Thanks to our cat Whiskey, who just had to spend every possible moment outdoors while we were on vacation, we got to see two hummingbirds in our very own backyard!  We spotted them mid-day on one of the windy, somewhat stormy days while the front was passing.  I suspect they were just migrating through, but it’s fun to think that they might be here to stay. Actually, it wouldn’t surprise me to hear that we have a nest nearby, because last year we saw several young hummingbirds with their nest-rings.

I ran and got my camera, and through my photos I was able to confirm that we had at least two individuals, a male and a female.  They nectared on my red annual salvia plants, then moved onto my blue Compton’s salvia.  They would nectar for a while, then rest in our neighbor’s palm tree, then come back and nectar some more.  Another hummingbird that we saw a few weeks ago was loving the honeysuckle that is growing on my bird blind.

If you are trying to attract hummingbirds and other birds to your Florida garden, I’d highly recommend the red annual salvia.  My mom grows them from seed.  I think I originally bought mine from Lukas Nursery, but it re-seeds so freely that my yard is now full of them.  (I suspect the birds have helped with that re-seeding process!)  Not only do the hummingbirds enjoy the flowers for nectar, so do my wintering Painted Buntings.  I also see the House Finches hopping on the stems all the time.  I think the flowers attract good bugs that the finches and buntings like to eat.