Newspapers / The Brunswick beacon. / July 3, 1991, edition 1 / Page 5
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Hummingbirds Can Be Fun BY BILL KAVKR Sometimes it is hard to believe hummingbirds be long to the bird world. Their dives and dashes through the air seem more insect-like than bird-like. They hover, back-up, and zip around like many insects. Of the 500 species worldwide, we have only one in our area the ruby-throated hummingbird. This beautiful small bird is mostly a metallic green above and whitish below with a rich luby throat in the male. The female and young have white throats. These hum mers weigh about 1/1 0th of an ounce and arc about 3K inches in length. Ruby-throats come north from tropical Florida, Central America and the Gulf Coast in late March or early April as the dowers begin to open. Their diet consists of nectar and the liny insects they might find around the nectar in a flower. Their long needle-like bills can be thrust deep in a flower blossom for nectar as they dart from (lower to flower. The rapid wing beats set up a vibration causing the "hum" for which they get their name. Hummers can travel at 650 miles per hour in direct flight. Males display a courtship ritual for females sit ting on a bare limb. The male will fly in a pendulum like circle to impress the female and win the right to mate. Nests are small lichen-covered cups into which two pea-size white eggs arc lair!. Incubation is 11-16 days depending upon the temperature. Once the nest is built, eggs arc laid, and the female is on the nest, the male loses interest and may look for another mate. Two broods arc usually raised in a season. Young are fed by the adults thrusting their long bills down their throats and regurgitating partially digested ncctar and insects. Hummingbirds fill a vital role in nature by help ing to cross-po'.'.inatc plants. Because of the intensity at which they move and feed hummingbirds must spend most of the daylight hours searching for flow ers and ncctar. According to the scientists, hummers use more energy in a day than any other warm blood ed animal. A part of this energy is used in warding off predators and other birds, even as large as crows, blackbirds and hawks. Smallest of all birds, hummingbirds arc attracted to tubular red-orange flowers, such as trumpet vine, salvia, jewclwccd, columbine, cardinal (lowers, and the like. They will come to lantana, thistle, bee balm, mimosa, honcysucklc, a/alca, larkspur, gladiola and other (lowers. Red tubular feeders filled with sugar water mixture can attract them readily if flowers arc not available. Feeders should be placed near flowers and moved closer to your porch or deck if you want to bring them in for closer observance. Large hawk moths, oi Sphinx mcths, arc some PHOTO Br BILL f AVM HUMMINGBIRDS can be attracted with a feeder offering sugar-water. times mistaken for hummingbirds, but they seldom show up before dusk and arc attracted to other flowers as well. We can expect to sec these interesting birds until late September or early October when the males leave early, followed by the females and young a month or so later. Watch for them this summer and enjoy one of our most interesting bird spccics. SUBSCRIBE TO THE BEACON TODAY-READ IT EVERY WEEK! STUDENTS IN THE NEWS 14 Students Earn Degrees At UNC-CH hourtcen area students earned de grees in May from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. TTiey arc as follows: From Shallottc, Burnice Joseph Causey Jr., J.D.; William Gregory Bland, A.B., education; Michael David Graham, B.A., recreation ad ministration; Marselenc Johnson, master's in social work: aiul MH anie Ann Lewis, B.S., piiarmacy. From Southport, Cheryl Lynn Bors/.ich, A.B., education; Deborah Lynn Formyduvai, B.A., psycholo gy; and Andrew Baxter Stirling Jr., B.A., international studies. From Supply, John Leslie Bell, B.A., economics; Arris Annie Gold en and Reginald Lcvancc Hcwctt, R A political science Also, Whitney Elroy King of Ash, B.S., business administration; Melinda Gail Rabon, Bolivia, B.A., speech; and Dondi Ramsey of Hold en Beach, B.S., nursing. hill rlankknship On Electric Tour Bridget Hill of Shallottc and Sherman Blankcnship of Southport recenily represented Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation in Shallottc during the week-long North Carolina Rural Electric Tour in Washington, D.C. The group took pan in education al sessions, visited members of North's Carolina's congressional delegation and several government agcncics. They toured she Smith sonian Institution museums, Arling THURSDAY-FRIDAY-SATURDAY July 4. 5. 6 Enjoy.. _ One-Pound Lobster covered in Popcorn Shrimp Served with tossed salad. vegetable, baked potato, roll. coffee or tea. $12.95 ^Taverfi OU1 eg RESTAURANT &lfll INT, F SEA TRAIL PLANTATION SUNSET BEACH, NC 579-5067 ton National Cemetery, Mount Vei non, and the Capitol Building. UNC-CH Lists Nine Nine area students made the spring 1991 dean's list at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They are as follows: Deborah Lynn Formyduval, Ron.c Mcshelle Hart and Freeman Edward Kirby Jr., Southport; Reginald Lcvanec Hew ctt of Supply; John Patrick Hunt, Bolivia; Becky Nicole King and Whitney Elroy King, Ash, Tammy Lynn Scheid, Calabash; and Kelly Leanne Ward of Shalloue. Students must earn at least a 3.2 grade point average while taking 15 or more letter grade credit hours or a 3.5 grade point average while tak ing at least 12 letter grade credit iiouis. Siuucius must have no grades lower than a C. Sfl V E Special 2 weeks only with this ad. Bid or hourly rates Resdiential only. SMITHCO PAINTING Call collect 653-9462 one* a^.im displayed by the courageou* men and women of Operation Desert Storm This July <th. take time to honor them. Old Glor> and the ideals they both represent Brunswick Business Service Main St.. Shallotte. 754-8300 . Itwy. 211. Southport. J?57-4565 SoHowDoIEayForlt? Him- con I stivnn in ii -.nulc like tlnit' WlicniHirilcniisi recnmntenileil Utility wear braces. there was really wily one (juesikui I luhl: Hitwihtl ikiytnrii! t She s gonna need a room other own. I am see it in my head. Some kind of litdegirl wallpaper. Slutted animals. I think we can add on over the garage. Maybe we'U need another Ikith there, too. The neighbors recommended a good contractor. Only thing is. how do I pay far it' f 7* I started with a i trawl </X cut. l/xiked at all the brochures. I iiskeil questions. Ami iirnilly pickiul out the s/*)f lor my ilreum vacation The question now is. howtlo I i>a\ tor it? I k'tmitclv red ltn>lkibl\'gf> with There's only one instead <>t hlne. (he optional stereo thing I luiven t I think stick, /wcktige ami lixured nut. How not automatic. leather seats. </< > I /*/>? for it Just Ask. Wif started with a list ot almost SO , JrS school s. Narrowed ?. it down toil dozen or so. Then my son was acc epted b\ a couple otitis ti >p picks. Now I nist have one tiue.stion. How do I /\iy tor it? Ask The Loan Source.*" It's the source that can answer your questions about almost any ty|x> of loan. The rill x Cmitmo" source that can offer competitive rates, flexible terms, even preapproval. The sourc e for loans is iSICNB. The Loan lllcUjfill JullIVX* Source. Stop by our nearest office during business hours or call 1-8(X)-ASK-NCNB, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to noon. V \li V?ti. km ? K?nk ?-! 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July 3, 1991, edition 1
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