Description:

A flash of color, a whir of wings flitting hither and yon, and you know the hummingbirds are here. Flashing their iridescent colors to communicate with each other, they are tiny but mighty and back in the Santa Cruz area from their wintering in southern California and Mexico.

Hummingbirds love salvia, columbine, or other deep throated plant from which they can sip the necter.  Set up colored sugar water stations for their visits. You will be rewarded with the red throated Allen’s hummingbird or the magenta Anna hummingbird (a year round resident). You might even catch a glimpse of the Rufous Hummingbird.

March 1st and 2nd, plan to visit the University of California Santa Cruz Arboretum and celebrate the annual Hummingbird Days. There is plenty of opportunity for bird watching, along with guided garden tours, presentations, arts, crafts and food.  Doors open at 8:00a.m. and events run until late afternoon both days.