This little hummer and a few of her friends have been hanging around here lately. I have a feeder out, but they seem to prefer my new Vitex plant and Zennias. I have seen very similar pictures to mine, and they are calling them Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. I have also seen pictures of the Costas Hummingbird which have identical markings to the ones visiting me. If any of you know for sure, please respond here.
Thanks yall!
This message was edited Aug 31, 2006 7:37 PM
Here is another view of the wee thing>
I have a Wordpress site with about 10 more photos of this one
http://theletteroflove.com
Click on "Free Wallpaper" then click the "Wee Creatures Small" Catagory on the right side of the page
This message was edited Aug 31, 2006 7:39 PM
This message was edited Aug 31, 2006 7:40 PM
Hi Deb, I'm new to hummers, so I can't help you ID - just wanted to say "nice pics" on your site :)
~Sunny
Thanks Sunny!
By the way I am glad to meet you anyway. The word Hineni has a very special meaning to my life. Awesome nick!
I'm definitely no expert but since I'm in your area I'm going to throw out the only info I know, and that's that we supposedly only have Ruby-throats here. The males have the red throats tho so the solid green ones are the females.
I'm no hummer expert either. In TX, a few different species of hummers have been known to fly out of their normal regions.
Your hummer is either an immature male or a female. Which makes identifying it even more difficult.
If I were to guess, I'd guess it to be a Ruby Throat, though.
Looks like a female rubythroat. Nice pics!
Thanks KK, indirt, and pelletory~
I have seen the pair together humming around, but no red on either one of them .. The male seems to have a fan tail lined with white dots at the tips. I suppose it is as difficult as I thought to ID them. Indirt~ I was thinking that it is migratory time too, so many different ones will sortof funnel through here on their way south...
Still watching them intently fixed, facinated, and camera ready :-)
~Debnes
I'm sure it depends on what their migratory flight path is. I don't have any idea about hummers but know our area will get a lot of Monarch's.
I love what you've done with the Monarchs so far KK :-), I have been reading and watching for a few days. I finally made time to join in these discussions and share a few of my own critter visits with yas.
This weekend I need to post the different butterflies I have been journaling here..
I will take more info on the hummers at any time here, so keep me in mind
~Debnes
Hi Debnes,
Love your site, excellent pictures. Are you using a digital camera?
The bird looks like a ruby throat to me from the back, but some of the white around its neck threw me. I bet Indirt is right it's probably immature.
Maureen
Debnes, it's most likely a female Ruby Throat. But it could also be a Black Chinned. The RT are the most common in our area, but BC do come through as well. Unless it's a male, the only way I can tell them apart is that the BC's beak is smaller and slightly downcurved, and it will flick its tail rapidly. The RT has a long, straight bill and will hover with only an occasional flick of the tail.
Great photos, btw.
Carla
Debnes, The immature males lose the white tips on their tails when they mature. I can't be completely certain but it looks like a female from the second pic. Heres a female rt form my yard.
Heres an immature male. I just looked at your photos on the other site and it looks like a male going towards the red zinnia.
This message was edited Sep 1, 2006 6:31 PM
pelletory - do you have problems with wasps - or put another way - I can't find any hummzingers with the bee guard around locally at all but I have seen yours, I have not bought because while my neighbors were away I maintained their feeder (just like yours) and I found a wasp in it.........so I assumed that they had no "guard"..thanks in advance and thanks to both of you for the photos - nice shots.
I've only seen one wasp on this particular feeder. I had a window one with larger ports and there were a lot of bugs floating inside. Heres a shot of the hummer and wasp sharing. Maybe your neighbor should move the feeder to a different spot.
Tried to tell him all ready that the full sun exposure taints the sugar solution quicker (they are always away at the cabin and can not change often enough), but he is older then me and knows better. Thats OK I have all the hummers at my house.....
The feeder in these shots seems to be the favorite of the hummers in my yard. I have 6 different feeders and so far I haven't seen them use either of the saucer types but that could be because their youngsters. I've also seen them use the Best-1 feeder (with double ring perches). Sadly I haven't seen any Hummers now for 4 days.
I haven't tried a Hummzinger but I do have the saucer type by Droll Yankees and that does come with 2 sets of bee guards in the box.
Thanks for the help and kind words Maureen, Yes it is a digital camera Cannon S1 AS (anti-shake). The A60 is what I had before this one and it has similar quality as the S1 and it is a lot less $$
So far we have more votes for the ruby-throated one, I have a short video that I can email once I edit it to the six second visit. I will look closer at the wee beak on her now~ Thanks to you also, Carla!
I will let y'all know when I get that little video into a small email byte, meanwhile watching for more visits.:-)
Bless yas!
Debnes
This message was edited Sep 1, 2006 5:10 PM
Thanks Pell, your input has been helpful ;), and MQN, I have seen a few wasps around mine too. Getting rid of any nearby nests you can find will help too..
Pell, I havn't seen any with dark stripes on the neck as in your second picture...please share all you have here, I am enjoying all your pictures too.. I am in my element here everyone, bless yas all!
~Debnes
Deb, Their not really stripes but more like spots, that will turn into the ruby feathers as he matures. Heres another young fella.
Awww what a sweetie!! ;) Pell, thx!
I have that wee 6 second video if anyone wants me to send it in email. You can select slow speed to watch it in WMPlayer.
~Debnes
Deb, here's a collage of shots of an immature male ruby throat where you can see the darker feathers on the throat that will be the 'ruby' feathers.
gram
...and here's a female resting on the pole above the feeder
I think this one is pretty young because of the length of the tail, but it is a ruby-throated
edit to say: hope some of this helps...yours look like ruby-throated to me, too. but I don't have any experience with any others in person, only pictures.
gram
This message was edited Sep 2, 2006 11:19 AM
Thanks y'all!
I really love those pictures gram and pell, they are so adorable.. I could just study these 'til kingdom come, and not tire of it. It is great to know folks who share my enthusiasm for these wee garden creatures.
I'm wireless since February when Hubby bought me this laptop. I can sit on the porch when the weather is cool, and go out of town and not miss anything.
We just arrived in Oklahoma to visit my neice and get her wireless working too. Mission accomplished, (as you can see by this entry).
I think I will go out tomorrow and get her a hummer feeder to put outside the kitchen window. Her house is on an acre of fairly dense and very natural scape, so this could be interrsting.
I have made a fairly good nectar, but would you guys mind sharing your recipes?
Thanks :o).
~Debnes
I just do 4 parts boiled water to 1 part white sugar. If its getting close to migrating time a go just a little heavier on the sugar but not much.
same here. everything I've read says the same. I guess they get their protein and what have you from bugs and such. the nectar is pure energy.
Yes thats it!, I have the same recipe...even heavier as I was thinking the same as pell on migratory time rush of energy. And with all this fun I'm having now, I will be well prepared for their return in Spring >oo
