MONT VERNON -- I packed up the bird feeders outside my office window earlier this spring after the one I had suction-cupped to the glass got torn off by something large one night.

Though I love wildlife, the idea of a bear smashing through my window in her search for seed seemed excessive, so I heeded the warning of New Hampshire Fish and Game and let the birds know they were on their own.

I expected that the absence of feeders would mean an end to my workaday bird watching, but I was happily surprised when the three massive weigela bushes just outside proved me wrong.

Weigela, which come in a variety of colors, produce a profusion of long-throated blooms that draw hummingbirds by the dozen.

My yard in the last two weeks has been buzzing with the diminutive little creatures that flit from blossom to blossom drinking in the sweet nectar from the delicate cups while fat bumble bees feed beside them. I've watched them fight, and dance — presumably their mating waltz — and occasional run headfirst into my window (I'm pleased to report they bounce).

The hummingbirds we have in these parts, according to the Audubon Society, are of the ruby-throated variety. Both males and females are green, but the fellas have a red band around their necks. Occasionally a Rufous hummingbird will end up in New Hampshire, but they're not common.

In the summer, when my bee balm and trumpet vines are at their best, I will often see tiny little creatures buzzing around them that look suspiciously like hummingbirds, but I've discovered that they're actually hummingbird moths. They look, sound, fly, even hum like hummingbirds, and unlike other moths, they like to come out in the daytime.

Weigelas are clearly a big draw for hummingbirds, but there are plenty of other plants that bring them close as well, according to Steve Wilshire of Souhegan Gardens in Milford.

“The first hummingbird I saw this year was on a lofus,” he said.

Lofus is an annual vine that grows well in hanging baskets. Like the weigela, the lofus has a long-throated flower and that seems to be key for hummingbirds because their long beaks reach into the throats of the blooms and drink out the nectar. But color is also important, said Wilshire.

“They love the color red,” he said, so plants like fuschia, hibiscus and even petunias will bring hummingbirds calling.

Hummingbird feeders are also a good way to bring the little critters humming, according to New Hampshire Audubon. The feeders can be filled with simple syrup, although Audubon cautions that the feeders can also draw ants and bees.

New Hampshire is home to hummingbirds throughout the summer, but come September, they begin their migration south.

Hummingbird nectar

If you can boil water, you can feed hummingbirds. To make the nectar, bring one part sugar to six parts water to a boil, cool, and fill the feeder. You can add a drop of red food coloring to the nectar, or better yet, choose a feeder with red on it to attract the birds.

The feeder should be kept in part shade and should be changed every three to four days. Extra nectar can be refrigerated so you don't have to boil up a new batch every time you clean the feeder.

Some feeders are specially designed to keep bees away. To prevent ants from taking over, Audubon recommends putting petroleum jelly on the wire or string from which the feeder is suspended.

For more information, visit www.nhaudubon.org.