Now, I just need the birds!

[jeff kushner]

I added a couple of low hanging hummingbird feeders and was happy to see at least one of them being used.

Of course none were present when I want them to be but with them lower, the views of them will be better.

 

[Yvonne G]

In my opinion you're just asking for neighborhood cats to come to dinner.

 

[jeff kushner]

Cats don't do well around here, we have lots of fox and they seem to keep the cats away, or as dinner. I'll adapt if I need to.....so thanks for the heads-up.

We'll see, I set my game cam at the watering hole on the side of the house this morning and ordered two more game cams for the backyard/deck. It will be like Christmas reviewing the cards! LOL

 

[jeff kushner]

This was a fun pic, sucks as a picture but just as I took my phone out to take a pic of a hawk laying full-spread on the ground (it's 90F)in the clearing back in the woods, a ruby throated hummingbird appeared. The phone didn't have a chance to get a decent pic but you can see him to the right of the feeder. We can't see the hawk at all but it was a White Tail. He wasn't covering a kill so I was surprised he was "splooting" in the sun instead of the shade.

 

[Cathie G]

My feeders are hung strange too. I haven't seen neighborhood feral cats be able to catch a single bird or the hawk that hangs out here either so far.😊 I've seen them try though.😉

 

[jeff kushner]

"strange"? No, just low enough to photograph from the top instead of from the bottom like my higher feeders force me to do.

Checked the game cam yesterday.....forgot to make sure it was on....oops! LOL

 

[EricW]

I have hummingbirds nearly year round in my yard. In the winter, I catch a glimpse of one here and there, but they do not hang out at my in the winter, but otherwise are here on an hour by hour basis. I had to put up decals on our windows because during peak migration in the spring and fall, they are constantly running into my windows and some die from it.

What many do not know is 80% of their diet is insects and not nectar. I have seen them hover in a swarm of gnats and like in the cartons, looks like they are using their beak like a sword as they snatch up the gnats. I am sure they are also good at getting mosquitos during the short bit they over lap in activity. I have yet to find a nest but am sure they are nesting somewhere around me and I assume in my yard. It's a life goal to one day see a nest in my yard and see a pair of babies raised. Hummingbirds are one of my favorites. I stopped feeding them some years ago, but I keep a plethora of plants for them to stick around and there are plenty of insects to feed their young.

Have fun, maybe this will be you next haha. (picture from the web, not me)

 

[Cathie G]

I have hummingbirds nearly year round in my yard. In the winter, I catch a glimpse of one here and there, but they do not hang out at my in the winter, but otherwise are here on an hour by hour basis. I had to put up decals on our windows because during peak migration in the spring and fall, they are constantly running into my windows and some die from it.

What many do not know is 80% of their diet is insects and not nectar. I have seen them hover in a swarm of gnats and like in the cartons, looks like they are using their beak like a sword as they snatch up the gnats. I am sure they are also good at getting mosquitos during the short bit they over lap in activity. I have yet to find a nest but am sure they are nesting somewhere around me and I assume in my yard. It's a life goal to one day see a nest in my yard and see a pair of babies raised. Hummingbirds are one of my favorites. I stopped feeding them some years ago, but I keep a plethora of plants for them to stick around and there are plenty of insects to feed their young.

Have fun, maybe this will be you next haha. (picture from the web, not me)

View attachment 358774

I got to see one poop the other day... it was hilarious. You're seeing this beautiful little fairy dancer and then it does that 🤣🤗 and I've watched a couple fall in love on my clothes line but I've not seen a nest yet either. 🤞

 

[Cathie G]

"strange"? No, just low enough to photograph from the top instead of from the bottom like my higher feeders force me to do.

Checked the game cam yesterday.....forgot to make sure it was on....oops! LOL

Well... my feeders are hung so close together that the situation winds up being strange. They either get along or they can't eat.🙃 and all that has to do with camera stuff too. I'm the one feeding them for free. They owe me at least a picture.

 

[jeff kushner]

I finally took the camera out for a few shots;

She was very accommodating by feeding for nearly 45 seconds before departing!

As always, right-click & "open in new tab" to see the best pics


,

 

[jeff kushner]

I've got a gorgeous ruby-throated but I'll wait till it's sunny to capture the iridescent colors.

 

[Cathie G]

I love those pictures nice 👍 the hummingbird I have here is never iridescent. She's always a dull green no matter what. I still feel privileged to have the little visitor. This year's resident hummingbird is tiny. She zooms in and out but doesn't perch on the nectar feeder like last years hummers did. Maybe she will if she gets fat and sassy.🤗

 

[jeff kushner]

Finally got a few of the male


This was @ 3,200fps & too late in the evening....


Better @1,000fps

The female drops it too!

 

[Cathie G]

Finally got a few of the male

View attachment 359451
This was @ 3,200fps & too late in the evening....

View attachment 359452
Better @1,000fps
View attachment 359453
The female drops it too!
View attachment 359454

Beautiful. I want to share a feeder though that I use. They're pretty cheap. I bought 3 at Walmart. If you're feeding more than a couple you can string them together I'll have to get a picture of my new young lady finally getting fat enough to perch on it. Here's the thing though, They also don't have yellow on them which draws bee's. 🤗

 

[jeff kushner]

Sad to say Ms Cathie but other than the breeding swarm of bumblebees under my sunroom in May, I haven't seen many bees this year. I like those little feeders! They look really easy to use!

Mine are going through 2 cups of nectar per week now. 3 different birds, maybe 4. I took some more pics remotely yesterday with the tripod 16" from the feeder. I leave it out all day even after removing the camera so they get used to it being close. I'll post them this evening....didn't sleep much the day before so I ran out of gas early.

I have new respect for "Camera people" and what it takes to take pics @20,000-25,000 fps. Light, LOTS of light.....even indirect sunlight isn't enough! If I can get it bright enough, it should yield some great shots though. I realized too late that at that range, I might want to activate the flash! LOL

 

[Cathie G]

Sad to say Ms Cathie but other than the breeding swarm of bumblebees under my sunroom in May, I haven't seen many bees this year. I like those little feeders! They look really easy to use!

Mine are going through 2 cups of nectar per week now. 3 different birds, maybe 4. I took some more pics remotely yesterday with the tripod 16" from the feeder. I leave it out all day even after removing the camera so they get used to it being close. I'll post them this evening....didn't sleep much the day before so I ran out of gas early.

I have new respect for "Camera people" and what it takes to take pics @20,000-25,000 fps. Light, LOTS of light.....even indirect sunlight isn't enough! If I can get it bright enough, it should yield some great shots though. I realized too late that at that range, I might want to activate the flash! LOL

I really recommend them. They hold 10ozs and wash so easy. I use 2 and just fill the clean one and bring the old in to wash. My batch of nectar of three cups lasts about 9 days. I only have two at the most hummingbirds right now. My little one is getting big enough to perch now.