Who asked for Hummingbird pics?????

[sharon]

Hubby and I got home from some errands and suddenly realized we had a baby hummer out front. The little thing was having a little trouble flying and was chirping a lot. I got my camera and ran outside. The little guy landed on our hose reel.

Then he moved onto one of our feeders.

I got a little closer, not wanting to scare the little guy away.

And then a little closer.

And closer.

Put the camera down to just watch him. He took a sip or two, then flew......right at me!! :new_shocked: I could'nt help but to catch him. He just sat in my hand.

Then went up on my shoulder.

I put him back on the feeder and a female kept coming at attacking him. Female is flying.

Here she is attacking the little fella.

Then a male came....so pretty!!!!

Another pic of male.

While we were watching all this going on, our resident hawk came flying through the front yard chasing our resident pheasant who is known as Henry. Henry was squaking like crazy.

Then, I turn around and see this on my window! :new_shocked:

The male will sit at eat at the same feeder as the baby, but the females try to chase him away. He left again and went over the roof of the house. Now hubby says he's back!!

I guess you could say that hubby and I had a very interesting day! Now a storms coming......gotta run!!

 

[Sterling]

Oh that baby Hummingbird is precious!!! What did you end up doing with him...did the female stop attacking him? The baby looks so big! Sounds like you guys sure do have alot of action around your farm. I sure hope the hawk does'nt end up having Henry for a snack. :new_shocked: I gave up on my Hummingbirds. They stopped coming for whatever reason I don't know and I was getting tired of putting the sugar water out there and feeding the air.

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

Wow Sharon those are great pictures. I love hummingbirds. I think they are just the neatest little things. I can not even begin to tell you how many we have. We are up to three feeders which they empty daily. I love sitting out on the porch watching them, especially during what I call the Hummingbird wars. And I love watching them fan their tails out, very neat little birds.

I've stood right next to the feeders to get theses pictures. If your really still they don't mind at all. Sorry my pics aren't the best. Doesn't help that it is sooooo green down here either.

 

[nootka]

A male sitting on a fence panel outside our dining room window...this is one of only two types of Hummingbirds we ever seem to get. The other is more green, and the hens of both are pretty dull w/their bodies being mostly olive-green but the one from the orange throated (is this a Rufus Hummingbird...gotta go find my bird book) has a brownish spot where his is so bright orange.

These are TINY but wow have they got a temper. They fly around the front porch flowers and feeders and squeak and spar to beat the band. Sometimes sitting out there seems a little hazardous and often I will wake up in the mornings to their buzzing as they drain the Fuschias that grow outside my bedroom window. I usually get a little confused and think I am hearing distant machinery before I remember!

*LOL*

I love the Hummingbird pics! Wish I could get some good ones of them in flight. We have had as many as 24 at a time at our feeders (we hang three before the flowers get to blooming in late Feb. as they show up that early).

Thanks for sharing!

Liz

 

[mountain_waif]

I love all the pictures....all we seem to have are mosquitoes....

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Sharon, how blessed you are having been touched by one of the most special creature's here on earth. Your place looks and feels like such a haven, no wonder so many choose to share it with you. I so enjoy your pictorial stories. Hugs Debs

 

[justanothercowgirl]

that is so cool!!!! :aktion033:

 

[Shari]

Hope the little fella is doing ok! Love the pictures and really love hummingbirds too.

Liz that is one bright male you have!

I have them around here too,, but never seem to have the camera where I need it.

Have them racing and here a lot. And I know when I am in an area that is theirs. <LOL> :lol:

 

[LizardBreath]

I love hummingbirds!!

:

Here's one that got trapped in my mom's screened-in porch. My brother had to catch it and put it back outside.

 

[Reble]

No hummingbirds today, but will take a pic asap.

Just wanting to know what do you use to feed your little fellows.????

Our feeder has sugar and a red freezie in to give it colour?

Love all your pictures and nice to be able to hold one. Amazing :aktion033:

 

[MiniHoofBeats]

I just love hummingbirds, i've always wanted to get a few feeders out and get some nesting locations nearby so they return each year...anyone know what they like to nest in? They are just so precious and me being a bird lover I am just amazed over and over at how tiny and remarkable hummingbirds are =)

 

[sharon]

UPDATE: The little fella is back today and he's doing much better with his flying. I can't get as close to him. He has smartened up and is flying away from me! :aktion033: Yay!!!! We know it's him because he does still fly a bit "off" and then he sits for a long time on the feeder.

The females are being a bit better with him today and not harrassing him like they were yesterday.

Sterling- Isn't it strange how in the pics this little thing looks so big? He is not big, in fact he's a very tiny little guy. My pics just make him look like the Godzilla of hummers! LOL

Minihoof- We have no idea where they nest. They zip right up over the house a lot, so we asume they are in the backyard somewhere? Where the hawks are? Yikes! Their nests are made of soft fibers and lichens. I do know we have lichens all over some fence posts here so maybe that attracts them too. You knoe, having nesting materials as well as food. I do think that the nests are so tiny that you'd probably look right past them if you did find one.

We feed a sugar water mix. 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. Just water right out of the tap. You have to make sure the sugar is all mixed in. No need for the red dye as they are atractted(sp?) to the "flowers" on the feeder. We also have hummbird friendly plants near the feeders, ie: bee balm and honeysuckle, oh....and also trumpet vine.

Thanks to all you other who have shared pics of your little "flying jewels" in this thread! They are just such amazing little things!

MAJOR DUH!!!! The mixture we give is 2 parts water to 1 part sugar! If it were as I said, I don't think the sugar would ever melt. Like stated before, we don't cook the mix. Usually, I put the sugar in a measuring cup, then add 1 part of the water. This is very hot wateer and I stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Then the second part of water is added, only I used like room temp water so that the mixture is cooled off a bit. Pour it in the feeder and it's ready to hang. No waiting for it to cool off.

 

[Marylou]

Thank you so much! When we spent summers in a campground in RI hummingbirds were everywhere. Even had them nesting in the trees. Had one land on my shoulder one day. You haven't seen anything until you've seen 2 males fighting over territory. They are like dive bombers. Oh how I miss them. They are in Florida but not in this area.

 

[Kathy]

I Have 3 big feeders and have to replace their sugar water every day. The newspaper had an article last week about hummers and said to use 25% sugar and more than that is hard on their livers. Don't know how they know that though! LOL

I have a big Bengal cat that loves to catch them but he has such a gentle mouth that I am able to get them from him and release them after the shock wears off. It is amazing to hold them in your palm and watch them fly off.

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

We just use 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Mix them together and bring it to a boil to make sure all the sugar has dissolved. We use to add the red food coloring but don't anymore. Yesterday my mom made about 4 batches.

 

[flflyingw]

Thank you, Thank you!!! How I enjoyed the little hummingbirds. You made my day even brighter.

FLFlyingW

 

[sharon]

Today, we can still tell the little baby apart. His beek is still a bit shorter than full grown and he still flies a bit wobbly. He gets on the feeder and drinks, then tends to take a nap there before waking to feed again. The females still harrass him a bit, but not as much. The males don't bother him at all and will gladly sit on the same feeder. If we go out to the feeders while he is there, we can still walk right up to him without making him fly away. Really cool! :aktion033:

 

[Reble]

Hard to see, but finally got a picture of my little hummingbird. :aktion033: