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Very soon, South Texas will experience one of Mother Nature’s most exciting events, millions of ruby-throated hummingbirds pouring through our area en route to their winter homes in the tropics.

My yard can literally be filled with these tiny, fast-flying gems of the bird world. As many as 30 to 70 individuals (it may be twice that number) feed at eight to 10 hummingbird feeders from mid-August to late September, peaking around Sept. 5-15.

Rockport’s annual Hummer/Bird Celebration, scheduled for Sept. 11-14, celebrates this spectacular flight of hummingbirds. As many as 2,500 people participate annually in the celebration, which includes field trips, banding demonstrations, talks on birding and butterflies and more than 100 booths with items for sale. It is a marvelous opportunity to purchase gifts for yourself and others for all occasions.

But are you ready for hummers at home? Preparation requires little more than a hummingbird feeder, available at dozens of stores, filled with sugar water and placed in a shady spot in the yard.

However, the proper use of hummingbird feeders requires some attention. First, and foremost, the feeder should not be left out in our hot weather for more than three to four days. Fill the feeder with only enough water to last for four days. After this time, bring it in and clean it thoroughly before refilling and placing it back outside. If you get mobbed by the waiting hummers, you may need to use two or more feeders, cleaning one of the two daily.

Hummingbird water can be purchased or prepared at home. I use well water mixed with a ratio of one part sugar, to six parts water. What is left should be stored in the refrigerator. Red food coloring is not recommended. If hummers are present, they will find your feeder.

But what about ants, bees and other insects that are attracted to the feeder? I always hang my feeder on a string or wire with an ant guard placed a few inches above the feeder. I use an old 35 mm cassette placed upside down with a smear of Vaseline on the inner surface.

Plantings can also attract hummingbirds, besides being wonderful additions to the yard. My favorites include various pentas, lantanas and honeysuckles, as well as firebush, duranta and Turk’s cap. The abundant, native tropical sage, with its bright, red flowers is also extremely popular. Other good hummingbird plants include cardinal flower, cherry sage, crossvine, shrimp plant, red yucca, desert willow and tree tobacco. Even the little Mexican heathers are utilized. And for those readers without a backyard for planting an assortment of hummingbird attractants, single-flowering plants in pots do very well.

Enjoy your hummers.

Ro Wauer writes about nature for the Victoria Advocate. Contact him in care of Victoria Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77902.