Hummingbirds Attracting and Photography

We used to have 8 feeders full time around our house and in the evening, I could count 20 birds at each feeder. I made our own food as the red dye isn't good for them.

4 parts water to one part sugar, heat to boiling and let cool.

During the busiest season, I made a gallon or so a day!

Anyway, spacedoubt asked about them and suggested I might want to make a thread about attracting and photographing hummingbirds. So, any input is welcome!

We have a Mexican sage that they love and really, any bright colored flower will attract them. I like just about any kind of feeder, as long as it has red or yellow on it.

Here's one on the Mexican Sage. He's right in the middle of the picture.



And here's another one at a feeder.



Would love to see your pictures, hear your tips, etc!

Here are some pictures that I took at our other place. They aren't digital. Sorry about the quality, but you can see how many we had.

They were friendly, too!

Those are fantastic pics! I can't believe there are so many around the feeder at one time. Wow! I have one feeder, I also make our own the same way. But, our resident hummingbirds (seems to be two of them) are very territorial and spend most of their time chasing the others away.

Rush

Those are awesome BH!


There are lots if them around my new place.
They just don't make pit stops in my backyard.

My wife wants to be able to watch them close up, and I'd like to try my hand at some high speed photography..A win-win situation. I'll be setting up some feeders this weekend.

Does it take them a while to learn about new feeder locations?

Originally posted by spacedoubt
My wife wants to be able to watch them close up,

I'd suggest some of the feeders that suction onto the window. They give an up close view. You can put them at eye level and just stand still and watch them 6 inches from your face.

and I'd like to try my hand at some high speed photography..

I can't wait to see this!

Does it take them a while to learn about new feeder locations?

Probably a couple days, just like any birds. Just make sure they're visible from the sky. It's best to put them up before they arrive in the Spring, but if you have birds around your house, they'll probably hit on your feeders.

Another thing. You don't want the feed to ferment. So don't fill it full until you have a lot of birds coming and empty and clean the feeders every 4 days. Store unused food in the frig.

One really neat thing is the mating ritual. They swoop in a HUGE U-shape, going up in the sky and turning like a dive-bomber to swoop down almost to the ground and then circle up again. It's amazing!

Good luck and I can't wait to see your pictures!

Those are amazing pictures, BH! (i really like the one with the humming bird in, i assume your husband's, hand)

Good stuff!

We've tried to get humming birds at our house too. No luck.

I guess they dont much care for the Illinois climate?




[edit on 8/1/2008 by Andrew E. Wiggin]

Originally posted by Andrew E. Wiggin
Those are amazing pictures, BH! (i really like the one with the humming bird in, i assume your husband's, hand)

Actually, it's my hand. One of the down sides of feeding birds (any kind) is that they sometimes hit a window, thinking it's a through-way. Sometimes, they knock themselves a little dizzy. They can go into shock and can die if not cared for. I've taken many in my hands to warm and protect while they came back around. That little guy flew away shortly after that picture.

Unfortunately, not all of them make it. I've had one die in my hands. Too sad... But I also caught one by hand who was trapped in our garage and couldn't find the wide open double door. They're not the brightest creatures.

I guess they dont much care for the Illinois climate?

They're just about everywhere in the US. Here's a page with Migration Information

Illinois -- Ruby-throats usually arrive in April. They are usually gone after the end of September.

A Migration Map of the Eastern US is found at this site.

Cool pics

Here on the east coast we have 1 species, the ruby-throated hummingbird.

It is funny to see these tiny birds argue over who gets the nectar

Here's a few of the one's I have taken so far this year..

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


I was not insinuating the hand looked manly - so please dont think that.

I had assumed you were the photographer, and since the hand seems to be attached to an arm of someone on the opposite side of the camera, i just figured it'd be your husband...


just to clear that up

No problem, Andrew. I'm surprised you could tell it's a hand as unfocused as the picture is!

Jack, what great pictures! This thread is making me want to hang a few feeders out again!

hummingbats?

These aren't birds..but they like the same snacks.



Here's the page..lots of bat photos there too.
fireflyforest.net...


BH, ever have any nectar feeding bats show up?

BTW, we're going out tomorrow to pick up the feeders. Probably three..
Two right next to windows, and a third to hang off the fence.

reply to post by spacedoubt


Eeeww. Not quite as cute as hummingbirds. No, I never saw any coming to our feeders. Thankfully. (Sorry, I just think they're a little creepy.)

Congrats on the new feeders. Cant wait to hear more and see pictures!

ok,
I was able to get two of them up Yesterday.
They're both the vacuum bottle type.
Both also have a perching area.

I boiled up a batch of "go-juice" using BH's Recipe.
So far the H'birds are taking their old path through the yard, I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they discover the new feeders.

BTW, Jack, those are great pics too...Those Are the ones I am most familiar with, having grown up in the East..

Well, they are starting to arrive.

Pretty skittish still, but they are getting used to me being out there.
these two photos were taken from a long distance with telephoto.

I've got 2 feeders out there. They must be visiting a lot, because they almost drained them dry in 3 days.

Here's what I have so far..

Excellent pics BH and SD!

Adorable little things. I love hummingbirds. They're all over the place down here and I enjoy sitting on my front porch with a morning cup of coffee watching them flutter around.

Edit: And KJM, too. Sorry. I thought you and SD were one and the same at first. I saw the blue avatar out of the corner of my eye and that was it.

[edit on 8/8/2008 by AshleyD]

reply to post by spacedoubt


We used to sit outside a lot around the feeders and just let them get used to feeding while we were there. Great pictures. Fun, isn't it?

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Yep, that's exactly what we're doing, even bringing the dogs out.
One of which is totally fascinated by them.
It's interesting to see just how territorial they are. Even to the point of purposeful mid-air collisions, followed by a sound I'd describe as a mouse barking..Really funny..

Ok now we're getting somewhere.

Seems like they're starting to get used to me, and aren't spooked by my movements.

Too bad I cant see these beautiful birds as I live in the city.:shk::bash::bnghd:

Oh! Those are great! I see a Rufous (sp?) there. I used to know all of them!