|
Post by terriberri69 on Aug 7, 2012 17:53:14 GMT -5
I have a question. What kind of hummingbird is pictured on the opening page, right above the little boy feeding some.....the picture above....what is that?
It looks like the bigger of the 2 that come here. All white underneath but darkbrown/greenish on top.
I must also admit, I'm full on jelous of my neighbor lady. She reports the little hummer of the 2 (that I've only ever seen twice) has visited her shrimp plants again.
What's wrong with my shrimp plants?!
I bought a new feeder today with a perch.
Waiting & watching.........
Also, what's that bird?
T~
|
|
|
Post by Steve Backes on Aug 8, 2012 7:07:51 GMT -5
The birds in the photos are (upper left) an adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, (upper right) an adult female Ruby-throated Hummingbird, (bottom left) a first year male Rufous Hummingbird - photo taken in December, and (bottom right) my son releasing the same young male pictured on the left after banding - technically a second year bird as it was banded in January.
Females may appear a little larger than males but in this case, I believe the size is more an issue of being closer to the female.
I can't say for sure regarding your shrimp plants but individual plants may vary some especially with differences in water, light, and soil. It may also be that they have visited your plants when you weren't looking.
Steve
|
|
|
Post by terriberri69 on Aug 8, 2012 14:22:58 GMT -5
Thank you for the reply.
I am almost certain that my bigger hummer is a female ruby throated. She's white underneath & looks like a twin of the bird in that pic. AND...I'm happy to report the little fella was feeding on my brand new feeder today!
So I've seen him 3 times now! ;D.
Here's the aggravating part...I bought the new feeder because it had perches in front of the flower openings. I figured a perched bird was certainly easier to photograph than one going lightning speed. But not my little fella. He hit 3 of the openings to feed but would never perch. Instead flew up into my tangerine tree & sat. So much for that idea.
And the pic of your son releasing a hummer....how cute!
|
|
|
Post by hummingbird231 on Aug 9, 2012 7:47:24 GMT -5
Terri, What kind of feeder did you get? I have one they will not use at all, but they do use the others I have. Linda
|
|
|
Post by moboston on Aug 9, 2012 12:42:43 GMT -5
It may be a bird that has never used a feeder and it may take it a few days to realize that it can sit. Perhaps if it sees the one other using the perch, it will follow suit. I have seen it happen before.
|
|
|
Post by terriberri69 on Aug 9, 2012 19:42:41 GMT -5
I have decided to line all three different feeders up above the shrimp plants. All 3 are hanging from my gutters, lol.
2 of the three feeders have places to land.
I admit, I didn't look much today but I know they've been here & I hope they like the new line up tomorrow.
I'm emailings pics of the three diff feeders as I haven't figured out how to post them on the sight yet.
Gotta tell ya, I'm a lizard person. I feed lizards. I kept a 5 foot iguana happily for years. My house is like the movie Ben but with Lizards. 3 diiferent kinds! ;D They come OUT to be fed. Birds....., I don't know much. But I like em.
My neighbor ladies feed the local Sandhills. Their yard is a hottly contested 'space'. I could list a BUNCH of species that have pasted thru our yards (I've even hand fed a hawk) but the hummers are cool. I'm addicted. 1 week & 3 feeders. (Cleaned every other day).
Very, very cool.
|
|
|
Post by hummingbird231 on Aug 11, 2012 9:00:40 GMT -5
;D Terri, So happy you are excited about your hummingbirds. I'm the same way. So glad you are changing your nectar every other day it's really important in this heat. When they first started coming to my yard, I researched everything I could, and planted everything to get them to wanna come back. I'm obsessed and It's wonderful. Linda
|
|
|
Post by terriberri69 on Aug 12, 2012 15:43:58 GMT -5
Linda~ I TOO have researched everything, am looking for & am planting everything, am too obsessed & it IS AWESOME!
;D Terri
|
|
|
Post by terriberri69 on Aug 13, 2012 19:04:37 GMT -5
A quick note....I'd never presume to know ANYTHING about hummers, I'm NEW. However, I have worked in the Publix Deli Dept for years so I KNOW how to keep things clean... That said, I have read other posts & other forums & to those people who think 'waiting until it's cloudy' is when to change it.....people, that's WAYYYYYYYYY too late. Would you drink it if it's cloudy? The steps you'd have to go thru to get it back to good, ........no, I do not have a dishwasher..... My Hunny makes fun of me every other night (as he helps me) take down my 'hummer dishes'.....every other night..... ;D I wouldn't feed it to my Lizard if I wouldn't eat it, I wouldn't offer it to my hummers to drink if I wouldn't drink it..... I'm just weird like that. May I mention.....I believe I have the male version of my female ruby throated as a frequent visitor. ;D Told my Hunny I wanted motion detector cameras on my feeders (off to store in AM to get new one)....he rolled his eyes. LOL, ;D Obsessed. T~Spring Hill
|
|