First hummer

[MEGHAN]

Still nothing!!
What is going on..
I suggest to you Howie, that you and I go sit in that park across the street from you and find that nest.

[Howieh]

I see one or two males a day and yesterday at about 6pm a female appeared but she left before I could take a shot through my window, so I went outside and waited and sure enough she returned about ten minutes later. I grabbed a quick shot at the feeder and she flew into the bushes and posed for a few more lousy shots, but I haven't seen her since!! Another male appeared once this morning but so far that's it for today. One good thing about my recent visitors - they all headed for the woods across the street after visiting so maybe they're hanging around? Lots of honeysuckle now blooming, is that good or bad?

[MEGHAN]

Lots of honeysuckle now blooming, is that good or bad?

It's great!
Is that Honeysuckle from the garden or wild?

[Howieh]

Lots of honeysuckle now blooming, is that good or bad?

It's great!
Is that Honeysuckle from the garden or wild?

Both, in my neighbours yard and in Bestview Park, across the street. Anyway, I think she's finally here to stay; we got home after 8pm and she came back to the feeder at least 3 times before dark. Not enough light for stills so I tried the video on my SX50, used manual focus to prevent 'hunting' which worked ok but the video is underexposed. It will be interesting to see if she comes early tomorrow like she did all last summer.

[MEGHAN]

Finally!!!!
Female sighted off and on all day yesterday.    
Welcome back I said. It's about bloody time.

[Rotarran]

Congrats both of you!!  I bugged my friend who has a garden to get some flowers that may attract Hummingbirds lol  He listened to me and got some Foxgloves and some other ones I can't remember right now.  We couldn't find the Jewelweed/Forget me nots.  Perhaps those aren't readily sold at the big box store garden centres.

Well we'll see if we can spot some Hummers on those peach Foxgloves.  That sounds delicious, doesn't it?

[dizzy]

I saw my first hummer today at 6:15 am. Happy Birding! mike

[mr.sharp-photo]

got my, err, first hummer yesterday. as i told Meghan, i was outside potting tomato plants and i was using my AC fan as my table. my hummingbird feeder is positioned 5 feet away (so i can look out my kitchen window with false hope of a visitor). i was down to my last plant and it was 8:10 PM, when suddenly ZOOOOOMMMMM!, a hummer flies 4 feet from me and is sizing up my feeder. i stand perfectly still, not wanting to make eye contact. he hovered for a good 5 seconds, stared at me, flew off to the columbine i have near my fence, looked at it and left.

so....either i scared the shit out of it and he'll never come back or he knows i make the sweetest nectar in town and will be a regular.

[Howieh]

I looked out at about 6pm and there were two(!) females at my feeder; I was hoping 'Mad Max' (my regular male) would show up while they were there but no dice! But he did show up a few minutes later and made several visits until I lost sight of him in the darkness at exactly 9pm. When he hangs around he usually sits on the perches (broken branches) that I've set up for photographing other birds and the only way I can see him after sunset is when his gorget 'glows' in the dark! Yesterday I set up a chair about six feet from his perch and started taking flash pictures with my sx50. The first shot spooked him but he soon returned and sat like Mister Cool while I took several more shots!

It's really interesting watching how they behave depending on circumstance; if a female is at the feeder when he arrives she usually ignores him till she's finished, but if he's feeding when a female arrives he chases her away and then goes crazy, flying back and forth like a pendulum bob until he runs out of steam!! A few days ago he and a female were feeding at the same time at opposite flowers 'cause he obviously didn't see her (she was there first) when he arrived. Of course when she left first he took off after her like the macho guy he is!

[Howieh]

I stand corrected (I think?). Apparently that flying back and forth is part of the mating ritual and is supposed to impress the female - works for me!   well, ok, not really - I had to promise her a ring before anything good happened!

So Mad Max was back on his perch before 6am this morning and again this evening (too cold to go outside so I just watched from my window). He must have had a tough day because a couple of females came to feed while he was there and he just ignored them...or maybe he already had his way with them!!

[Raven11:11]

where do such small fragile birds sleep at night .. and preserve body heat? I only ever saw 1 in Canada in my time but spent my entire life out n about before I could walk. and computers were sold.

[mr.sharp-photo]

haven't had a returnee (as far as I'm aware of) since the initial visit.

jerks

[Howieh]

haven't had a returnee (as far as I'm aware of) since the initial visit.

jerks

During the day Mad Max (my male) is on a ten minute schedule so I don't really see him much until close to sunset but he tends to hang around after dark so last evening I took some (lousy) flash pictures. He's getting used to me being close to the feeder and he still comes over to chirp at me before feeding!

Females are another story; they are few and far between so I hope they are just busy raising the kids! Don't give up hope 'cause I'm sure yours will show up and remember - there's always Rosetta MG in September!

[mr.sharp-photo]

haven't had a returnee (as far as I'm aware of) since the initial visit.

jerks

During the day Mad Max (my male) is on a ten minute schedule so I don't really see him much until close to sunset but he tends to hang around after dark so last evening I took some (lousy) flash pictures. He's getting used to me being close to the feeder and he still comes over to chirp at me before feeding!

Females are another story; they are few and far between so I hope they are just busy raising the kids! Don't give up hope 'cause I'm sure yours will show up and remember - there's always Rosetta MG in September!

i even bought 3 salvia plants and spread them around the back yard. going for more tomorrow. stupid birds, wasting my money....

[Howieh]

It's raining cats and dogs and I think there's a tiny duck at my hummingbird feeder - no, wait, it's Mad Max! - crazy bird - would you fly in this weather? Obviously he has an IFR rating!