2010 Ruby-throated Hummingbird Vol.4

Congrat Tamara on your potentially '3 pairs'. I've 3 females and a boy. But so far the Boy is sipping nectar on flowers while the girls monopolized the two feeders in front.

Congrats all!

I bought a new plant yesterday, even though that one bird has moved on!

It's the Red Riding Hood Penstemon. Anyone have it? Looks gorgeous in pix.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/182614/

I love those Penstemons. However, they don't seem to do well here in my garden. I have to treat them as anual here. The hot and humid weather may have claimed mine.

Ilflowers, Mrs_Ed & pelle,
Glad you like the Dichelostemma ida-maia. I'm also thinking about trying the other two varieties (also shown on Brent & Becky's) since they're tall & "wispy" like the ida-maia.
I'd love to grow Penstemon, but I have limited areas in full sun. That Dark Coral one sounds beautiful, ilflowers! Mrs_Ed, the Plant Files pics of the variety you just bought look gorgeous! Maybe I'll create more room somewhere...sigh.

Nice pic, Burd! Let us know how the new perch works out. My Hummers love a dead branch on one of my young Birch trees. It's near one of their feeders. Most of the other birds love it, too so we refuse to cut it off.

Congrats on all the Hummers, huggergirl!

Lily, I bet that little boy is just trying to woo the females over to the flowers!

I planted that 1 last yr,no sign of it this yr... = { the tag is still in the ground ,I guess I was hoping ...

This message was edited Jun 5, 2010 9:51 AM

Huggergirl, are you referring to the Dichelostemma?
This is my first year with it so even though it's supposed to come back, I guess I won't really know till next year. I hope it does, but even if it doesn't, it's cheap enough that I would probably still get some. It's been a joy to watch the hummers going from bloom-to-bloom.

Iam sorry ,I planted red riding hood penstemon..sorry....

Phew! (Just kidding.)
It's not a problem, huggergirl. I'm sorry your Penstemon didn't come back.

Mrs_Ed, I hope you have good luck with your Penstemon!

Well if nothing else it will be nice this year, LOL. I see i'm on the edge of zone hardiness for that one, so there's always a chance. I have to find a place for it. The place where I wanted to put it only gets sun til 2pm, and I'd like to see it get at least an hour more.

No sign of my other hummer. was just a morning rest stop I guess. I don't know why, but I really feel sorry for hummingbirds because they travel alone.

That Penstemon, is gorgeous Mrs-Ed, The hummers will love it. I have the Husker red, and it has come back year after year. My hummers loves it.

Nuts that is such a different plant, I can see why they would be attracted to it.

Hugger sorry about your plant, you should try again with it.

Nice photos Nanny and Burd.

This is the female that comes around.

Another shot of her.

And another.

burn, you take some incredible shots!! BEAUTIFUL!!!

Erin

Very nice ones burn!

Thanks Erin and Pelle, it helps to be sitting close to the subject, but it's still not easy, when they are so easily scared by the sounds of the camera.

Mrs_Ed, what if you put the Penstemon in a container so you could place it where it's sunny & then put the whole pot in the ground or put it in the garage for winter?

Gorgeous shots, burn - she's a real beauty!

That looks like a nice plant Mrs. Ed. I tried Husker Red when we first moved here but it didn't make it.

Cute pics burn!

I am seeing alot of this wing flapping from the males. I assume it is a mating thing to impress the female or something along that line.

that's an idea, Nuts. Will have to think on things for a while.

Nice, Burn. I always love how it looks like they are swan diving!

I actually bought the Red Riding Hood this year, picture attached. I have another type of penstemon I bought this year that is currently dying and I don't know why. Nice pics burn and nanny!

Edited because I attached the wrong pic, too much multi-tasking...that was actually the "red" penstemon (coral in real life). Oops, sorry!

This message was edited Jun 6, 2010 8:05 PM

Here is the Red Riding Hood, first year...

Nice shots Burn and Nanny!

Some images from today...first couple are from about 25 feet and it was getting late.

hard to focus on a tiny bird 25 feet away...

the rest are from earlier in the day when he was much closer..

one of the few shots that he was looking to the side...lol

last shot...they did land on the perch Ive rigged up but wouldn't sit still.

Beautiful plants iflowers!

Nice ones Burd!

burn,love the 1st shot of the female ,nanny sweet shot,burd love the last one.I was working outside yesterday ,I dont know how many times I was almost run over by them playing all day,doing dips,zooming from one side of the house to the other,the 2 females are feeding together alot now ,no photos today

Here is one from this afternoon. The HB feeder had been up less than 30 minutes(I am spending too much time on my bluebirds.)

David in
Stafford, VA

Ilflowers, I've put that Red Ridinghood plant on my "must have" list-thanks.

Burn and Nanny, great photos!!

Burd, more great photos!! Hope your hummers will get used to sitting on your limbs. My birds all love to sit on all my branches and keep an eye on their favorite feeders.

David, your hummer seems to love to eat in flight. That makes for great pictures!

Nice one David!!

Burd & David...NICE!!!

This is actually from Friday....running behind here! lol

Nice shot BBnB's! Nanny that is a very good shot!

Well the Hummer's have captured my attention lately so I try to put in a lil time in before work everyday. They show up about every 10 minutes or so. Today I noticed another male is here...the one that has been here is smaller and very wary. Ive always noticed the Hummer's like to perch on the long pencil thin branch's and that's what Ive tried to rig up for the Hummer's and it is working and am looking forward to some shot opportunity's.

Here's what I got today before work.

the previous shot I was set on center weighted average for metering...this shot was with spot metering...pretty big difference..more focus on the bird of course light really helped.

This message was edited Jun 7, 2010 11:38 PM

i get a lot of those facing away shots ..lol

This shot not bad but had to fix it up a lil with Picasa.

ahhh the perch here we go..look's like she's been busy working on the nest

the sun was in and out again today... but when their on the perch I start taking shots...lol

This message was edited Jun 7, 2010 11:46 PM

last shot the female with good light.

Nanny and Burd, great shots!!

Lovely shots nanny and burd!

Snubbed today but only had about a half hour before work. Got 2 shots off.. here's one.