2010 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds Vol. 8

I forgot I have that same window feeder...haven't used it this year!

whoa. love the group shots. I had no takers at all last year on this feeder, so was good to see it used today!

I hope they stick around for you Mrs. Ed...seems ours are all passing thru.

Last one for now...the sun just came out!

Thanks Mrs. Ed.

Oh cute is that last one with them all still!

Oh, I know these are the migrants, but I enjoy them anyway. Funny to see their different interests and personalities. Some like feeders, some like certain plants. Some make the rounds to every single plant.

That open wide shot is a keeper for sure Rose!! lol

Souds like you are getting more thru traffic this year Mrs.Ed! That is a very good thing!

Saw a couple of adult males feedign this morning but pretty sure they were just passerbys...the didn't stay long. Very windy here today too.

Thanks!! ;0)

I have noticed that the changing of the guard can change several times a day now!!

Here is one I call the spoiler because the tail reminds me of a car spoiler!

LOL!!!! So cute!!

Yup, you are so right Rose! This is one of the new guards out front here.

Cute ones Rose and Nanny!

Love the "spoiler"

I wonder how long they stay here when migrating? A few hours? A day? I think maybe just hours, as that little guy who like the window feeders wasn't around all afternoon.

What fantastic pictures! Love the open beak shots, Rose.

Your little guy is adorable Nanny!

Marna...it seems like they are just eating and leaving after a short rest...not that they can rest here 'cause if they do another comes along and attacks!

Thanks GP!

This from a little while ago! There have been at least 5 or 6 different birds trying to perch in that spot and they get chased off!
I call this one "High Alert"!!

Different bird from yesterday or day before. I love it when they look directly at you!!

Meet...Mr. Grumpy!

Amazing pics. How far away are you when taking these shots, Rose?

Thanks GP! Mr. Grumpy was shot from my kitchen window and he is about 8-10 feet away. Most of the others are about 10-15 feet..

Here is a collage showing some of the action a while ago. These are all different birds as far as I can tell...but who knows! Sorry they are so blurry but they are just so fast and unpredictable.

edited to say that that perch is a real prize and a highly coveted piece of real estate!!

This message was edited Sep 7, 2010 6:56 PM

Can you explain their behavior more, Rose? I can't quite figure out how they are fighting AND so calm all together.

Nice shots all!
Hummer's here today yet...but temps will be dropping to around 50f next couple of nights...thinking within the next 2 days they will leave. Got one shot to share.

Great pics Rose and Burd!

It looks like the real secret to getting good pics of these guys is to have things for them to sit on to rest. That's my problem. The few I get only come down into the yard to eat, they rest on the power lines, way too high for any decent pics. The one in High Alert looks dangerous with that beak.

Nice shot Burd...I know our weather will be turning colder too. I welcome the cooler temps but I'm sure gonna miss these little birds.

Mrs. Ed...they look like they are getting along but that only lasts for a few seconds then all hell breaks loose and they are at it again. The ones coming through right now seem particularly anxious to get the other guy. I think it is because they are migrating and the fear of not enough food is what drives their behavior. When I get a shot of several of them on one feeder I sometimes have to wait several minutes before I can take the shot as they are all over the place.

GP...yes, definitely put a little perch some place for them to land close to the feeder. They seem to perch as close to the feeder as they can without actually guarding from the feeder. I have little twigs stuck all over the place and they use them all.

I don't put out any feeders, Rose. They just feed off my flowering shrubs during the winter. I tried a feeder a few times, but they never used it, and with the warm weather here I was always changing the nectar.

Nice shot Dellrose! GP, I just wire-tied an old apple tree branch to the pole that the feeder is on...they seem to like the longest branch sticking out so I just put/face that branch so its good for photo's.
This is the new guy that came through today...I call him "Killer" lol...he was the first hummer to run the Yellow Jackets off. He was very good at it too...even as a juvenile.

shhh..

Yellow Jacket!

He would fly straight to the Yellow Jackets and he would block their path and this discouraged them and they would fly off. lol

the female that was normally in charge of the feeder tried to chase him off but...

last shot...will report back tomorrow.

Hi everyone,
I'm new to this site and was wondering if anyone can tell me if they have One hummer that chases all the others away. I've hung up 8 feeders along the patio and have about 11-13 hummers. I have to add fast as there is one who if he sees one at the feeder or close to it, he chases them away. It does appear that there are perhaps two 'families' so I think who ever has the most of their family there wins. I have some that just refuse to sit and drink, while others sit and drink for the longest tine. My cats are used to them and don't bother them anymore. However the orioles that come to the hummer feeders are a different story. Cats are inside the patio,so everyone is safe. I'm in CA and it seems to me they they never leave, there are always some feeding year round. And mine are not snooty...they much prefer the cheaper $10-$12 plastic feeders as opposed to the more expensive glass one's, much to my dismay, as the glass ones I have are quite pretty. Sorry, I can't seem to get pictures of them, I will keep trying with my little camera looking through the screen.

Hi keepingactive, Welcome to the site! Yes there will always be some that are more aggressive than others. Try hanging a feeder or 2 on the opposite side of the house as they will not be able to protect both areas. Sounds like you have an ideal situation with both hummers and orioles!

I'll be darned! I attached a twig to the arbor this morning and the Hummies are using it already!!! that is when they aren't chasing each other


Here's one from yesterday.

Rose, I'm amazed. I never have more than one hummer at a time b/c they fight like crazy. They are really vicious right now.

Really great shots everyone. Burd, your set-up with the twig is really paying off. Your shots are fabulous.

I have a feeder on one of those metal hoop things right outside my window. There's one perched on it all day like in this picture from yesterday. Unfortunately, it's in the shade most of the day, so not so great for pictures, but I get to watch them up close.

keepingactive, welcome to Dave's. You'll find a ton of very friendly folks on here. As for a bully hummer, oh, yeah, I always have one that bombards others, even if they just get near the feeder.

For me, it is rare that I see even two hummers at the same feeder.

Hack

Nice shot Mrs_Ed! Glad you tried the twig...this year was the first time I tried it and glad I did...the feeder shots always cast too much red on the birds sometimes.
Elphaba, that is a great shot taken in the shade!...still good detail!
Welcome to the forum keepingactive! You are in range for several western hummingbirds...here is a link you will be able to use to find out more about western hummingbird's. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1123394/

Well I had about 20 min. to watch for the hummers today and...no got a no show...not even a fly-by. lol
Report back tomorrow.

Hi, Thank you for the welcome. I've had these little darlings for bout 3 years now. I think I have about 9 females and 2 males. I saw a hummer yesterday and his body looked like it was rust colored....really pretty. Maye it was reflecting off one of the feeders, I know I wasn't drinking. Sad, tragic accident today. Pool man had his long pole in pool and a juvie flew into it. I think it broke its neck. I picked it up and tried to revive it, but, no luck. It got a proper burial under a trumpet vine. My pool guy (he's about 45) was so upset, he cried. It wasn't his fault, just a terrible freaky accident. I called it a juvie because it was small only about an inch and a half, pretty sure female (they are the not so pretty ones, right?)

I'm going to glue some twigs around the feeders and various places and see if I can get pictures of my brood. I only have a little Cannon, and don't know if I can zoom in to get good pics. Will see what I ca do.

What great pics you all have. Dellrose: If I get more than 2 on a feeder at one time, I consider myself lucky, and you have what 6. the butt puff and the water droplet are outstanding, not to mention the little cutie that can drink and 'go' at the same time.LOL I've actually seen mine do that.
Burd: one of your pics looks like the wife is scolding the hubby for being late!
Dellrose: Sorry to hear of your loss, I know it's nature, survival of the fittest, but go away and leave the hummies alone! I have a pair of morning doves and this is the second year she has had babies in my hanging plants. This year I actually saw a crow steal a baby and then right after that a blue jay came by and snatched up the other one! While I was standing there looking for momma. I know she has laid 2 eggs 6 times. I've only seen her with two babies, it looked like she was teaching them to fly. One set out of 6 is not good.
Haven't seen my orioles in a few days, do they migrate also?

Thanks Burd. I was putting up another limb on the shepherd hook and got buzzed!!! LOL.

Right near the hummingbird and butterfly garden, I have a make-shift twig trellis. I'm seeing them perch on that, it's a great spot because they can guard the plants AND feeder. I had two sitting on there last night. It's so odd that some get along and others are in a chasing mood.

Hi everyone. I really enjoy watching this thread. Question. Haven't seen a hummer in two days at the feeder. I'm in Dutchess County, NY. Are they gone? I tried to find a migration map but I only came up with Spring.

Going to work now. Thanks for help.

Here's a fall map.

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/humm_fall2010.html

Tough to know if they are gone or not. I have mine most of September. Usually the last one is the first week in October in my area.

About time you all are starting putting up branches for them. My DH thought I was nuts when I did it put he sure enjoys the show now!...LOL!!!

I mean we have one sitting on this one here almost all the time and we can watch out the family room window.

Well going to go look for warblers....

I guess I figured that there was no shortage of shepherd hooks and other places for them to sit. I used those handy zip ties

Thanks for the link to the map. I'll keep the feeders up for a while more then.

Yah, I would. You don't want a hungry one to not have something tasty!