Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

photo by Roger Black

They are here. They are there.  I can count five or six visible at once, but when they are sparring it looks like 25. Our three feeders (in total a quart of nectar) must be refilled every other day. The female in the photo is nectaring on Calibrachoa 'Superbells Scarlet' which has been going strong here since early April. You can see she is feeding before they completely open for the day.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous shot! I love the dreamy effect of that cameo shot. I've seen a few but unfortunately before I could get a picture the dogs came running through the yard and scared them off.

Anonymous said...

I love when the hummingbirds come! I've never managed to have my camera at the ready when they do. Great shot.

Connie said...

The hummers sure do go for the red, don't they? I had on a red shirt a few mornings ago and one came within inches of me, thinking I might be a red flower.

Anonymous said...

Pretty! I haven't seen many hummers this summer. Our resident mocking bird is keeping them away. Have you ever had that problem?

spookydragonfly said...

I've got plenty of hummingbirds that visit my flowers and feeders...but never have I got a decent photo...this photo is just perfect!!

Mother Nature said...

PG,
All credit must go to my hubby for the shot.

Megan,
A photo op with a hummingbird is rare, it's true.

connie,
It is funny how they, seemingly unafraid, will approach so closely.

Nancy.
You may want to try a HummZinger feeder with an ant moat built in and feeder ports on the top. It is definitely the easiest to clean. Another trick is to put vaseline on the hook. I also remove the feeder and spray the prospective insect trails on the surface from which the feeder is hanging.

GP,
Those MB are territorial. They always seem to keep a lookout from the nearest telephone pole. I would put the feeder on the opposite side of the house from where the MB hangs out.

SD,
I know what you mean. They are quick.

L'Adelaide said...

hello mother nature! thank you for visiting my blog and commenting on my paintings and pictures. Your pictures are spectacular, the hummer and the lilies are beautiful....I have lots of hummers too and they are doing their war dance everyday. One teenager has decided he owns the whole courtyard and sits all day long on a branch and fights off every intruder into his little oasis! ...sigh...I would like to have a few more visit my TWO feeders in there, one hidden from the other to avoid this sort of thing...little beast!!

Rhonda said...

Sounds like your hummingbirds are as abundant as mine lately. I spend a lot of time refilling the feeders and yelling at them to stop bickering over them. I 've got several in the flower beds and it seems to help them find the flowers instead spending all of their time at the feeders. They love the agastache blue fortune. Thanks for faving me..It's nice to find other TN gardeners. You are west Highland Rim? We are South Middle TN in the Cumberlands.