Hummingbirds

[micro 0]

... are amazing creatures. We put up three feeders outside our house recently. One is right outside our dining room window on a tree branch. The window is a huge picture window so we have this great view.

Tonight there were 6 hummingbirds vying for use of the feeder. It was simply stunning, this aerial display they put on. I was awestruck! They dive-bombed each other and dualed each other like mini jet fighters. Their agility in the air is just breathtaking. So quick and nimble, so graceful and powerful, yet so small and fragile looking!

One was taking a drink and another dived down and actually stabbed the other in the back w/ it's beak! Crazy!

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[LisaM 0]

How weird is this... I was gonna post about something amazing I saw..... for the first time ever I saw a hummingbird SIT!

And here I thought they collapsed at night and then started again the next morning!

~ Lisa
~ Do you Rigminder?

[Zing 2]

Here's a soon-to-be-mother sitting on her eggs.

Zing Lurks

[froglady 0]

Very odd that you would start a tread on this tonight. I was relaxing in my hot tub that has a huge flower box on one side and one just came up to feed only a few inches from my face, happly ate until I move .

Thay are amazing.

[kenz 0]

i went camping in georgia about a month ago with some of my family, and while they were still sleeping i woke up and started reading by one of the tables at our site and i heard this loud buzzing noise in my ear - natural reaction was to swat it away - and i missed - when i looked up it was a hummingbird - i never in my life have seen one not near a feeder - it was amazing - it hovered over my head for a good 10 seconds afterwards, and then flew off - they really are amazing!

"life does throw curveballs sometimes but it doesn't mean we shouldn't still swing for the homerun" ~ me

[jsaxton 0]

We have planted all types of "hummingbird friendly" plants in our backyard, they seem to especially like the Datura.

[Shotgun 1]

Oh man, I watch hummingbirds all day long out my window... We have tons of them out here.

I've been watching lots of little mating rituals, but I never get to see them actually mate... But I did find this pic:

http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/29350285

[micro 0]

Quote

i went camping in georgia about a month ago with some of my family and while they were still sleeping i woke up and started reading by one of the tables at our site and i heard this loud buzzing noise in my ear - natural reaction is to swat it away - and i missed - when i looked up it was a hummingbird - i never in my life have seen one not near a feeder - it was amazing - it hovered over my head for a good 10 seconds afterwards and then flew off - they really are amazing!

yeah, the noise they make is like a really huge insect that's gonna pick you up and carry you off!

they're so beautiful. tonight at dinner it took us forever to actually finish and our meals were cold. we were plastered to the picture window, watching as many as 6 at a time danced and flew around the feeder, jockeying for position.

cool stuff man. amazing!

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[micro 0]

Quote

Oh man, I watch hummingbirds all day long out my window... We have tons of them out here.

I've been watching lots of little mating rituals, but I never get to see them actually mate... But I did find this pic:

http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/29350285

great pic! i wonder if it's theire mating season right now... will have to keep my eyes pealed for "humping hummingbirds."

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[Muenkel 0]

Outside our dining room window in one of the garden beds, we have a bleeding heart bush. Hummingbirds love them. You're right they are amazing creatures.

Chris

_________________________________________
Chris

[Zing 2]

Hummingbirds mate in the spring ... sit the eggs for about 16 days and it takes a couple weeks for the one or two hatchlings to fledge and learn to fly. They are pretty tolerant of humans if you're easy-going about it. I've got photos of babies and parents from less than a foot away ... same pair nested and hatched clutches outside my office three years in a row. Managed to chronicle their nest-building, incubation, hatching and feeding til they all flew away.

Zing Lurks

[Twoply 0]

Which kind of feeder are you using? I see all different kinds or does it even matter?
Thanks

[usedtajump 1]

We have two feeders outside the screened porch. Usually get between six and eight at a time buzzing around and trying to run each other off the feeders, they seem to be very unfriendly toward each other.

I found one laying in the yard way away from the feeders, kinda like comatose. I picked it up and laid it on a perch on the feeder, stuck its beak in the sugar water and suddenly it started drinking. About twenty seconds later it flew off, guess it was just out of fuel.

The older I get the less I care who I piss off.

[jlmiracle 7]

I was taking pictures of a bunch last night. We've had over 30 around the patio at one time.

They get really active when it looks like or does storm. Very odd little birds, but a definately a joy to watch.

judy

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[Shotgun 1]

Quote

Quote

Oh man, I watch hummingbirds all day long out my window... We have tons of them out here.

I've been watching lots of little mating rituals, but I never get to see them actually mate... But I did find this pic:

http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/29350285

great pic! i wonder if it's theire mating season right now... will have to keep my eyes pealed for "humping hummingbirds."

They do seem to be mating right now, especially the last few days... I keep seeing them do their little "dance" outside my window. Then one of them will fly down to the ground, and the other will fly straight up and then dive-bomb down to her...

This all happens so quickly though; by the time I run downstairs I only get to see them flying away.

At least I'm getting a lot of exercise from it though.

(And of course, I could just be seeing territorial males fighting with each other... It's often hard to tell the difference between mating and fighting.)

[micro 0]

Quote

I was taking pictures of a bunch last night. We've had over 30 around the patio at one time.

They get really active when it looks like or does storm. Very odd little birds, but a definately a joy to watch.

judy

30!!! WOW!!!

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[micro 0]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Oh man, I watch hummingbirds all day long out my window... We have tons of them out here.

I've been watching lots of little mating rituals, but I never get to see them actually mate... But I did find this pic:

http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/29350285

great pic! i wonder if it's theire mating season right now... will have to keep my eyes pealed for "humping hummingbirds."

They do seem to be mating right now, especially the last few days... I keep seeing them do their little "dance" outside my window. Then one of them will fly down to the ground, and the other will fly straight up and then dive-bomb down to her...

This all happens so quickly though; by the time I run downstairs I only get to see them flying away.

At least I'm getting a lot of exercise from it though.

(And of course, I could just be seeing territorial males fighting with each other... It's often hard to tell the difference between mating and fighting.)

So if they were humping, they're quicker than some guys here!

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[jlmiracle 7]

Quote

Quote

I was taking pictures of a bunch last night. We've had over 30 around the patio at one time.

They get really active when it looks like or does storm. Very odd little birds, but a definately a joy to watch.

judy***

30!!! WOW!!!

Yeah, but I have 6 feeders up and have been feeding them for 5 years now. All the Juveniles that are starting to grow up and get their red throats are trying to stake their claim at a feeder and try to run everyone else off.

We named the one that shows up first in the spring Russell Crowe - he likes to fight alot.

judy

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[Shotgun 1]

Quote

So if they were humping, they're quicker than some guys here!

Yep! Other than the mating dance, the actual "doing it" part lasts about three seconds. And then the dude flies off and leaves the female to take care of the babies all by herself.

Male hummingbirds are assholes.

[karenmeal 0]

In my home in Virginia we had tons of hummingbirds. One night my dad and I decided that we would try and get an even better view of them from our dining room table. Well, we opened the window and hung the feeder inches from the window. Before we knew it there were 2 hummingbirds inside the house going crazy!

Don't try that. It is scary trying to catch hummingbirds.

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[Zing 2]

They are pretty amazing little critters. I've been able to get them to perch on my finger held next to feeder several times.
They are very aggressive about defending their territory ... ie, a feeder they have claimed. One reason you see so many in the evening is that they are all trying to feed before the sun goes down because they don't fly at night and their metabolic rate is so high that they need to stuff themselves before going to their night spots.
Regarding males ... Some of the mating pairs I've observed shared the sitting on the nest and feeding the hatchlings. When the babies learn to fly, the entire family takes off for where ever hummingbirds go.
If I recall correctly, there are something like 17 or 19 species of hummingbirds common to North America. One is called the bumblebee hummer and its feathers and coloring resemble a giant bumblebee. Had one of those hang around a feeder hanging on the balcony of an apartment in Murrieta, Calif. back in the 90s.
Down in Cozumel, Quintanna Roo, Mexico, there is a hummingbird species that grows to about the same size as a sparrow, yet retains the speed and agility of their tinier relatives.
Hummingbird dogfights are impressive displays of aerobatic prowess, including loops and rolls ... haven't seen one do a lumshovak (sp?) yet, but I have been strafed repeatedly by hummers that took exception to my presence. They come at you at speeds that will make you duck. On several ocassions, a hummer collided with a window or other solid object and got knocked unconcious. I've picked up several and held them in my hand until they came to ... classic expression of "what the fuck" before they flew off.

Zing Lurks

[Beer 0]

Hey, can you identify this species of hummingbird?

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=298&stc=1&d=1156378447

Learn to be happy. You can't be there for anybody else in life if you can't learn to be there for yourself.

[Dougjumper 0]

Here are a few pics of a female Ruby throated Hummer just hanging out. Hummers are kinda territorial over their food supplys. I managed to get these shots standing at the window. Enjoy

• Quote

[4201 0]

Their the kings and queens of the sky.

[freeflir29 0]

Quote

Hummers are kinda territorial over their food supplys.

That's an understatement. My Mom has several feeders and a garden that attract them. I never knew humming birds made any noise until I saw two in the garden at the same time. They have an affinity for these blue flowers. Pretty soon they were chasing each other making these funny chirping noises. Funny to watch. Fierce little things they are.