My long weeks of keeping my new hummingbird feeder filled and fresh and unmoldy seem to have paid off. I think the thing’s been hanging there since February, unused and unvisited.
This is probably the same male Anna’s hummingbird that divebombed Thistle the other day, driving him under the bearded iris leaves, and then surveyed his newfound domain from the top of the grape arbor. Thistle flinches now when he hears that characteristic little “svetchasvetchasvetch” hummer territory call.
Public Service Announcement: you do know, you hummer enthusiasts out there, that the red dye in commercial hummingbird feeder mix is neither necessary nor recommended, do you not? It’s cheaper and better for the birds if you make your own food. Four parts water to one part white table sugar, boil the water first, then mix in the sugar and stir until it’s completely dissolved, fill your (cleaned and rinsed) feeder and refrigerate the rest. Don’t use honey or maple syrup or brown sugar. They get their minerals and vitamins, protein fat and such from eating insects. The sugar is fuel to allow them to find, hunt, and consume said insects.
And on that note: though the little guys can hover just fine while feeding, it’s better if they can perch, as Thistle’s nemesis is doing here in this grainy, blurry, over-enlarged and Photoshop-sharpened image. This allows them to conserve energy for hunting and staying warm.
Just got back from New Mexico where my cousin had broad-tails at her feeders—no mistaking *them* when they come roaring in like jets…
Metaphors from my life:
Thoroughbred racehorses are Art that walks around on four legs.
Red foxes are delicate, perfect little gemstones, with fur.
Hummingbirds are jewelry, but with wings.
poor thistle!
we get a few hummingbirds coming around, despite lacking a feeder. they especially like a fast-growing bush in front with purple flowers [which i ought to positively ID one of these days].
we put out a bird-feeder for finches. ever few days, it is all caddy-wampus, the little roof off center from the main part—i think the squirrels try to invade.
I love watching these little birds. Of course, there are almost too many at my grandparents house. They keep adding more feeders - they are up to four now, I think, and there are hummers going through there all day, and there’ll be dozens of them there at a time.
Hummingbirds are some aggressive little motherfuckers.