A month or so ago, I noticed there were two ruby throated hummingbirds that liked to hang around my althea and some of the other fragrant flowers in my yard, and they liked to camp out in a couple of my trees.
So we bought a hummingbird feeder. At first I think it was too close to the other bird feeder in the yard, so I moved it further back, under a trellis.
Now there are those two that love the feeder, but I think a third (or more, I can't tell -- they don't wear name tags) has been trying to use the feeder and it gets chased off by the first two. One of the residents is a female or a juvenile -- they look the same this time of year, and I won't be able to tell for another couple of months. But there has been an ensuing war any time one of them approaches.
They are all now so fond of the feeder, any time of day I look out there I don't have to wait more than a few minutes before I see one of them using it. They are not very timid *at all* and they let me get quite close. (I guess they figure, correctly, that they are faster than I am.) Today I camped out in a lawn chair near the feeder and took some pictures. While I was taking pictures, they got into a fight around my head. It is the *weirdest* humming sound to have flying around your ears!
(After I took these pics I realized there is a "sports" setting on our digital camera, and I may be able to get a couple of better images using it. But then it started to rain so I will have to try tomorrow.)
(Also, I will get a second feeder so they stop fighting!)
1 comment:
I'm still a working gal and so I enjoy my early morning coffee in my back porch no less than 6 feet from the feeder. My little male hummer spends more time fending off intruders than enjoying the nector. I want to get another so he won't be so stressed, but I think it just their nature.
I love my feeder... I can stand in my back yard anytime of day, look skyward and see all the little ones on wires and branches waiting to charge in and get a sip.
Jane in So. California
email91105@aol.com
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