Restarting one of my favorite long running AOTF threads: Hummingbirds!
We love to go tubing in the summer as I live near a river with nice boatramps and access and while we were out on the water, we saw a hummingbird flying all over above the river eating insects. Not the first time weve seen it, but very cool to see. I've heard they eat a ton of bugs and need the protein in addition to nectar. We always see osprey, turtles, geese and ducks, cormorants, and herons, and on occassion see eagles, otters and the odd deer or muskrat.
Diligence is the mother of good luck. Plough deep while sluggards sleep and you shall have corn to sell and keep. Work as if you were to live 100 years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow. All progress springs from work. Work has laid the foundation of every fortune in America. – Benjamin Franklin
POTFB
Glad you posted this, I was going to. And Huddle got an OTF! moving up in the world.
Bro, had 10 about an hour ago. Added two new feeders to this side yard, but had 8 on my 3 feeders out my bedroom window, and 2 on the new ones. They are telling friends. I kinda wanna go crazy and get like 40 feeders
@cavanagh Sounds like maybe you have them, but if not, the window feeders that suction cup to a window are so great, because you can be right on the other side of the window and see such incredible detail. The camera feeders offer the same level of detail and you don't have to worry about scaring them off, but being that close to them is cooler to me.
Two pics from last August. I never bothered to jump through the hoops required to post pics on rivals.
what's the plant? Always looking for plants that attract hummers. I redid a bed in the back of my house next to my driveway, and while I'm really happy with how it looks, I've yet to see a hummer feeding there. Get tons of bumblebees and butterflies, but no hummers. It's a mix of red, blue and white salvia and white and red/multi colored lantana. I'm surprised the red salvia hasn't attracted them, because they are so bright, but they haven't. Can't remember what I planted last year, but it was a red bell-shaped flower and they wouldn't leave them alone. Think it was beebalm or cardinal flower.
@cavanagh I'm pretty well set with 5. I have 3 in front and 2 in back with 1 of each being a window feeder. From this point on, everything I add will be flowers to attract them. I don't have as much land as you guys do though!
Most amazing hummingbird experience I had was at a pottery studio in Seagrove NC. For some reason that area is a haven for pottery and there are like 30 studios out there. Anyway, this one was out in the woods a bit and I bet they had 30 feeders up and all were very large. There were literally hundreds of hummers in the air or feeding and as you looked around, thousands on the branches all over. It would make you pause before walking, there were so many flying around.
Great afternoon of hbird viewing on my porch. I don't get nearly as many as some of you, and I culled a feeder this week, so down to 2, but continous activity with at least 6-7 birds, darting, feeding, dancing and fighting. Guessing the wet and cooler temps has them prepping for their migration, but they were all just staying right around the feeders and feeding, and jousting continually. Fun to watch. Turned off the TV and sat out and watched them for a good while.
They were really ramping up the fighting this morning, three trying to drink at the same time. Been very busy the last week with the same amount of birds. I'll put up a second feeder shortly across the yard. Let them get fat for the journey.
Both males are gone. Haven't seen the bigger one for almost two weeks, but I don't sit and watch much, I'm gone all day.
The big male and little golf ball shaped male had come to a truce, the big one just couldn't chase the small one off, gutsy little bird... So they'd sit on either side of the feeder a few feet out and go drink on their side.
Little one was still here the last few days, saw him Thursday. I was working near the window and watched a lot this morning, he's gone now. One big female is hogging it. She was always harassed by the males, but making up for lost time today. The only one left. Same three all year, maybe four since once in awhile I'd see a different female for a little while.
