2013 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

Hi all, if you can magnify these pics, wanted to share.

Very nice pics memays! No need to magnify.


These were taken through the double pane kitchen window. (Note to self: WASH WINDOWS!)

memays and nutsaboutnature, Nice pics!!

nutsaboutnature, I know how you feel, I'm always seeing them on plants/blooms that I would love to get a picture of them on, But, It's always a time when I'm really busy, When I try to get them, They don't want to go where I want them to be lol ... I got 5-6 hummers here right now, 1 male and the rest are female/juvies and they are fighting like crazy for the feeders! Got these pics last night, It was almost dark out and getting too dark for the camera I was using but I tried to get a few shots anyway ...

Thanks IRIS!! Cute shots!! That last one is cool. I find it so hard to "catch" them while they're hovering at flowers since it's usually when I'm outside doing something else and don't have my camera.

Glad to hear you have more hummers now. We, also, have quite a few right now and like you, ours are mostly females (or immature males) since most of the adult males have started their southward migration. I don't know how many we have, but they seem to be all over the place and are constantly chasing each other.

All our feeders are on shepherd's hooks which allows them to be strategically placed...near a window, in a flower bed, etc. Each Spring I attach a dead branch to each of the shepherd's hooks which the hummers really enjoy. They'll "park" on the branch and stick around longer (or sometimes guard "their" feeder from perceived invaders). Now and then it even makes for photo ops.

I am new to this thread but we have been getting hummers for the last couple weeks which is about 3 weeks early this year. We are in the middle of the migratory path and get hundreds at a time for a while. I go through over a gallon of sugar water a day during that period. This year I had a couple stay all summer which is unusual but I hope it will be repeated next year.
We only get ruby throats, sigh, but what a show!

Haven't really sat down yet to get more pics, but I will have to take a minute now that their numbers are increasing exponentially.
I really enjoy reading all the posts and seeing where the little guys spend their summers.

nutsaboutnature, Thanks! I have my feeders on shepherd hooks too, Which they sit on quite a bit, Except for the male, He hangs out in the tree branches that overhang the fence and dives down to guard the feeders so I move the feeders around every now and then and helps as it takes him a little while to re-establish his guarding area.

rouxcrew, Welcome to the thread! nice pic's, Wow, I'd love to see hundreds at a time ( Even if they are just Ruby Throats) , lucky you! I can only imagine what a show that would be!! Hope to see more pics!

Thanks Iris, it is a spectacle, and a noisy one. When the numbers grow, all fighting stops and all you hear are the drone of their wings. Honestly you cannot talk on the porch during those weeks. A friend took a video last year that truly captured the numbers and the noise. We have a 10' wrap around porch and I used to scatter the feeders all around but that made it hard to keep up with which ones needed filling. S now we use the east side and half of the north side and find that they are just as happy. We have two desert willows, one on each side and they perch a lot in those as well as further out in our big post oaks.

rouxcrew, YW! I had seen a video with the hummingbirds in large groups like that and it was so awsome! Nothing like experiencing it firsthand though! So happy for you that you are able to do that!! ~ Sounds like you figured the best set up that works for you, SeemsThey will always find them no matter where you move them to which works out great for adjustments when needed. I'm tending to think that there are just too many at a time for a single one to try and guard and thats why there is no fighting among them, Wish it was that way here!

Welcome Joy!! Love your pics!

It's really exciting that you get so many hummers during migration! I was surprised, based on your location, that you only get Ruby-throated, but I guess it makes sense since RT's cross the Gulf of Mexico.

I've read that Ruby-throats tend to be more agressive than most other hummers about guarding feeders, but, like you said, it stops when there are too many other birds to keep track of.

My brother in Colorado has tons of hummers of several varieties sharing feeders. Few, if any are RT's, but he's even said when they first start coming, the earliest ones try to "claim" the feeders, but then they come in masses so it changes quickly.

Another member, "dellrose", used to post lots of pics of RT all sharing feeders. She might also have been on a migration route, but she was further north. If you go back a year or two you can probably see her pics.

I'm lucky to see two at one time on a feeder and most likely it's either young siblings or Mom and a baby, but even that's rare.

IRIS, though I don't move my feeders around, I have them spaced quite a ways apart in different areas of our yard. I do think it helps. Right now I have three feeders up.

We have twice as many today as yesterday, but there is still some squabbling going on. I don't think any other migratory path goes through our area so we just get RTs. I have been told of sightings of black chinned or rufous in the winter, they say that if we have a winter hummer that is what it is. Several other species may occasionally be found in Houston in the winter. These include Allen's, Anna's, Broad-tailed, and Buff-bellied Hummingbirds. All this info comes out of Houston, we are NW so I will be extra vigilant as the stragglers hang around in October. The numbers are too large for me to be sure of anything other than ducking and the fact that they will hover in front of you and chew you out if a feeder goes missing too long.
I will get more pics as the mob gets bigger, it is amazing.

Joy

We still have lots of activity around our feeders. I haven't had many at the feeders this summer. They must be getting ready to leave because there are several around them now! After enjoying all of your pictures I decided to get my camera out and see if I could capture a few of the little darlings!

Rose1656

Welcome Rose1656!! Those are great pics! Thanks for sharing.

I have a feeder exactly like the one in your picture that I just bought this year. I love it and so do the hummers. Plus it's super-easy to clean which makes it even better.

Nutsaboutnature,

I bought my first one on a clearance rack for less than $5.00. I love it and searched all the stops for some more. Finally found them in a catalog, but not for less than $5.00! They are so easy to clean, and the built in ant moat is nice.

Rose1656

Rose1656 ~ do you have any Menards near you?

Up around where I live, both Menards and Blaines Farm and Fleet have them. I paid $5.00 at Menards on sale in early spring. I almost bought another, but wanted to make sure the hummers would use the perches since they seemed a little further out then my others. Well, the hummers are perfectly happy with the perches and will sit for long stretches.

They still have them in stock so I'm hoping they go on sale again at the end of the season. If not, I just might break down and buy one anyway. They have them in two sizes, but I have no need for the larger one.

That's where I found the first one on clearance. But they didn't have any this year at our Menard's store. I will have to check and see if they got some in since I looked. Always need more hummingbird feeders!

nutsaboutnature, I have my feeders spaced quite a ways apart too, But, I still move them around now and then, It helps cut down the fighting.
Welcome Rose1656!! Great photos rose and rouxcrew! Thanks for sharring! got quitea few around the feeders but just can't seem to get them when they are all close together ( Maybe tommorrow) This is what I got for today ..

1. Sitting on stick

2. Streched out on the feeder

3.Sitting on her favorite spot ..the tomatoe cage

4. & 5 ... At the Blue Salvia

Wonderful shots, IRIS!!
It's funny the way they like to sit on branches (or tomato cages) with no leaves. Mine tend to look for dead branches on the trees so they can look around. They seem to have favorites and generally go to the same ones over and over.

You're right, Rose1656...you can never have too many hummingbird feeders. Besides, I like to rotate mine so the hummers still have feeders hanging while I'm washing some of them. They get so upset when they come for sugar water and their feeders are gone!

nutsaboutnature, Thanks! your right, they do tend to have favorites that they always go to. The other day, I was cleaning the feeders, And when I took the refreshed feeders back out and went to hang one up, The hummingbird came to the feeder (which was in my hand) to get a drink. What happens when you don't have your camera huh!!! I'm going to try it again when the feeder is empty and have my hubby take a picture.

Your hummers must be relatives of my hummers. Mine always come around and make the cutest poses or hover right in front of my nose just looking at me...but never when I have my camera! They do give me good photo opps at the feeder outside my kitchen window, but those rarely come out as clear as if I were outside...maybe if I'd keep the window spotless?

I love all the pictures. I realized yesterday how hard it is to take a good picture of a hummingbird, especially on a flower and not a feeder. Iris, is that Salvia "Black and Blue"? That is the plant in my pictures. They are drawn to it. Thanks to all the people who have taken pictures for this thread. You have my admiration!

I never seem to have my camera when I'm out in the gardens! If I do take it along, I usually set it down to weed and miss the opportunity to capture them at the flowers! Nice pics of hummers and pretty plant! Really like the blue blooms on that one.

rose1656

I haven't been able to do much shooting but I had a crinium blooming this morning so I tried a couple shots. This was a funny girl, she would feel the camera come up and would hide behind the feeder so I caught her peeking around to see if I had left. She then flew to a dead limb and fussed at me.

Welcome rteets!!
Those are great pics and beautiful blooms!

Hummers do love Salvias. They even love the annual Salvias so I always make sure to add some annual Red Salvias and sometimes also the Blue ones. I tried some annual Pineapple Sage in a pot, one year. It's supposed to be irresistible to hummers, but mine started blooming too late in the season. I might try it in the ground one of these days, just to see if it blooms earlier.

Rose, I think the hummers just wait for us to set down our cameras...then they fly off chuckling about dumb these humans are.

Edited: rouxcrew, we cross-posted. Those are cute shots! Sounds like your little female has you figured out.



This message was edited Aug 25, 2013 9:15 AM

nutsaboutnature, Maybe you could leave your window open/up when your ready to take some photos?

rteets, Welcome! Yes it is hard to get shots with them in movement by the flowers, I have an especially hard time because I have to do everything manually with the lens I use, So I have to try and adjust the focas as they are moving around, Not easy to do at all!! ~And yes, That is Black And Blue salvia and they are definately drawn to it, I also have the Red Salvia, I planted one are with Salvia for the purpose of the hummingbirds, They seem drawn to other plants, but, Not like they are to the salvia, One other plant that they are majorly drawn to is BeeBalm, They LOVE bee balm! You did a great job with your pictures ( Very Nice) I especially like that 3rd one!

Rose1656, Same with me, Sometimes I take the camera out and put it down while weeding or fixing plants, And then when I see a good oppertunity, I can't catch it because my hands are too cruddy from doing the weeding/fixing and I don't want to get it on my camera!

rouxcrew, Cute pics, And it's funny how they try to hide and then peak around the corner! I found that when I want to take a picture of them at the feeder, I will put the low stick tape on one side of the feeder, That way they can only use the side in which I can get a good picture, Works good.

I love that blue and black salvia. I tried some a couple years ago and lost it. Since I figured it wasn't too much of a draw for hummers I never tried again. Will definitely need to rethink that. Near my feeders I have red salvia in a variety of heights, all have been RU swaps, Cosmos, milkweed, lantana, crinium, rain lilies, moss verbena, basil, oregano, butterfly vine and jack vine. Further out there are Cowpen daisies, Esperanza, duranta, desert willows and a couple big salvias in pink and purple. Butterflies and bees go nuts for all of those, my hummers think they are too slow. LOL

Rouxcrew, if you want hummers you should get this plant. They go to it before the feeder which is only 3 feet away. I have extensive gardens (which you can visit on the Garden Showcase site) with many different flowers and I have never had one that draws the hummers like this one does. It's not hardy here so I just have a couple in pots on my deck close to the kitchen window so I can see the visitors.

Anyway, I have a couple new pictures.

rteets, I do intend on getting some more now that I know they like it but I don't need more hummingbirds. Today we lost count around twenty and we know there were at least twice that number while we were standing there. In another week we will have close to a hundred, especially if a cool front rolls in up north. Normally they hit the feeders first to fill up and then sit around in the trees to rest.
Those are great pictures, and I like your garden. I have been working on turning my front yard into a 3 B cottage garden (bees, birds, butterflies). The problem with having a working farm is finding the time to make it happen. Baby steps my husband reminds me.

Rouxcrew, what a great picture! Two and both in focus. Amazing. A hundred hummers??!?! I'd say that's plenty. I'd be hiding plants...... Lol....

IRIS, easier said than done. First, I'd have to remove the screen and keep it off...not a good idea with all the insects that want to come in the house. Then, I'd have to keep the window open for long periods with no screen because the hummers come and go constantly now and really like that feeder. If I waited to see a hummer to open the window, it would scare it off. Good idea, though. Just wouldn't work too well for me. :-))

Your right about Bee Balm. I wish it lasted longer or the varieties bloomed at different times. I tend to leave the blooms till there's nothing left on them because the bees will come even if there's only one petal and the Goldfinches like the seeds. Their favorites, of course, are still Coneflowers and also Black-eyed Susans, but they love all kinds of flower seeds.

Love the pics, rteets and rouxcrew!!

rteets, do you start your 'Black and Blue' from seeds or plants? They're definitely not hardy in my zone, but the plants are kind of expensive to use as annuals. If I grow some I'll probably try to save them somehow for the next year...whole plants or cuttings (or seeds if they come true).

Nutsaboutnature, I got the plants on sale 4/$10. Can't beat that! I am going to try to overwinter them in their pots. We will see. If that doesn't work I will try seeds.

Here is another picture I took yesterday.

Great shot!! Wow, that's a super price. I'll have to look around as the season winds down. Otherwise I may try to Wintersow some seeds.

rteets and rouxcrew, great pics! I have yet still to get a good picture of the hummer's by the salvia!

nutsaboutnature, awww sorry to hear it wouldn't work, I sometimes open the windows and take the screens off when I'm cleaning them and it's all open for a while,I don't really get any insects that come in, But, I have a tri-level home, So my windows are not open on the ground floor. Usually all time here, If a hummer gets scarred off when a window is opened and the screen raised, It pretty much comes right back within about 10 minutes, Maybe you could try that and just wait the 10 minutes to see if he comes back. :)

Here are a few from tthis morning ...
1. ~ 3 ~! Resting on a Daylily branch
4. Getting a drink
5. ~ Watching an Intruder

Great pictures, iris!

rteets, Thanks!

The migration increases. Still hard to even come close to photographing the clusters but I think these show 10-12 birds in each. There are more this evening than this morning.

oh good grief! showoff! ;-)

IRIS, very cute pics!! #5 is funny...they're ALWAYS watching intruders.

I was just re-reading an article I saved on hummers from a 2006 National Geographic.
Part of one paragraph says...[They are certainly fearsome - gram for gram, perhaps the most confrontional players in nature]. And one of the naturalists studying them said, "I think the hummingbird vocabulary is a hundred percent swear words".

OMG rouxcrew!! Can you just feel the envy we're all having right now? ^_^
Really fun pics, BTW!!

100% swear words. That's so funny and so believeable!

The juveniles are now coming to the feeder here in MA. Managed to get some shots this morning here are the results.

Enjoy
Praveen.