This evening I was sitting on my patio, drinking a glass of wine. A hummingbird came up to the top of my fountain where the water slowly gurgles out and landed on it. For about the next two minutes he continued to bathe himself. Boy, I wish I had a camera with me at the time. He'd dip his head or chest into the water repeatedly--do the same with each side and then flutter and ruffle his wings and feathers. It was absolutely captivating.
I've had them run through my hose while I was watering many times, but this was the first time I had observed this.
-Ron-
Hummingbird bathing
Ron-I have hummingbirds that bathe is light rain, and it is quite a sight to see. Two years ago, I was sitting on my porch and saw one land on a Stargazer lily bud (much bigger than a hummingbird) and take a long bath in a light rain shower. It was a memory I'll take with me for a long time. We have rain almost every afternoon in the summer and they sit on small branches of the river birch tree by my porch and just flutter and bathe like crazy. The ruby throats in TN will leave for migration around the 7th of Oct. so they're eating like there's no tomorrow. Before they leave they'll be little round butterballs. I enjoy them every day-I'm so glad they come this way in the summer.
Well Ron, for you punishment I think you should have to wear your camera around your neck for a week and try to catch this event again! ;) I have seen them playing in the rain too. They just love it. I bought this little mister that attaches to the water hose hoping it would attract them. So far I haven't figure out how to get it rigged up high enough yet.
Here is one today that sat and ate and bathed at the feeder.
I can't even count the number of times I've sat near the bird bath with camera in hand or hooked a sprinkler over a branch in the hopes of catching hummies bathing.
When I finally got lucky I didn't want to miss out by trying to get the shutter speed set - I still did a half-way decent job of getting about four photos of one cooling off in the south Texas summer heat.
I still hook a sprinkler on a branch in the hopes of getting more photos...
~ Cat
Cat - That is the neatest pic. I've seen them take 'showers' during the rain, but never got a pic. Hope you get more and thanks for sharing. Becky
Cat,
Love the pic. If you get more please share them! Good job!