This hummingbird has quite a long tongue for a tiny little creature doesn’t he?
It’s good to be home, because the Holler Hummer’s live here, and I missed them!
I counted 35 today, at our three, 40 ounce feeders.
Anna’s, Black Chinned, Allen’s and Rufous hummingbirds live at The Holler.
I read in an online hummingbird forum that people don’t believe that feeders get more than one or two birds each.
They should stop by The Holler around 6pm when each feeder is mobbed by more than 10 hummers.
Hummers have the largest brain to body mass of any bird in the world i.e., they are clever little buzzers.
These tiny birds can migrate 1000’s of miles.
But many call the Holler home year round.
Which is why, there is no place like home!
Cheers to you from the astonishing, numerous, and quite clever, Holler Hummers~
Cindy, these photos are phenomenal! I’ve always been a huge hummingbird fan!!! Wow, just incredible! Cher xo
I am so in love with hummingbirds it is ridiculous, so I am so glad you are too! <3
There is something so special about them, isn’t there, Cindy? I sure am!! 🙂
Yes, they connect to something so much smaller than ourselves, yet so much bigger, at the same time. It’s quite remarkable really.
You must be so chuffed with the large contingent of these gorgeous birds that visit you, and the images you have managed to capture of them. Well done!
I am. I am. It is the Holler hummers that make me feel most chuffed. <3
Absolutely so beautiful shots..!! I didn’t know they stuck their tongues out to drink nectar? wuaow :O
Yes, to drink nectar and to catch bugs like fruit flies. They need to catch over a hundred bugs everyday for protein and they catch them in mid-air!
With those wings, I bet they are deadly precise 🙂
I think the air force should study them! Maybe they do. These creatures are the most phenomonal fliers in the airspace of the earth. They hover. They are the only bird that flies backwards. They do figure 8’s in the air before I can catch it with my camera. I love hawks, and they live here. It is an easy detante between hawks and hummers at The Holler. Hawks spend their time pursuing creatures they have a greater probability to catch!
Fantastic captures, images and photography!!
Awwww, so appreciated!
It’s amazing to see their long tongues, WOW! Welcome back home,Cindy, I hope you had a great time in London.:)
I did indeed Ranu. Thank you my friend~
Those are amazing photos! I never knew hummingbirds had those iridescent green feathers–they’re always moving so quickly. I’ve seen them once or twice here, but nothing like what you have! Beautiful!
The Anna’s and Allen’s have the green. The Anna’s are the most prevalent at The Holler. They are sooooo pretty!
Lucky, lucky, hummers, to live at the holler!
Lucky me to live with them and I am their servant. These guys guzzle down the nectar and buzz me when I’m late!
Oh wow! I love hummers and these are great photos, Cindy! Hugs, N 🙂 <3
I love all hummer lovers! <3
Cindy, your hummingbird picture amaze me! I have no idea how you capture such incredible shots!
I think it must be love! <3 😉
Wow!!! perfect shots of these little jewels.
That is just what they are. Flying jewels!
So pretty. And the blueness of the sky? Perfection!
Ahhhhh, thank you! We have a few Costas here too, they have a bright purple flashing throats. They are so pretty!
I love Hummingbirds. We have some every year, they like the feeder, but they although hang out on my plants. The pictures are stunning. May I ask what camera you use? I am planning to buy a camera soon and would like to get some input.
I have a Sony HX400. It has 1200mm equivalent zoom. So you never need to change a lens. I also never use a tripod. I love it, and it is very reasonably priced. Let me know what you decide.
Thank you Cindy, I will let you know. The next big project and I am going to buy me a great camera for my birthday. Thanks for sharing.
I can’t possibly imagine a better birthday present than a camera. I would be so interested to know what you choose, and Happy upcoming Birthday!
Wow Cindy these are wonderful! 35-40 is a lot! You must have a magical land there! Your photos are stunning as always! 😄😄
I heard of a person who has 300 hummers. He can’t leave his house because he is always filling his feeders!
I can imagine! They are so cute! I have a coworker who has feeders and one flew in to his window and he thought it was gone so he picked it up and it started blinking and then flew off! I have photos of it! If that was me I would have known what to do! He said Momma Kitty saw him fall so good thing he picked it up! He said it flew over to the fence and sat there are awhile! They are amazing little birds! 😄
This is so remarkable you said this. Some cats pick up incapacitated hummingbirds and bring them intact to their owners, as if to say please fix this. Of course many cats would kill them when incapacitated, but the one’s that don’t, count on their owners to save them. Some domestic dogs do the same thing. It is nothing short of amazing.
Cindy, I just love these shots! I can’t believe that tongue!
Amazing creatures aren’t they, and so comfortable around people, at least at The Holler!
Delighted you are home for a bit and oh the lovely pictures of the hummers. Of course multiples feed from one source. In Monterey and NC both we’d often have 10 or more at a large feeder. Like you, we used the largest feeders we could find. I loved having some of the blown glass feeders around the garden but those always started fights, even when I filled them with nothing but water. I set up the fly-through hummer shower but with a heat index of 105, nothing is moving, not even me – except to water and such. You have perfect shots.
I have not heard of the fly through hummer shower! I have several bird baths they use in the morning. Did they actually fly through and take a shower? If they did, I clearly need one! 😉 😉
They are so fast it’s hard to tell how it actually all happens. The tiny shower feed fits on the side of a small bird bath and sprays mists of water from a tiny pump. I think we bought ours from Birds Unlimited when we lived in NC.
But if they actually fly through it, albeit quickly, which is how they do everything, then I should check it. Holler Hummers might like a shower! <3 <3
Never seen so many hummers at one feeder here.
I think they do this in certain areas. I read about a man who has 300 hummers he feeds!
Oh wow .. the one species we have around here show territorial.
Yes, I have dealt with the territorial issue too. But hummers do, also, in fact cooperate. You can see the difference most clearly when the sun starts to set, and all hummers become friends, since at night they don’ fly. For survival they need to stop fighting and eat to get through the night. Bickering stops like magic near sunset.
Multiple hummingbirds!!! That is so special for me here in the north east US. We have a couple here and some opportunists swinging by.
I am still in awe at a group of them – right there!
Wonderful capture Cindy!
I have even bigger group shots. My daughter filmed all of them together. We have a dining table under them and they buzz around us, and our guests, during dinner. I swear they are going to land on the table and join in the conversation!
Now that’s funny! They are noisy little things when their wings get going 🙂
They are indeed! <3
Beautiful images!
Thank you!
Beautiful shots of these darling birds! We’ve never had more than two at one time feeding, so I’m blown away at how many hungry guests you have! Must be magic in those feeders, ha!
I think they must like all the empty acres and orchards around The Holler. They certainly are not the least bit afraid of us. They buzz in a stationary manner a couple inches from my nose when they want me to fill the feeders!
That’s incredible.. Usually you see a single hummingbird going about its life.. You are blessed
I think so because I love hummingbirds inordinately! <3
Reblogged this on Coalition for American Wildbirds.
Sharon, I am going to check out this organization. Sounds like an organization I should learn about . I am going to post the orioles and orange eaters next. We have a station going for them and we are getting slews of citrus and nectar eating birds, some I need to look up, as I don’t know what they are! Thank you my friend for your support of the wild birds, for the reblog, and for introducing me to this organization!
I like the look of the feeders, they remind me of upside down red hats – the hummers like them too, ‘eh? Lovely pics 😀
I went over the course of seven years at The Holler, from 8 ounce feeders, to 16 ounce, to 32, to 40, and now I have 40 ouncers and one big gulp, a 72 ouncer!
Yay, more hummingbird pictures! Can’t get enough of them, and you have such a great photo opportunity with such a population there! Your hummers are more willing to share than ours.
Once, I’d taken Nikita outside in her travel cage and we were sitting off to one side, behind our man-made waterfall (which offered a barrier between the feeder and our table), a good 15 feet away and one lone ruby-throat had the guts to try to chase us away! It was so funny. He flashed his ruby throat at Nikita first (but she just sat still, casually, in the middle of her cage – not understanding the hummer’s body language maybe). Then he pivoted and flashed his ruby throat at me. Interesting that he’d dare gang up on 2 bigger animals sitting side by side! 😛 ~Lynn
Either that or he liked one or both of you! 😉 It is interesting that hummers do that fly 60 feet up in the air, hover, and then dive bomb down at something, for a couple of reasons, for fun, (heck I would do it if I could), for mating purposes to impress a mate, and to attack. Laughing, so I’m not sure if he was threatening you guys, showing off, or liking you! 😉 😉
True! Either way, whether he was there hatin’ or lovin’ us, it was such a miraculous treat to see him hovering within several inches of our faces! I was sooo happy when it happened! 🙂
Yes exactly. Nikita and you knew, you were both very fortunate for the up close perusal, albeit, puzzled by it. Hummingbirds are essentially puzzling
What glorious captures Cindy – the hummers long tongues and little claws always amaze me and you’ve captured them beautifully! 🙂
Awww, so appreciated!
35, Wow! I think they miss you, Cindy! 🙂 Love these images.
I know for sure they and the hawks buzz me when I get back. I certainly miss them!
I can’t believe that they all co-exist so peacefully. Four feeders here…and you could get seriously knocked on the head as they dive bomb each other for a space at them!
Laughing, hummingbirds have definite personalities! I had one bully who made life in Hollerdom a hassle. I had to move feeders because he was such a tyrant. He kept a 16 ounce feeder to himself, and drove off any other bird that tried to feed. I was in the ludicrous position of chasing him off. Can’t you just picture this? This goliath chasing off the lilliputian bully? Moving the feeders broke up his monopoly. He reminded me of Donald Trump for heaven’s sake. But our current crop of buzzers are exemplary and most well behaved.
Let’s just hope it lasts! 😉
I think he found his way here. I have one that tries to guard three feeders simultaneously. It’s pretty hilarious. I think they take turns being the decoy, while the others swoop in for a quick drink.
Laughing, yes! These are strategic, cognitive little creatures. I sometimes wonder who has the other figured out better, the hummerbirds, or me.
I think it would have to be the hummingbirds.
Awesome Hummer photos Cindy! I love them all! Hugz Lisa and Bear
Hugs back to you guys & glad you love the buzzers my friend!
Stunning photos, Cindy! My hummers are gone and won’t be back until maybe September.
I bet that makes you sad, but they have places to go and oceans to swim over!
No Place like Home! The Hummers know it, I know it & we all know it! Well, they have large brains.
Luv the post, Cindy!
Laughing, that about says it! <3
Hello buzzing fairies!
Oh I love this! This is their new sobriquet~ <3
We are envious you have so many kinds! We just get the Rufous here in the midwest. We’ve been to AZ hoping to catch a variety but haven’t had much luck yet.
We even have Costas! They have the flasing purple necks and I got some good shots of them. I hear there are hybrids now too, but I am not expert enough to identify them. People have really helped hummingbird populations grow by planting hummer friendly plants and hanging feeders. I hear they are as far up as Alaska now!
That’s wonderful! It’s good to hear about birds doing well instead of going extinct for a change. 🙂
Yes, and just as encouraging to hear about people helping them prosper!
Little birds with a high metabolism!\(♥▿♥)/
Man, do these guys guzzle! You would not believe how many 10 pound bags of sugar I buy for them! Grocery checkers ask me, “Are you doing a lot of baking?”
When I say no, they look at me strangely. 😉 On top of all this nectar, they eat over one hundred bugs a day for protein. They are big little eaters!
Beautiful clear and detailed photos Cindy; as always!
However, I hear that the hummers hitch a ride up north on the backs of Canadian Geese. If you can capture a picture of that happening please post it.
Take care,
wally
If I took a picture of that , I would probably need to be committed! 😉
This may sound silly but when I saw the title, I knew who you would be featuring and I felt slight sigh go through me, “Cindy’s home again!” Home Sweet home with nectar and the charming 🙂 hummimgbirds. Did you have someone stop by daily to keep them satisfied?
Oh, yes The Holler is never unattended. There are critters here and we have family taking care of things. I so love the hummers so your comments make me happy Robin. Thank you. Sometimes I worry, that I may bore people with them, but they never, ever, bore me.
I’m not sure if there is a winged creature that brings more joy than a hummingbird. Your photographs are wonderful, Cindy!
They are magical creatures aren’t they! So pleased you enjoy them my friend and thank you!
I cannot say it enough …YOU ARE AMAZING!!! <3 <3
Awww, I wish! I do agree the hummers are though! <3 <3
and you are too! an amazing person and photographer!
I am so lucky I blog, I get to know lovely people like you!
They are beautiful! Love the amazing shot of the tongue. Thanks for sharing your Hummers with us, Cindy!
Thank you more for appreciating them my friend!
Coming home is always my favorite part of any trip… and what a great hummer welcome!
They are pretty awesome. I don’t know what they feel like to me, not pets because they are wild, but part of us somehow. They live with us here, many of them year round. We are part of each other’s lives and it is incredible.
Nice pictures!
Nicer subjects! 🙂
Wonderful set of photos, love the one with the tongue.
I think this is an Allen. There are more this year. I saw a few last year, but there are more now. We have permanent resident hummers, lots of them, but we are at peak numbers now, as some will migrate thousands of miles south, across oceans, back to Mexico and Central America. It is so incredible. We silly humans may have borders, but they fly over them.
Maybe humanity biggest problem, our borders…inside the human, outside…fences…
Yes, we have so much to learn about how to live, and we get glimpses of this from the ‘wild things.’ We just need to watch and learn. I wish we all would.
These are amazing! I love them all <3
Have a great summer,
Takami 🙂
If you love them, then I love you! 🙂
<3 <3 <3
astounding! I can’t even capture one….always amazing
I love them so!
Just beautiful Cindy.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
So glad you see their beauty! <3
What wonderful photos and you even captured the tongue of the little fella getting a drink. Love humming birds.
Hummingbirds connect us to something mystical. The ancient peoples in South and Central America carved gigantic hummingbird outlines in the rock, only visible from nearby mountains. They are still there today. You can only still see these giant carvings from elevation. It was like the ancient people went high and drew massive hummingbirds low. How did they do this? Why did they do this?
Tiny hummingbirds tell us we are all part of something so much bigger. It is up to us to puzzle out what it is.
I’ve never seen any photos of hummingbirds quite so beautiful!
Well quite frankly, it takes beauty to perceive it. And you have serious beauty Mandy. You do. And your blog is so important for people to read.
Aww you’re gonna make me cry, Cindy. What a sweet thing to say. Thank you so much ❤️
It is so easy, when it is the truth. <3
That’s just really something Cindy! They seem to be ok about sharing the feast. I’ve been changing the food in my feeder every two days for a month, hoping that one would find my feeder. No luck so far. I used to have them all the time at the lake but so far in the city I haven’t seen them. How often do you need to fill up your feeder? Do you have someone do it for you while you’re away? Thanks for sharing your wonderful little visitors with us 😀 x
This is super important, so thank you so much for asking. Hummers die from fungus in improperly maintained feeders. I’m conservative regarding feeders. A feeder should be changed every 3 days, but Holler hummer consume all the sugar water, in 24 hours so I never have to do this. Plus the feeders need to be sterilized in hot summer months every time you change them. With glass feeders I use boiling water. With plastic I use diluted bleach, rinsed out repeatedly. Hummingbirds do not rely on sugar water entirely, they catch tons of bugs for protein. But the Holler feeders are always up.
In your situation it seems the lake was where the hummers want to be, so you will get bigger numbers there. They can be lured though, and you are right, to wait for one. Once one finds your feeder, others will come.
I got some nice natural soap from Wendy at Qtr Acre Lifestyle and had been using it for cleaning my feeder which is a good plastic one from ‘Wild Birds Unlimited. I’ll start to incorporate the diluted bleach too, thanks for sharing that. Next year, I’ll get it out earlier.
I was thinking of another thing that might help and that is having other birds feeders around, but I bet you already do this. Birds do seem to got check out where other birds are hanging out to see what the big attraction is! We have a large capacity seed feeder at The Holler that brings in dozens of birds daily and a jelly/citrus feeder for the orioles and citrus eaters. The Holler is filled with wild birds, plus we planted bird and butterfly attracting plants, so the combination seems to work beyond my expectations! Good luck and I hope it works.
So happy to hum along with these beautiful photos of Holler hummers. They are such special birds. Magical.
Alison
Kinda like you ma ‘deah! You and the hummers would be best friends. <3
It’s good to see the hummers again. I have missed them.
Oh, you! Such a gift in my life, and I know you mean it.
What amazing tongues! We don’t have humming birds here in Australia. It was also interesting to read about the brain to body ratio. Stunning close-ups, Cindy. Well done.
The tongues are pretty incredible aren’t they. They use them to snag small bugs in flight like gnats and fruit flies. They have to catch and eat over a hundred of these daily!
Wonderful pictures, Cindy! 🙂
Very pleased you enjoyed them and cheers to you~
I love your photos!
Awwww, so encouraging! Thank you~
Beautiful photos series Cindy!
Thank you Indah & much appreciated!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UhLHcnTSiLk/UxqvWt62vQI/AAAAAAAAyYc/ziV8nK_ibYw/s1600/ElTalledelabrujaMar2014flor3.png
How gorgeous! Thank you~
Amazing live-action shots. They dart about so quickly just getting them in frame seems near impossible. This first photo with the hummer’s tongue sticking out — incredible. If I counted the number of times I’ve seen hummers in my life it wouldn’t equal 35. You are one lucky woman. 😀
One of the feeders is about five feet from where I am typing. These birds are my close companions. I have the screen in the window removed so I can shoot them when the light is right. They will buzz to the opening and hover suspended there when the feeder is empty. They seem utterly fearless around people at The Holler. They are a complete joy.
The couple of hummers I have come right up to the side of my head when I am gardening but laugh at me and zim away when I try to take a pic. I too have left a screen out so I can get photos in my back yard. 😀
Have you noticed when you water your garden if the spray the hose in a mist they will come up to your face, buzz you, and then take a shower? They crack me up!
I reckon it’s gotta be clever in order to avoid damage to that enormously long beak – it must really have a high sense of space, distance, weight etc – amazing looking bird
You’re right, their spatial awareness must be incredible, particularly when you consider the speed with which they dart around. They seem somewhat flawless in flight, rarely making an error. Their only weakness is glass windowpanes which they occasionally hit but only when fighting. I have only seen this happen twice and in both cases the bird, though stunned, recovered.
No place like home 🙂 Great job capturing these little acrobats on camera!
They are so much fun to try and catch in photos! Very glad you enjoyed them Maria~
Stunning photography. ☺ Wow.
So appreciated! Thank you~
Magnificent images Cindy. A joy to look at.
Makes me so happy you enjoyed them Don & cheers to you~
Absolutely stunning … wow 🙂
They are really are the most amazing creatures! So pleased you enjoyed them~
They are very pretty little things. They must make a quite a noise when all together. Like a chorus line 🙂
They sound like a far away plane engine. Groups of them makes this cumulative low humming/buzzing sound somewhat akin to the sound made by bees swarming.
Buzz 🙂
Yes! Buzzers~
I would love to take photography classes from you – I enjoy your pictures so much. Seriously do you teach photography?
You are so kind Patty! Thank you, but I am strictly an untaught amateur. There is too much I don’t know. I should probably take some classes myself, but why bother? Maybe not taking a class, and just doing it works best for me. It would be fun to hang out with people taking photos and sharing them though, like a photo club or something, that I could do.
I remember I was asked to teach a class once on personal financial management. My husband thought this was the funniest thing he had ever heard. This is really a subject in which I do not excel! 😉 😉
We just see so much talent in you!! 🙂 I like the idea of a photography club you should go for it.
You do see why I blog. I get to meet people like you. I wouldn’t if it weren’t for blogging. We find each other through our personal blogs. I am so grateful for knowing you.
Cindy, you the the best hummer shots, ever! Since I don’t do a lot of wildlife photography, I’ve never invested in a good telephoto, but your shots always make me wish I had one! And your skill and eye! Beautiful!
Awww, so kind and encouraging and motivating! Thank you~
Amazing! They are such beautiful birds.
They are incredible in all sorts of ways!
I’ve never seen them in such numbers!
I’ve seen big numbers on feeders in Costa Rica. I hear there is a man nearby who has a daily tally of around 300 hummers. Apparently he can’t leave his house since he is continually putting up feeders. I have reached my feeder limit i think! 😉
Wow! Holler envy– big time.
If you like wild birds, than The Holler is the place for you!
You captured beautifully one of my favorite birds. When I lived in Colorado Springs they were one of my favorite sites – had one even buzz me when I was napping during a fishing trip on Pikes Peak. They thought my red cap was a feeder I guess LOL.
Yes, you can actually draw hummers to you by wearing floral prints or red. They definitely are attracted to red!
It looks like you have flock of them. Beautiful birds and pictures!
Yes, and this year we have the Allen’s in greater numbers and I am seeing a few more Costas. It is wonderful to get introduced to a new sub-species!
Cindy, lucky you to watch so many beautiful birds!
Yes. They are so remarkable in such indefineable ways~
Auuuuuuuuu!!!!!! Very, very beautiful, amazing photos.Pretty series 🙂
Yay! So pleased you enjoyed & cheers to you my friend!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Incredible shots! That feeder really gets a lot of activity!!
It is like the runway at La Guardia!
Little flying jewels 🙂
That is just what they are!
Amazing photos… 🙂
Awwww thank you Bette!
A great photo series… 🙂
Mil grazi!
Wonderful photos. Here’s to all these magnificent of God’s creatures!
Amen!
Stunning. Spectacular. I love your photographs. Thank you for this gift.
Ohhhh, so kind! <3
Yes, my favorite mini birds have returned and coincidentally, I saw one flying in front of my car this morning as I was heading to work. Thank you “HW”
Well, it’s time to hang out the feeder then Antionette! You rock, my fashionable, wonderful friend. <3
I think they have all come swarming round to say “welcome back we missed you Cindy”. Did any one keep their feeders topped up while you were away? As always the photos are stunning.
Yes, The Holler is never alone and neither are the Holler hummers. Now I am feeding the orioles grape jelly and oranges and of course there are the seed feeders. Laughing……my poor relatives!
How can you ever bear to leave them Cindy? More bird photos coming soon!!!
Great captures, Cindy. 🙂
Merci beaucoup mon ami!
¡Qué bonitos! Y qué suerte poder disfrutar de estos bellos pájaros tan cerca.
Awwww, muchas gracias mi amable amiga! <3
So funny Cindy I was just thinking about you and wondering if you were home yet! So perfect timing that I would see your fantastic post and those wonderful hummingbirds – love it! Welcome home and I’ll bet they really missed you ~
Maybe they missed me a little, but I bet I missed the more! <3
Wow and wow! The photo with many birds are just breath taking!
Now I have five feeders going. I had to give the orioles their own feeder because they tipped over the hummingbirds. So they have a feeder with oranges, jelly and nectar that has attracted tons of citrus and nectar feeders including goldfinch and 3 pairs of orioles. The seed feeder is Jim’s job and it attracts everyone, and their brother(s)! I was looking out the window just now going, wow we have a lot of birds! And the 40 ounce hummingbird feeder I filled at sunset is already empty! You need to come by The Holler sometime Fae! <3
Oh, how beautiful it must be to watch the birds.
I will visit you at Holler sometime. 🙂
For his new job, my son has moved from Phoenix to Orange County. I doubt if we’d drive to visit him (vs flying), but when there is a purpose, anything is possible! 🙂
Yes, you will be spending time around The Housewives of Orange County! 😉
I’ve never seen so many hummingbirds together in one spot before. In real time or pictures, they’re always solitary.
At The Holler they are downright chummy. Right now is peak numbers at the feeders, more then ten vying for three 8 space feeders, and they share quite nicely. They want to bulk up before it gets dark when they don’t fly, so they don’t waste energy squabbling!
How beautiful… An excellent post, dear Cindy!. All my best wishes. Aquileana 😀
Gracias a mi amable amiga y tener un maravilloso final de la semana!
These are so amazing, Cindy. Especially that first one with the tongue. Love these! 🙂
I thought the first bird was so beautiful! The Rufous are pure burnished copper, like this one but with no green!
☺ very beautiful view . Thanks. Have a nice Thursday .
You too my friend and thank you~
Hi Cindy I just love your blog and nominated you for the Dragon’s Loyalty Award!
Oh, I am honored and appreciatve! Thank you so much and I love your blog too! <3
😝😁
sieht ja toll aus, alles Gute, Klaus
Vielen dank Klaus und Froliche Wochenede mein Freund!
ich danke dir
<3
Amazing beautiful Cindy, I understand that you missed them 😀
They are wonderful living companions!
Wonderful sight!
Most pleased you enjoyed and cheers! <3
Glad to be home?
Yes!! I have been home for a few weeks now. My blog is always lagging behind real time when I travel. Hope all is well with you my friend~
What wonderful photos, I’d love to see hummingbirds!
They are pretty incredible little guys!
Cindy, one word only: fantastic!
I love that word! Thank you~
Amazing captures, Cindy. Best hummingbirds photos I have ever seen!
Oh, I am honored. Thank you very much!
Amazing shots, Cindy! They always move about so fast. These are great!
Very happy you enjoyed and cheers to you!
I wish we had hummer here – they are fantastic creations. And smart too.
They are an intricate part of our daily lives and I couldn’t agree more with you!
Lucky you!
<3
Stunning photos!
Awwww, mil grazi & cheers~
I love these little guys, but only see one at a time.
Yes, this is more typical for most places.
That is some tongue! What beautiful creatures.
Glittery little fairies aren’t they!
Yes! LOL
<3
Oh Cindy, they are lovely! I do love hummingbirds. The smallest ones I have seen have been hovering around the plants across the road from our café where I enjoy a drink and a book or some chatting with friends in the evening… 😉
Hi Lea! Wonderful to hear from you my friend and hope you are well. Hummingbirds are pretty special aren’t they! They only live in the Americas, but have moved up recently to Alaska. It wouldn’t surprise me if they fly on over to Europe. Actually, it would! I am betting what you saw was a hummingbird moth or hawk moth. They resemble hummingbirds in an uncanny way, but are insects. I’m sure you did see hummers in NoCaly though, my daughter is feeding a bunch up there. Wish I could join you in the evening at the cafe~ <3 <3
Hi Cindy! That is interesting as I am no expert but they certainly looked the real thing and besides, who wouldn’t want to hang around our lovely gardens? I was surprised but just enjoyed the little things regardless. Let me know when you are this way again as I know a lovely little cave that produces the best wine. They do wine and tapas from late June through most of August and it is only 7 km from my house…
Oh, sounds so lovely and I will definitely let you know when we are near. We are certain to be, sooner or later. Be well Lea~
Great captures as usual Cindy and loved the back story! : )
Very pleased you enjoyed & cheers to you too!
Cindy, these images are incredible. I never get more than two coming to the feeder. They are so much fun to watch. Have them also in my outdoor fountain taking a bath. I love these little guys.
Hugs! Veraiconica
Aren’t they wonderful to watch when they bathe, like little fluffly fairies~
I always run out of superlatives when I come by here. It makes it hard to comment!! But once again, I find your hummer images so compelling and engaging and, well, brilliant, that I can’t help hanging around and thanking you for sharing them. They (the birds *and* the images) are dazzling.
I’ve probably asked you before what camera(s?) you use and where you got your mad photo skills, but I’ve forgotten, and they continue to astonish me. More than that—though it’s arguable that in your previous professional occupation you had tremendous motivation to learn how to notice all sorts of minute detail and appreciate its significance—your innately artful eye for spotting, framing, and executing a beautiful image is one of the chief delights of visiting here.
In short, I thank you again and always. Hope you’re having a glorious summer, despite the untoward dryness of the climate in recent months. Cheers and hugs to you and all of your Holler menagerie. Long may you wave!
Kath
It is people like you and kindness like this, that makes me love blogging so. It is such a joy and privelege to be part of this creative, talented and kind blogging community.
Your words touched my heart and motivate me to keep on bloggin! Thank you Kath.
My camera is a sony hx400. It has built in zoom up to 1200mm equivalent. It is a powerhouse of a camera and quite inexpensive considering what many people pay for their cameras.
Thank you again my friend for your lovely words and be well~
Such a pretty looking bird. I’d be afraid they’d try to poke my eye out though.
Nay, you would love them, besides they are percision fliers!
Good to know!
Wow. I have 2 feeders and several Rubby throated hummers come but never at the same time – whoever gets there first keeps it till he/she is done – chases the other away……
This seems to be the norm for lots of people. Our population at The Holler is too large to allow such monoplies. We have a least 35 actively feeding hummingbirds here. We seem to get a few more each year. I am looking now at two feeders, 16 ports, 15 feeding birds and several buzzing around.
I am truly jealous. 😀
Well, they aren’t MY birds. I just feed them, a lot! I heard of a man who feeds over a hundred daily. He can’t go anywhere because he is always changing the feeders, which is why I will not hang anymore! 😉
Happiness! Wonder you could capture them from so close! 🙂
So pleased you like them and they are very unafraid!
i do. Great to hear that. 🙂
<3
Your stop action and focusing is superb!! I think I remember it was you who said if the little feet are sharp..?
Yes! You remembered! I’m honored. I try to get the feet and eyes in focus in flight. The tail can blur. Great memory my friend and great to hear from you!
Great memory? LOL. I don’t even know what month it is!
Yes, but you remember important things, like birds! 😉
Lovely!
Mil grazi!
I do have a quick question… It seems that one of our large feeders the juice smells funky. should we change to a smaller feeder or? There is no lack of birds feeding from it, but I can’t see it tastes good after it smells like that. Just sugar and water, anything else?
I have a few 72 ounce feeders. I rarely use them. Only when 50 or more birds are feeding. I don’t like to leave sugar water out in the summer for more than 2 days. I like glass feeders best with hard plastic bases because in the summer I pour boiling water in the feeders and over the bases with every refill. In the summer, at The Holler no feeder is up for more than 24 hours because the hummers drain it. If it smells off, I would guess it’s fermenting. I would throw out the mixture. If your feeder is sturdy glass, fill it with boiling water and let it soak for a few minutes. Also pour boiling water over the base. Note: Only do this with sturdy plastic bases and sturdy glass feeders or they will melt/break. If your feeder is plastic, soak all the parts in a bleach/water mixture. Then rinse repeatedly in hot water to remover every trace of bleach. This should sterilize your feeders.
Go ahead and rehang them with a 1/4 ratio white sugar to water. Change them and repeat the sterilization during the hot days of summer.
When the temps start to dip in fall, and the numbers of hummers are reduced, I relax. Feeders can stay up for 3 days, and sterilization can go to every third or so refill.
I do live in a place with hot summer days and I know this is rather rigorous, but I want to be careful with the hummers. Good luck & hope this works!
Thank you. Yes we have had an unusually hot summer. The smaller feeders drain much faster so this one maybe is sitting too long in heat. I will definately do your suggestions. We have had so many more birds than last year and I love watching them.
Good luck & I think it will work!
Great pictures. My work is street photography. Today I tried capturing birds in flight. Very different and difficult. Loads of failure. So you pictures have inspired me to try again. Once again excellent captures.
The hardest for me are birds high in the sky. It is something that you just do and your hand eye coordination catches up with your wishes pretty quickly, plus it is fun to practice. I find it easier to photograph birds I live around because I get used to their patterns. It is much harder when I travel to get shots of flying birds. Good luck & I look forward to seeing your results. I love your photography.
What beautiful birds and so well photographed – seems they are always on the move so must be difficult to get the images so sharp! What a joy Cindy
Make me happy that you enjoyed them Diana & cheers to you~
Great presentation! Those little guys are so cute and adorable!
Thank you! It would really be hard to get cuter than a hummingbird!
You are great at taking those pictures.I can only hope some day. Beautiful.
Awwwww, so very kind & most appreciated too! I love your photograhy! Beautiful work~
Your photos are beautiful. Where is Holler?
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Hugs to you sweet friend <3
You are AMAZING.
You are a rockin’ friend <3
We started spring planting with thoughts of flowers likely to attract hummingbirds. The one that was most successful was a salvia called “Black and Bloom.” The flower is a dark purple color, and the hummers love it. BUT the surprise was a perennial that grows in the pond called “Thalia.” It’s a very tall plant with several branches, each containing bracts of flowers. The hummers head there first thing and stay a while! An unexpected and delightful surprise for us!
We planted to attract hummers and butterflies too. It certainly works. One of our century plants is blooming now and I have never seen such interest by all the nectar loving birds. It’s flower stalk is about thirty feet tall and it is hosting a whole city of nectar lovers, including bees.