Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) Nature Center Hummingbird Guide
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Fresh nectar in a minute.
Every bag of NectarBloom™ funds the guides, the Hummingbird Trail, the lab testing, and the free care resources on this site. When you buy our nectar, you help us keep hummingbird education open, honest, and growing — for every bird lover, everywhere.
NectarBloom™ — 2 lb Bag
Fresh nectar in a minute.
No boiling, no dye. The same sugar hummingbird flowers make. One ingredient, nothing else. Makes up to 160 oz of fresh feeder nectar per bag.
- Fresh nectar in a minute: measure, stir until clear, and pour
- No boiling, no dye
- The same sugar hummingbird flowers make
- One ingredient, nothing else: 100% pure cane sugar
- Lab tested. Resealable 2 lb bag, sourced and packed in the USA
1 Bag · 2 lb
$21.99
Free shipping included
2 Bags · Season Supply
$39.88
Free shipping included
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“Your purchase isn’t just nectar — it’s how we keep this hummingbird care library free, accurate, and growing.”
Thank you for flying with us
Overview
VINS Nature Center is a nonprofit environmental education and avian wildlife rehabilitation organization located ½ mile west of the spectacular Quechee Gorge in the Upper Connecticut River Valley. The center features 17 state-of-the-art raptor enclosures housing hawks, eagles, owls, falcons, and ravens, a songbird aviary, a Forest Canopy Walk — an ADA-accessible elevated boardwalk through the tree canopy — and nature trails through central Vermont habitats. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are common on the nature trails and in the forest-edge habitats from late May through early September.
Hummingbirds to Watch For
- • Ruby-throated
Most Common Hummingbird
The most commonly sighted hummingbird at Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) Nature Center is the Ruby-throated.
Best Time to Visit
Plan your visit during June, July, August, September for the highest chance of hummingbird sightings. Early morning and late afternoon are typically the most active feeding times.
Plants and Habitat
- • Bee balm (*Monarda didyma*) — native plant beds around visitor center
- • Wild columbine (*Aquilegia canadensis*) — along the nature trails
- • Cardinal flower (*Lobelia cardinalis*) — moist streamside areas
- • Spotted jewelweed (*Impatiens capensis*) — stream margins
- • Trumpet honeysuckle (*Lonicera sempervirens*) — trellised on education center buildings
- • Native garden phlox (*Phlox paniculata*) — summer plantings
NectarBloom Tip
VINS runs daily live bird education programs and the Forest Canopy Walk is a highlight for all ages. Arrive when the center opens at 10 a.m. and spend the first hour on the nature trails before the daily programs begin — this is when hummingbirds are most actively foraging in the streamside habitats. The staff are expert naturalists who can tell you exactly where hummingbirds have been spotted most recently on the property.
Visitor Notes
Admission required. Open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. seasonally (check website). ADA-accessible Forest Canopy Walk. Photography for personal use welcome.
Reviews and Sightings
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