Hummingbirds

[Tony S]

This shot is from back in April of 2008. Haven't had them hanging around like this since then. Last year the most we saw at the feeder was 4 at a time, this year we are only up to two so far. Hopefully the action gets crazy like it was for this photo.

The feeder sits right outside our living room window so we get to watch them all day from inside or sit on the front porch and take the risk of getting dive bombed.

 

[nofotomojo]

Holy cow! If I'm not mistaken those are Rufus Hummingbirds. At my feeder I have one guarding the food who wont let the rest, regardless of species, near the feeder. Great capture, I cant wait till they start showing up here on the east side.

Paul

 

[Leia]

That looks like one humdinger of a PARTY!!!!!

 

[Tony S]

Yep, those are the rufus. So far this year I still have Annas hanging around, but once the rufus arrive I will seldom see them.

 

[JaniceL]

That is a whole bunch of hummers. They are so territorial around my feeder that the most I have is one who lays claim to it and fends the rest off.

 

[Judy N]

Hummers don't show up here til June. I have one that lets me know they have returned. He flies to the window then back to the feeder spot and back and forth like that til I put the feeder out. This year I will have to beat him to it and put it out a little earlier. That is quite a party going on at yours.

 

[Mike Jordan]

I thought that was a multiple exposure of one Hummer flying around. Nice job capturing them all.

Mike

 

[Tony S]

MIke, that would require knowing how to use Photoshop well enough to make it look real. Here's a tip I picked up on using flash on these guys after about 20 shots where they all kept scattering before the camera caught them. Set your flash to manual exposure and adjust the exposure, then wait for them to come back and shoot them. It appeared that the small pre-flash for metering spooked the little guys just enough to give them a head start.

 

[BobH]

Tony, it would actually be quite easy to do, if you use a tripod.

As others have mentioned, it's very unusual to see that many. I'm going to guess they're migrating, so that's why they're willing to feed as a group.

We found an entire field of them up by Elbe one year. I stopped to take photos of flowers, and Deb says "I hear a hummingbird!" Well, it turned out to be not just one hummingbird, but hundreds of them. Zipping around everywhere! Made it easy to get photos, just pick a flower, stand still for a moment and soon enough somebody would be along to feed. I have never seen so many hummingbirds in one place.

A couple weeks later, the flowers were done blooming and of course the hummers were long gone as well.

 

[Tony S]

Bob, I'm not sure where they have all gone. We had them like this in April and May for several years, but that picture from 2008 was the last time there have been so many. But they were not cooperating with each other, they only got to the feeder for a fraction of a second before they would chase each other off.
I'm hoping for a few more this year, but as of Wednesday there were only two out in the yard. And have you ever heard their loud chirp? Not their little squeeks or buzzing, but a loud short whistle type chirp. It's amazing that a noise that loud comes from such a small bird.