NIce.   

   Lucky you!

  First hummingbird of the season!   

Small Calliope spotted at my feeder. 

better keep the cats away

Have one of wife’s new hanging flower baskets near back patio and a Ruby throat Hummer is feeding.

So now a batch of syrup is cooling and will be placed outside within the next couple hours. 

The earliest I have seen one in my area.

I've got my Calliope at my feeder right now!   

I love these little characters. 

better keep the cats away

The neighbor has a cat that stalks the birds at the feeders!   

The neighbor has a cat that stalks the birds at the feeders!   

Unfortunately some cat owners believe it is OK to allow their cat outside to hunt & kill at will.  I believe it is quite wrong.  I'm sure they wouldn't like it if a dog killed their cat, and that is much the same thing as a cat killing native birds, lizards and other wildlife.

I guess you have to take extra care with where and how you place your bird feeders so cats can't get to the birds.

The neighbor has a cat that stalks the birds at the feeders!   

Better put a cowbell on his collar.

Constant parade of Hummers, starting at nbasket of Million Bells, then Geraniums in front of Bay Window, then to Feeder #1, and last to Feeder # 2.


I suspect these are first wave migratory Trail Blazers, but will see if pattern continues through the week end.

The neighbor has a cat that stalks the birds at the feeders!   

That's why there's sling shots. For neighbors cats.   

Unfortunately some cat owners believe it is OK to allow their cat outside to hunt & kill at will.  I believe it is quite wrong.  I'm sure they wouldn't like it if a dog killed their cat, and that is much the same thing as a cat killing native birds, lizards and other wildlife.

I guess you have to take extra care with where and how you place your bird feeders so cats can't get to the birds.

  We have wild cats in the area as well as peoples cats that roam free.  I've made sure to place their feeder so not only cats but prey birds cannot get to the Humming birds.  So far so good. 

Saw the first Rufous hummingbird of the year.

I thought these showed up a bit later in the Summer, but we are now seeing both the Calliope and Rufous. The Rufous are more showy and dramatic and add an extra layer of fun.

Nice.  Gave a thorough clean out of my feeder last night.  When I refill I wash with hot water before I refill.  Once a month I scrub it new. 

Same here. 

I always give the feeder a good rinse with hot water with each refill. Just to keep it from developing sugar crystals or mildew.

Spotted this Calliope when I was checking on the nectar level in the feeder (low!):

Nice picture.  Little bugger didn't even have time to stand. 

I think I made him nervous.   

I've got a pair of Calliopes dueling around the feeder this morning.

Full-on buzzing and lazer blaster sounds.

I can't tell who's winning......

They are quite the spectacle when chasing each other.   

Still lots of activity at my feeder.  Its also been fun watching them catch gnats.  The tree the feeder is in is full so I can barely see them at the feeder but it offers cover for them while they feed.  Around this time huge spider webs in and around the tree but the hummers navigate them very well.  I've wondered if they'd be able to fly thru them or if the webs would cause trouble for them? 

Nice!

Our Humming birds seem to have left.....


(I saw that in the South West there is an unexplained bird die-off, including some humming birds.  )

The feeders in my yard have been extremely busy the first two weeks in September, then nothing.  Now several visitors daily since Wednesday.


My thoughts are that the regulars stocked up then left.  And now the northern migrants are no moving through on the way south. 


Feeders will stay out till no more activity seen. 

We visited a friend at their cottage over the summer and....

Holy crap, I have never seen so many hummingbirds in one place!

They had a half dozen feeders, and there were never any less than 5 or 6 at a feeder at any one time.

No decent pics to show for it, but they were amazing to watch.

Def

 

I had a client who also had lots of humming birds feed at her feeders.  I'm being entertained by mine.  I just refilled the nectar earlier.  Theyre great and I'm so happy they finally found me. 

Ours have headed South.....

Hope to see them next Spring!   

Over the last couple weeks I've noticed the hummingbirds havent been as active at the feeder.  I cleaned a refilled and while I see and hear the occasional bird its not as frequent.