All About Hummingbirds - Resources, Videos, & More!

[HomesteaderWife]

Come join me for the premiere!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

No hummingbirds to report for us yet, but we have two feeders out with nectar and ready to go for any arrivals. I have a game camera on one in hopes maybe it will alert us to an arrival!

For now, I hope people will benefit from learning more about different hummingbird feeders and their pros and cons. I have made a review video for the Dollar Tree hummingbird feeders - growing in popularity due to their wide availability and cheapness. Before you buy, please listen to some personal experience and tips!

 

[Windrider]

The park where I do my dog agility training has lots of bottlebrush trees, which the hummers love. I've already been seeing some courting/territorial displays from the Allen's and Anna's there.

My home feeders are mostly visited by a resident pair of Allen's with the occasional visit from an Annas, but I've seen a Rufus passing through already on his way north. A visit from a black chin or Costas is a rare treat. Once my fuchsias get blooming, more hummers come around, since the two Allen's can't guard ALL the fuchsias at once!

I've seen Calliopes while on hikes in the Sierras. I thought they were bumblebees at first, they are so small!

There has been an Allen's brood raised by my front porch for many years now, sometimes attached to a palm frond, sometimes in the Japanese maple. Once RIGHT on the front porch attached to my potted Hoya vine.

 

[Windrider]

These are the only decent pictures I’ve ever taken of my hummers, including the deceased one I found
View attachment 2630059

Aww, this deceased little guy looks like a Black Chin, rather than a Costas. I don't think hummers get preyed on much, but they can get themselves into trouble. A couple years back, I rescued a female Anna's that was flopping around on the ground at our dog agility park. Somehow she got something sticky on her, then got herself tangled in long dog hairs. It took me about half an hour to painstakingly unwrap her with tweezers and scissors from our first aid kit. Gave her a drink of sugar water and she managed to fly off afterwards.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Guess who's here? Our game camera provided a valuable look at some fun news today.
The Ruby-throated are officially here!

 

[Windrider]

Found this little Costa's female on a nest while visiting Palm Springs this weekend. There were two male Costa's engaged in a dog fight nearby, but they were too fast to get a picture.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@Windrider - What a beautiful and interesting little nesting spot, wow!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Check out this amazing, interesting video from Hummingbird Spot. I missed it happening live, but wow. I had no clue spiders could behave this way around nestlings:

No hummers harmed in video, they were just fine!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Hearing more reports today of Ruby-throated migrations - they're in Canada now! Alaska is preparing for their hummer migrators too.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Hi! I've never been on this thread before, but I love hummingbirds! Our first ones began coming to the feeders in early May, after the last frost date. We have black-chinned and Rufous, mainly.
Calliope:

Rufous:

Black-Chinned: