This is the first picture we have taken with our new digital camera. Didn't turn out too bad! Of course this guy is not camera-shy at all. He hovers as we hang his fresh nectar.
loyal customer!!!!
Sorry, not "guy"......little lady........my bad!
Could be an immature male. Has the right throat markings for one. Becky.
That's a great shot. I have a couple of females that come to my garden and feeder, but I haven't been able to get any good pictures of them. The other day I was watching one of them through our bathroom window. I wanted to raise the screen so I could get a good shot, but thought the noise would send her away. As I was peering out the screen she flew from the feeder to the window and hovered there staring right at me, an inch from the screen! I think if the screen was up she would have flown into the house. I couldn't believe how loud her beating wings were. I sure do wish I had the screen up!
This message was edited Aug 23, 2005 3:19 PM
Great shot....and pretty feeder! :-)
-Julie
Hi,pajarito! Thanks for the compliment! this is my first attempt with a digital,so, have a lot to learn yet. I took that shot about four feet from the feeder sitting on a two step ladder.There are four feeders being used at the moment with lots of activity going on!!I know what you mean when you can hear the wings as that is what happened to me also! thanks again!......Dave
Hello salvia_lover! thank you for responding! that feeder was actually used for orioles here.....well, they thinned out a bit and the hummers came in full force so we scrambled and dumped the oriole nectar and put in hummer food.....having a great time watching them ! By the way, I'm in awe of your gardens and photos that you have sent to Dave's since I signed on in Feb of this year. Incredible what you have done! Thanks again, Julie!! Dave
What a memorable first shot.
By the way, I noticed that in all the photos of hummingbirds being posted, ants aren't swarming the feeder. Is there some sort of tip that'll keep the ants at bay? I read somewhere that vaseline coating the s-hook is effective but in my recent expereience, the results were horrible. Not only was there an ant genocide as the unsuspecting ones got stuck in the goop but the surviving ants used the dead ants as a bridge and continued to feed on the nectar.
There are little "ant cups" (I don't know what they are actually called) that attach to the line above the s hook. You fill the cups with water and if ants climb down the line trying to get to the feeder they come to the cup first and crawl in and get trapped in the water. It doesn't help with bees though.
Wild Birds Unlimited and Duncraft sell them around here. I don't know if places like Wal-Mart or Home Depo/Lowes sell them, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. They seem to work pretty well.
This message was edited Aug 23, 2005 9:26 PM
Thanks. Ant cups sound like the answer.
Hi Greenlife!! Here is shot of the cups we use. Sorry for the raggidity picture,but I did this in a rain storm,so, kinda hurried along...!!Hope it heps ya!! Dave.......
Enjoying your pics of hummingbirds. I love them.
I can't believe you got such a great shot on the first try with your digital! But don't leave us in susupense - what kind of camera is it?
Marty
Hi MartyJo! The camera is a Kodak EasyShare DX7630,6.1MP,3x zoom.Price is less than 300.00,or was as of last July.......Dave
Your first hummer shot is excellent. How I envy you. I have been trying all week. Even set up the tripod. No luck. As soon as I moved the tripod, the hummers went to the feeder. Going to give it another try on the weekend. Your second shot is non too shabby either. They're both great. Keep 'em coming.
Hi again,broots!!!okokokok.....one more from this mornin.......Dave.....
One more....about fifty feet away,but, kinda makes ya wanna sing...."Blue skies smilin at me".....Dave.....
OMG, I love that shot! And is that a "powderpuff" plant? We used to have those in our yard when I lived in FL as a kid. I always loved that bush and all the butterflies that would come to it.
Glad ya like it,pajarito! That is a Mimosa tree with the blossoms fading,but had been blooming in full force for two months.....Dave.....
One more.....Dave.....
Greenuphin~
Great shots. Mine never stand still to feed. No roost.
GreenLife~
I had ants. But, I sprayed some insecticide into a cloth and wiped the wire and the adjacent branch leading to it, with the stuff. It works great.
Doesn't handle the wasps, but keeping the feeder clean, helps.
Another good one Dave. I can't get over how close you get to your little hummers.
Flyboy,
You are putting your hummers at risk by using any insecticides. They like to perch on wires and small branches. Try the ant moats they do work. The best thing for keeping bees away is a feeder that dosn't leak or drip. The saucer style feeders are the best to avoid drips.
Dave,
Nice pictures! You don't need that red dye in your feeders either. I use the same recipe for the Orioles and the hummers. I cup of sugar to 4 cups of water.
How cool! Can I borrow some of your talent? I can't seem to catch the fast little buggers if I have my camera out. If my camera isn't handy, they will perch and drink forever.
I poke a hole in the cap from spray paint, thread the wire thru it and make a knot to keep it where I want it. Then I dab a bit of silicon caulk around the wire on the inside to hold water. I try to use red caps if I can just to add a little more draw to the feeders, I don't use the red colored food, I make my own. My feeders are red tho.
I have a chickadee that thinks this is his water dish. He shows up several times a day and hangs just about upside down to drink. There is a very nice birdbath with perching rocks 3 feet away. *shrugs*
mg
Edited for speeling, lol.
This message was edited Aug 29, 2005 11:32 PM
Hi guys!! Glad you are here! We do make our own hummer food but at the time I took the last couple of shots The hummers had moved into the trellis area,which is over the backdoor and we grabbed the red stuff in a hurry.(slap me silly)....lol!!Towards the middle and rear backyard area are two feeders there and it seems to be a territorial invisible line there,In other words,those at the trellis have a certain path or routine while those at the rear do their thing there. So, at the trellis which is about eight ft. high,I stand on a six ft.step ladder about 3ft.away and wait for them to land. While I'm standing there,half-naked in the 90 degree heat trying for the perfect shot I'm getting pooped on constantly by the hummers sitting on the cable line above me!! So,I can truly say that I've been blessed.....alot.....!!!......Dave.....
Too funny Dave! I've not been pooped on yet, but i sure get pooped waiting for them to show up when I have camera in hand.
ROFL, just how big can hummer poop be? Maybe you need one of those umbrella hats?
My first chuckle of the day, thanks Dave!
*hummer poop, HA!*
mg
Monarch on a butterfly bush,early this mornin'.....Dave.....
when do my humming birds begin to fly south (Mexico?) When do I stop feeding them here in Baltimore?
levilyla, you don't stop feeding them. Leave your feeders up until the last little guy has left. They know when it is time. Last year mine had all left by Sept 17, but I left my feeders up for another week, just in case. Sometimes you can go a day or two without seeing them so by waiting another week, you should know for sure if they have left.
We lose them at the end of September.
They start eating insects to fill their tiny bellies -- and off they go.
Why can't they just stay in Florida?
Sorry to confuse. I am in NJ in the summer.
I've never seen one on our key in the winter. Butterflies, yes. Hummers, no,
And we're not that far off the mainland.
I keep hoping.
I think they have already left here. I haven't seen one since last Saturday. I've been seeing quite a few dragonflies in my yard oper the past week though. Do they come around more once the hummers leave, or am I just noticing them now that the hummers aren't grabbing my attention?
Hi gang!Littlebit of an update,here in Oz,had about thirty hummers and now down to half that,so,sad to say, They are leavin.......boohoo.....Dave
Greenupinweham,
Thanks for your helpful suggestion. I ordered ant moats as soon as I saw your reply. The ant moats are working well but I kid you not when I say that I've seen ants form a raft and float to the other side of the moat...I also saw one ant make its way across on its own. I don't know how it managed to do that....but I'm sure glad the ants aren't swarming the feeder en masse as before.
flyboy,
looks like ant moats do the job so I'm going to stay with them. Thanks for the help though.
Hi Greenlife!So glad they are working for ya!It is amazing to watch the ants as much as the hummers!!LOL!!!....Dave....
I'll try the moats -- next year -- when they return. I hope!