood will stop by and ask how we do it?????  Thirty+ birds and 2 little ole feeders.  At first we thought we’d keep the nectar formula all to ourselves, then it just didn’t seem right…so we shared.  And, now we’ll share with you!

Fill a 4-5 quart pot wil about 3 quarts of water and add 5 cups of sugar.  Bring to a boil, shut the burner off and let the pan sit until cooled. ( Please no food coloring. It not good for those little guys.)

 

Fill the bird feeder/s.

Sit back and watch those little guys  ”get juiced”. The birds just can’t resist.

Tip:  If you have leftovers in the pot, you can put the extra “formula” in old mason jars and stick in in the refrigerator until one of the feeders runs out!

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Altitude Sickness and Hypothermia

Hints from Cyndy and Doug

Altitude Sickness and Hypothermia- Don’t Take These Lightly!

Dressing appropriately and being aware of your condition can help prevent an unwanted medical condition when travelling in Colorado.

Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness occurs at high elevations when your body cannot get enough oxygen.  It can happen due to a sudden change in altitude such as going from sea level to 14,000+ feet (The top of Pikes Peak is 14,100′.)  I’ve seen statements where it can happen as low as 8,000′.  So, this condition is possible to happen if you arrive in Colorado Springs from a sea level origin and go directly to the top of Pikes Peak or another high mountain destination.

Here are some symptoms that I found on-line:

  • Headache – probably throbbing.
  • Sick to stomach up to and including vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Tired and/or weak
  • Might resemble hangover symptoms

Helpful Hint:  We have always been told how important it is to stay hydrated here in Colorado.  The air is very dry and one can get dehydrated quicker than you might think.  Be sure to drink fluids often.  We always have a couple of bottles of water in our vehicles and backpacks.

You might want to check on line with a site like Web MD for more information, or you can always talk to your doctor as to what steps need to be taken prior to and during travel to high altitude places.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia happens when your body gets so cold and it loses it heat more quickly than it can re-make it.  In the Rockies it can happen any time of the year.

Onset symptoms can include:

  • Main trunk of the body is cold
  • Stiff muscles
  • Pulse is slow
  • Shallow and slower breathing
  • Numbness in hands

What you can do:  Dress appropriately for cold conditions.  Strong winds can come in and temperatures can change dramatically in a very short period of time.

Altitude Sickness and Hypothermia are not urban myths!   These conditions can be very, very serious.  Be sure to do your homework and learn about both of these conditions before you head to the mountains.

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