Hummingbirds

[TW]

Seeing this made me wonder if Ben's wren might be back to setup house in his shoe again this year.
This lady lives in a Hummingbird fly zone. As they migrated, about 20 of them were in her yard. She took the little red dish, filled it with sugar water and this is the result.
She lives in Pine, Louisiana - she has been studying them daily and one morning put the cup from the feeder, with water in it, in her hand; as they had gotten used to her standing by the feeder they came over to her hand. She says in touching they are as light as a feather.

[NewCaneyFishingLady]

That is so cool!! I keep bird feeders out for all the birds and have found out that if I wear a red shirt outside, I better duck. Those little birds can run in to you while they are chasing others away from the feeder. That is neat that they are all there on her hand.

[TW]

I know exactly what you mean......I feed birds, squirrels and I don't know what all else...........I really enjoy watching them with all their squabbling and carrying on.......
I've always thought that hummingbirds were neat but there's a whole bunch that I didn't know about them..........they're the only bird that can fly backwards..........they're only hours from starving to death at any given time because of the calories they have to burn flying........really interesting little birds.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummingbird

[gator]

thanks i like those pictures

[Gentleben]

I had to take my feeders dwon cause i had one stik his bik in my ear!!:lighting: with my red uniform, i must have resemble a big red flower!!!!!!!!!

NO i threw the shoe away!!

[waterspout]

http://www.abigailsings.com/hummingbirds/

[Ole Bill]

hummers they are fiesty ill tempered meaner than a stripped spider and stingy as all get out but i love everyone of them. they are easy to get to your hands if you put sugar water out mainly because they lack any fear of you. they are so fast and manuverable they dont worry bout cats or you for that matter. once they are use to you its just a matter of time before you get them to your hands if you have the patients to sit quite and not move around once they are use to you and sitting on your hands its not unusual to caress them on the their breast but they wont stand still for a finger or your hand hovering over the top of them. i put feeders out every year and make pets out of the resident birds. and bens right they will go for your ear nose and hover right at eye level and look at you. they are amazing creatures and please if you put out feeders please use the prepared mixes you can get at pet shops and even wal mart. these mixes are fortified with all the vitamins and electrolytes along with the calories these little critters need to survive. those who put out plain sugar water dont know that they are starving these little darling slowly to death. like TW said they are only hours away from starvation at any time in their life. one of the best vines to plant for them is the orange colored trumpet vine. these flowers are often called natures hummingbird feeder.

[TW]

Thanks for the tips Bill...........I have a friend that has feeders out that he was telling me that these were some pretty ill tempered little critters.......said they fight amongst themselves quite a bit but are a hoot to watch. I'm gonna buy a feeder and some nectar mix (the right kind of course per Bills instructions) this week and put it up this coming Friday. I love to take pictures so maybe I'll have something interesting to post on here if I get some hummers to coming in.

[Ole Bill]

Thanks the tips Bill...........I have a friend that has feeders out that he was telling me that these were some pretty ill tempered little critters.......said they fight amongst themselves quite a bit but are a hoot to watch. I'm gonna buy a feeder and some nectar mix (the right kind of course per Bills instructions) this week and put it up this coming Friday. I love to take pictures so maybe I'll have something interesting to post on here if I get some hummers to coming in.red orange and yellow seem to be the best colors to attract them in that specific order. the reason that its so important to feed the prepared mixes is that plain sugar lacks the proper nutrients for them and they burn up their energy and nesting time running to the feeder. being highly territorial their are always some who will not get enough and you know what happerns then. they are funny creatures of habit. if there is a food source available they will not fly anywhere in search of natural foods. they will homestead close to the feeder and depend on that. as they are also migratory birds its important to take the feeders down right about fall so they will leave to their southern ranges. hummingbirds that are indigenous to this area will find the winters to harsh here and the northern most birds use a different flyway for their migration. another thing TW it doesnt matter to much where you hang the feeders as long as they are out of direct sunlight in the afternoon. sunlight makes the nectar ferment quicker and this causes molds in it that are not good for the birds. the best way to feed is only small amounts that can be readily used in 2 to 3 days then wash and refill the feeder. this is important and you can store the nectar in the refrigerator for some time

[NewCaneyFishingLady]

Thanks Bill....That's some good info!

[TW]

I hope that we don't have any of these kinds of bats around here.........I like bats okay but I don't want to be touching anything that they been fooling with......

http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2006/10/11/tucsons-hummingbird-feeder-bats/

[Ole Bill]

I hope that we don't have any of these kinds of bats around here.........I like bats okay but I don't want to be touching anything that they been fooling with......

http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2006/10/11/tucsons-hummingbird-feeder-bats/ here ya go TW
C. mexicana is found in the southwestern United States through Mexico to El Salvador and Honduras. In the United States, it occurs primarily in southern California (the San Diego area), southern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and the southern tip of Texas. It has also been collected in the Grand Canyon National Park, in northern Arizona, with a single record from Las Vegas, Nevada. but dont worry about them those little critters are nectar feeders and unlikely to carry rabies although rabies can be found in any mammalian just wash your hands with a good anti bacterial soap dawn dish soap is a good one and there wont be any problems. the only time you will see them is at night and they are just as amusing as hummers and really quite harmless. just dont try ta catch em

[TW]

That's good to know...........you don't have to worry about me trying to catch em.........I do my best to steer clear of bats and snakes.
Thanks for all the good info Bill..........my hummer feeder is going up this coming weekend.

[Ole Bill]

That's good to know...........you don't have to worry about me trying to catch em.........I do my best to steer clear of bats and snakes.
Thanks for all the good info Bill..........my hummer feeder is going up this coming weekend.good fer you have fun with it