I have been on the hunt again this year for sweeter sap from maple trees and this year i have found 4 different Norway maples that have tested no lower then 4% sap sugar content (SSC) all sap season long and 1 tree in perticular started out at 5.5% sap and ended closing out the season on 4.6% sap was the last time i tested it.

It’s (2) neighbor trees which are norways started at like 4.6% and 4.5% and they ended just above 4%. I do have about 10,000 seeds i collected directly off the 5.5% and about 6,00 from underneath it=could be wind swept mixed from the neighbor on each side?

But there are sweet ones out there and if you could get a refractometer and test them for SSC you’d be amazed that they may not test lower then 2%.

Do a search on Youtube for World’s sweetest maple tree and you will see me testing trees for SSC.

Good Luck,
Kevin

Most people on the Forum are familiar with recent cases of hummingbirds in Illinois/Wisconsin that survived for weeks or months before disappearing (not sure if they died or moved on). They also know about the Green Mango, a tropical hummingbird that survived for much of a late summer/fall in southern Wisconsin, before being rescued and taken in a Brookfield Zoo. So the assumption among the folks I know is that the hummer –whatever it is — will do OK for the time being, and that my family is making arrangements in case it stays a long time.

Of course, there is also a philosophical debate in the background about whether we should take special precautions for this bird or just let nature take its course. I’m leaning towards helping out without rescuing at this point. As part of this, I have to go replace the 4:1 sugar water that’s in our feeder now with stronger 3:1 solution that Sheri recommended for now.

More later,
Eric

P.S. While changing the sugar water I got into a discussion with an Illinois Beach State Park Hawkwatch volunteer, who told a story about a friend who helped a hummer survive an Illinois winter into January, when it took off right before a big storm hit. Her belief seemed to be that that hummer knew what it was doing. So, these thoughts are there even if folks talk more about other things.

I think the one post in the discussion that was brought up–that the hummingbird is likely to die given its location and the time of year–is particularly interesting given all the work and discussion around deciding if its a broad-tailed or not (including the banding and the DNA collection). You would obviously have the best idea here about what birders are saying when they’re visiting…are many talking about the possible demise of the bird? Or is the focus on just what species of Selasphorus it is?

I just thought you might want to know that there are multiple acts of birding taking place in my backyard, all inspired by a very late and very comfusing hummingbird. We have a very interesting mix of participants, from kids in the nieghborhood through birders and bird banders to professional scientists. You can read the short version here: http://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/11-22-2011/A_rare_hummingbird_visits_Oak_Park

And follow all the debates here: http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=49534.0
and here: http://www.ilbirds.com/index.php?topic=49536.0

Eric Gyllenhaal

I have 2 girls myself, and I would have to say that fatherhood – or rather: being in a relationship with one’s offspring – is THE BEST education and experience of my life.

I wish only the same for you Gavan.

Michael.

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100520/Moving-Scam-Bust-100520/20100520/?hub=TorontoNewHome

emailed and spoke to a reporter with the Toronto Star

If I can get my story out to one person to prevent this happening to them, it will be worth it