Up here in the Bay Area I have seen one calliope, and in silhouette, no colors. Costas, Allens, and Rufous migrate through, and Anna's nest in my yard. But I've never seen a ruby throated hummingbird.
I remember reading an article in Smithsonian magazine, years ago, about hummingbird migration in the desert in February. A tourist at a state park somewhere, where they had feeders up, said "They are so sweet, and so tiny." The ranger replied, 'yes ma'am, they are tiny."
I saw two beautiful Hummingbirds yesterday they hovered around for at least 5 minutes, they even perched on a flower branch in unison, it made my day 😊
I used to clean my hummingbird feeders with baking soda and water. Now I consider hydrogen peroxide a possibility. I have honeysuckle and buckeye, Amaryllis, roses, morning glory, and dandelions, Althea, and clover blooming. Maybe I don't need water stations?
Visiting a garden center, and a hummingbird hovered about a foot from my nose while it drank nectar from some salvia. I could see the red and green sheen on its neck. Utterly enchanting!
They fluff my hair on the regular & that feels pretty close, and my son always reminds me that he had training on what to do if a hummingbird beaks gets impaled in your eyeball. 😂
Sometimes I think that hummingbirds might be the grain of truth behind the idea of fairies. When the dart around so quickly, I can’t help thinking that people long ago must have thought they were made of pure magic.
🧚🧚♀️🧚♂️🧚🧚♀️🧚♂️
First time I saw hummingbirds was next to a forest by someone's back porch. There were dozens of rubythroated humming birds flitting around feeding at bright red feeders. The sound of their humming filled the air and the sight of them hovering in place was amazing.
First time I ever saw one was in our garden in Chiang Rai, in 2006, hovering in front of a hibiscus flower.
I thought it was a butterfly at first......
When I was about 10 years old I cupped my hands around a hummingbird at the feeder. Thought for sure it would have flown off as my hands approached. Was able to hold it & it didn’t struggle to get away. I could feel the really fast heartbeat tho! I opened my hands, it waited a beat & then flew off.
It's funny how people romanticize them. Meanwhile, they are at war with each other pretty much every minute of every day. And, they will dive bomb your head.
Sorry if this is a repost.
If you need a break, have a peek at ZE Frank's stuff over the past 11+ years.
Not for children or squeamish people.
Biologists in the know love being in his credits which is great for inspiring research.
Comments
Those colours
Rufous, Costa’s, calliope, black-chinned uncommonly during migration
Very rarely the occasional broad-billed will wander into our area tho this has escaped my observation
They are not sweet.
I believe mother nature gifted them emense power for this reason
the rich fuel of nectar supplies the energy needed to cut through the air
with a blur
as if standing still
to be able to fly backwards
adds to their amazing flight abilities provided by nature
Respect!!
So working at 840mm with only a 20% crop here so nearly filled frame
He was close!
F5.6 1/2000 ISO 3200
Well done!
And the very specific memory of an hummingbird in action indeed stuck with me since! 😯
🧚🧚♀️🧚♂️🧚🧚♀️🧚♂️
— Rae Rae
So working at 840mm with only a 20% crop here so nearly filled frame
He was close!
F5.6 1/2000 ISO 3200
Less than 5 lbs and it also allows me to do field macros! Like this Saken’s Velvet ant! No larger than a honey bee
I thought it was a butterfly at first......
Great photo, though.
Thank You
I caught a hummingbird....
If you need a break, have a peek at ZE Frank's stuff over the past 11+ years.
Not for children or squeamish people.
Biologists in the know love being in his credits which is great for inspiring research.
- hummingbirds from 4 years ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Biagyb7AcK8
Fell in love with them on a holiday to Barbados.🇧🇧
(Actually, Mina is quite nice to birbs. She sniffs them but does nothing else, at least in the six years I've known her.
Ever mammal that's not a human, dog, or cat, though, had better start running as soon as she does the "slicked back ears" thing.)
Right as it passed by my side I started to stop going, hit the hummingbird. Poor guy got a little wet and flew off to the woods.
I feel bad for getting him..
Just a weird random story about a hummingbird I will likely be telling for the rest of my life 😂
sorry. too close.
Purple demons
Def a macro shot 😅