Hummingbirds 2015

Our hummingbirds are becoming active again after their brief time out for nesting.  I put fresh nectar in the feeders yesterday and this little one couldn't get enough ...

 

A few interesting facts I found about hummingbirds:

Hummingbirds are very intelligent, and are able to remember places and individual people from one year to the next. 

For a hummer that hatched during the summer, there's no memory of past migrations, only an urge to put on a lot of weight and fly in a particular direction for a certain amount of time, then look for a good place to spend the winter. Once it learns such a route, a bird may retrace it every year as long as it lives (just think about the "awesomeness" of that!).

The initial urge is triggered by the shortening length of sunlight as autumn approaches, and has nothing to do with temperature or the availability of food; in fact, hummingbirds migrate south at the time of greatest food abundance.

When the bird is fat enough, it migrates (most hummingbirds of the United States and Canada migrate south in fall to spend the winter in Mexico or Central America).

It's not necessary to take down feeders to force hummingbirds to leave, and in the fall all the birds at your feeder are already migrating anyway. Hummers can remember food sources from previous years, and if you remove your feeder, birds will just feed elsewhere, but may not bother to return to your yard the next year.

Hummingbird expert Lanny Chambers recommends continuing to maintain feeders until freezing becomes a problem.

Hummingbirds can fly right, left, up, down, backwards, and even upside down.

They do not spend all day flying, as the energy expended would be prohibitive; the majority of their activity consists simply of sitting or perching.

Hummingbirds feed in many small meals, consuming up to five times their own body weight in nectar each day. To do so, they must visit hundreds of flowers daily.

At any given moment, they are only hours away from starving. They spend an average of 10-15 percent of their time feeding and 75-80 percent sitting and digesting.

Hummingbird bills are long and tapered, perfectly suited for probing into the center of tubular flowers and feeders for the nectar, which they take up at the rate of about 13 licks a second. Often one can see long translucent tongues spilling out of their long beaks, licking the air, as they approach bright colored flowers.

It is very important to keep fresh sugar water in our feeders and keep them clean. Only white granulated sugar is proven safe to use in hummingbird feeders. A ratio of one cup sugar to four cups water is a common recipe. Boiling and then cooling this mixture before use is recommended to help deter the growth of bacteria.  The nectar should be changed every two or three days to ensure freshness.  

Sources:

Hummingbirds.net, by Lanny Chambers, St. Louis, Missouri
The Hummingbird Web Site, Larry & Terrie Gates
Wikipedia
Journey North Hummingbirds

Godspeed, Little Hummers

We've been enjoying the antics of our hummingbirds the past couple of weeks, as they zoom past us on the patio and swoop and chatter at each other, claiming and bravely defending their "territory" around the feeder. As summer fades into fall, it's time for them to prepare for their long journey south for the winter. This little guy looks as if he has been "preparing" for quite a while ... just look at that little tummy! What a little butterball ... Isn't he precious! I can't help but wonder if he is the same hummer in the pictures below that I captured in June. If he is, he was much thinner back then ... I have always loved hummingbirds, but didn't really know much about them until I did some research before I wrote this post (see sources below). The most amazing ... and endearing ... fact I learned was that hummingbirds are very intelligent, and are able to remember places and individual people from one year to the next. I love to think that my little friend in the pictures will be back to see us again next year. Here are some more interesting things I discovered about them: For a hummer that hatched during the summer, there's no memory of past migrations, only an urge to put on a lot of weight and fly in a particular direction for a certain amount of time, then look for a good place to spend the winter. Once it learns such a route, a bird may retrace it every year as long as it lives (just think about the "awesomeness" of that!). The initial urge is triggered by the shortening length of sunlight as autumn approaches, and has nothing to do with temperature or the availability of food; in fact, hummingbirds migrate south at the time of greatest food abundance. When the bird is fat enough, it migrates (most hummingbirds of the United States and Canada migrate south in fall to spend the winter in Mexico or Central America). It's not necessary to take down feeders to force hummingbirds to leave, and in the fall all the birds at your feeder are already migrating anyway. Hummers can remember food sources from previous years, and if you remove your feeder, birds will just feed elsewhere, but may not bother to return to your yard the next year. Hummingbird expert Lanny Chambers recommends continuing to maintain feeders until freezing becomes a problem. Hummingbirds need our help this time of year to provide a reliable source of nectar when flower blossoms are less abundant. Let's don't forget to keep fresh sugar water in our feeders and keep them clean. Only white granulated sugar is proven safe to use in hummingbird feeders. A ratio of one cup sugar to four cups water is a common recipe. Boiling and then cooling this mixture before use is recommended to help deter the growth of bacteria. A couple of days ago, my husband and I were sitting on our porch enjoying the late October afternoon, and a hummer came to the feeder, which was just a few feet away from us.  After drinking his fill of nectar, he flew toward me and just sort of hovered about a foot away from me, as if he was trying to tell me something.  I'd like to think that he was thanking us for the nectar we provided during the summer, and, perhaps, he was even trying to tell us 'goodbye.' Who knows ... that may not be just wishful thinking on my part. Soon this little fellow will be gone ... but through these pictures, he won't be forgotten.  I wish him Godspeed on his long journey and a safe return in the Spring. __________________ Sources: Hummingbirds.net, by Lanny Chambers, St. Louis, Missouri The Hummingbird Web Site, Larry & Terrie Gates Wikipedia Journey North Hummingbirds

How Great Thou Art Moments

Our Chaste Tree is in full bloom now, and has never been prettier!

 

One of my favorite landscaping trees, the Chaste Tree, has gorgeous blue spiky blooms during late spring and summer.  The flowers grow in 6"-12" spikes, and our tree blooms two or three times during the summer months.

Some of you may know the Chaste Tree as Texas Lilac, or Lilac Chaste Tree, because its blossoms are reminiscent of the common lilac.

It's a sprawling plant that can grow to be 10-20 feet tall and about as wide.

Butterflies, hummingbirds, and bumblebees love the bright blue blossoms ... and I was delighted to see this little guy happily flitting from blossom to blossom, practically ignoring me and my camera.

Although he was keeping an eye on me, he didn't seem to mind having his picture taken.

He couldn't get enough of the nectar ... and I was delighted to have the opportunity to capture him as he darted from blossom to blossom.

He was a happy, happy, happy little hummer!

The next picture is my favorite. His delicate, gossamer wings are truly awe-inspiring.

I like this picture, too ... I don't see hummers with their beaks open very often.

Bumblebees love Chaste trees, too ... and will even spend the night on the flowers. However, when I took these pictures, they were too busy gathering pollen to bother me.

As I snapped pictures of the bees, I noticed that this little fellow had "globs" (for lack of a better word) of what appeared to be pollen attached to his back legs.

I was curious about how a little bumblebee could carry that much pollen around on his legs and still be able to fly, so I turned to a blogger's best friend, Google, and discovered an amazing thing:

A bumblebee's legs are covered with sticky hairs that help it collect pollen.  Hollow holders on the outside of each back leg, called pollen baskets, are yellow to red when full of pollen, as shown by this sketch by Sheri Amsel ( Bumblebee: Exploring Nature ).

I think this little guy's pollen baskets were about to "runneth over!"

As I captured these pictures ... of the chaste tree, and the hummingbird, and the bumblebee ... I couldn't help but experience several "How Great Thou Art" moments.

Who ... but God ... could have created such an awesome tree -- its glory and beauty brightening the hot summer months, and its glorious blossoms a nourishing source of nectar and pollen for the smallest of His creatures.

O, Lord, my God,

When I in awesome wonder,

Consider all Thy hands have made ...  

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,

How great Thou art,

How great Thou art!

I wish you a week filled with God's Grace and countless "How Great Thou Art" moments.  They are everywhere, if we just take the time to "see" and appreciate them.

Welcome Back, Hummers!

Our hummingbirds are back!  The first one appeared Monday morning and yesterday another one joined him, or her ... and they are already fighting over the feeder!

It has been cold and rainy and I haven't been able to capture any pictures yet, but I hope to this weekend.  Here are some of my favorites from the past.  I wonder if any of these are the ones who are here now?  I like to think so.

I love this closeup of a hummer sticking his (or her) tongue out ...

(I really need to research how to tell the boys from the girls!)

Look at those sweet little feet!

I hope you have some hummers wherever you are.  Here's the recipe for making safe hummingbird nectar:

• Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water and bring to a boil.
• Cool and fill feeder.
• Extra sugar water may be stored in a refrigerator.
• Red dye should not be added.

I'm so looking forward to capturing some new pictures for my hummingbird collection, and hope to share them soon.

A Last Goodbye

I looked out our kitchen windows early yesterday morning expecting to see an empty branch in the Bay Magnolia tree where our faithful little hummingbird usually sits. I had mixed emotions, knowing I would miss the little fellow if he was gone, but it was 37 degrees outside, and I hoped he had begun his long journey south for the winter. But he was there ... huddled on his little branch ... his feathers all fluffed up to keep him warm. I stood and watched him for a few minutes, and even talked to him, telling him I was glad to see him, but it was time for him to go. He sat there for a long time, perched on his branch near the feeder, as if he came to say 'goodbye.' I looked for him all during the day, but never saw him again. I wish him Godspeed on his journey south, and hope he will find his way back to us next summer. I'll be waiting and watching for him ...

Feed Them and They Will Come

I hung my hummingbird feeder from a tree in our courtyard late yesterday afternoon, and this morning I was thrilled see our first hummer. When I saw him, I ran to get my camera, but before I could focus on him, he flew away. That's okay, though, because I know he'll be back ... and, perhaps, he will bring some friends. I'm looking forward to getting some new pictures to add to my "hummingbird collection," so I hope they won't mind me "staking them out." Oh, I almost forgot! Do you see the little bird sitting on the birdhouse in the background? I'm not sure what kind of bird it is, but he and his mate have been very busy building a nest in the house, and I hope to capture some pictures of their babies, too, in and amongst capturing the hummers. Isn't Spring wonderful!