Monterey, I need you here with your camera! You should see the hummers! My patio and front yard are thick with them. Their behaviour was so over the top that i consulted the WWW and found that it is indeed mating season for Anna's. They are crowded around the feeders like it was the last oasis. They have NEVER shared like this before. The males do these amazing flights 100 or so feet straight up and then dive. It is pretty noisy out there.
I am having to repair my patio roof because of our high winds and the little devils are not pleased. The fly within inches of one's nose to complain. This has been going on all week. It is great entertainment from 4 am til about dark. Makes me glad that the wall to the patio is completely glass so that I can see. The bad news is. life goes on and I cannot spend all day just hummer watching. Sigh.
They are listed as "promiscuous" breeders. Ahem.
Unfortuately there are giant trees around for the females to nest in. One seems to like one of the hanging plants though. If she nests there, that plant will have to die lol.
Hummers in love
I must have "gang hummers" all they do is fight and do fly byes. I still have one guy but I think the nurseries or somewhere with more flowers is getting the attention. I would love to see" Love Story " for these guys . I don't see it happening. I am lucky that I still have one around. Rich.
You would have a field day here. The little beasts are not at all shy and seem to ffind the bare plum tree a perfect spot for a liason. Better than the animal planet!! My boys in front do not seem to be babe magnets. I do not ever see females there, just the guys. Perhaps they are too young. This is the 4th winter I am in this house and the 1st time that mating activity has been this noticable in the hummer population. I guess I did something right when I put in my garden.
I have 3 feeders hanging inside the patio now for the hummers and they are emptying them at an alarming rate. I would love to cut back the mexican sage but they still spend alot of time there too.
Right, I dare not cut back anything with hummer-type flowers: pentas, mexican (bush) sage, cleveland sage, etc... I feel bad, although it's their "choice" not to go south, the pickings (both flowers and insects) seem pretty slim up here north of you this time of year!
I saw one flying SLOW (did you know Anna's can fly slow??) around the pineapple guava and then the Meyer's lemon -- neither of which have any blooms at this time! -- gosh, he (or probably she, don't remember any particular color) was flying so slow, I was rapt, wondering if she was going to fall! "Go to the other corner," I was mentally rooting, "The Cleveland has flowers, go to the Cleveland!" Finally, she did limp off in that direction out of my window's view. Whew.
Actually, several of the salvias have *some* flowers on right now, just not densely, so the birds have to fly round and round to get much calories. Was thinking about filling a feeder, but in one week we will leave for *two* weeks, so doesn't seem fair to get their hopes and habits up.
I have seen the mating "dance" twice, once from my own backyard, and once down Rancho Bernardo way. You feel lucky to see it, like something on a National Geographic special, exotic somehow.
~'spin!~
frogus, can you give me a list of your most favorite plants for Hummers? I just want them to stop by this year.
In my yard I have various sages and lavenders. The big bushy mexican sage is a real hit. They like to sit in it and wile away the day with food at hand lol. Honeysuckle and cape fuschia (they will take out sun) are favorites too. Oh yes, and lots of feeders.
frogs
Our little hummers go to a warmer place for the winter. I wish I had gone with them.
Lol!!! I am just minutes from the airport-come on across!