I can’t believe I finally got a photo of a hummingbird’s forked tongue! I have never captured the fork at the end of the tongue because it typically springs open once a hummer inserts her tongue in a flower. But here it is, for us to see!
We have somewhere around 70 or more hummers at The Holler now, so we are getting lots of very bright color. Hummers flash their colors at will, sometimes as warnings when sparring. This guy was caught at dusk, flashing away to keep intruders at bay.
Once a year, at peak swarm, I feed the hummers by hand. I only do it once, for about an hour because I don’t want the hummers to become tame, thinking all humans can be trusted, because unfortunately, as we all know, some humans should not be trusted.
By the way, the white dust you see on this hummer’s beak is pollen.
I saw this photo that went viral awhile ago, where a woman was photographed, with a hummingbird drinking nectar out of her mouth. People loved it, but it bothered me. Did the photographer consider how tiny and wild hummingbirds are? Did he consider how easily this woman’s viral and bacterial load could kill hummingbirds? Did they think about how taming a wild hummingbird, for a photo, through nectar offering, and then withholding, might lead a migrating hummingbird to harm at the hands of humans?
Garden nectar feeder stations have brought seriously declining hummingbird populations back to healthy numbers. Handled responsibly, garden feeders are important for hummingbird population survival. But taming wild birds that migrate, to perform tricks, isn’t helping hummingbird survival.
Taking these photos is very difficult. I have a tripod, but don’t ever use it. Why have a stationary camera in a moving world? Wild animals don’t find this interesting. So, I hold the feeder with my left hand and take the photo with my right. After about 10 minutes this starts to hurt!
Thankfully my son volunteered to hold the feeder.
The Holler hummers do know us and have learned to trust us, many of them were born here. As mentioned a few stay year round and others return annually. Wherever they stay when they migrate south for the winter, they survive and thrive. Maybe they hang out in a garden in Central America where a bird lover keeps their feeders going and the hummers happy!
Cheers to you from the incredible, wild, and much-loved, Holler Hummers~
Amazing!!!
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The first shot is the winner. I can’t get over it that they come to your hand. Precious creatures.
I love them dearly!
Wonderful. Thank you for showing the grandiose photos. 🙂
Kind regards alexander
Ahhhh, thank you for such a kind comment!
I wish my phone took photos that beautiful! We have so many hummers around this year that I wonder where they were last year. I keep three feeders so there’s plenty of nectar to go around. It’s fun to watch one alight then fly away when dive-bombed by another 🙂
Your place sounds exactly like The Holler!
70 or more hummingbirds around?! How lucky you are! And you also sometimes feed them by hand! Do they that easily come close? Maybe I can try that some time with ours. We have 4 or 5 only, but we do enjoy them.
Thanks for sharing the pictures,
Pit
Some birds will not hand feed, but others come immediately to your hand and these are often the same birds that stay here year round. You can certainly try with 4-5 birds, but your chances are much better when the numbers are greater.
Beautiful.
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Amazing pictures Cindy! I had no idea birds could have forked tongues, especially a hummingbird but if you think about it, it does make sense for them. I also love how close the hummingbirds go t to you (or the hand holding the bottle in the picture). The bird was very trusting of you so you must been working to get it to come closer for a while. Amazing!
Actually that is my son’s hand, and he held the feeder for no more than 5 minutes. The birds came to him immediately.
Oh wow that’s amazing!
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Lovely photos Cindy. It must be difficult to shoot with one hand while holding the feeder with the other.
Leslie
It is very hard and you get sore very fast from holding still in such a completely awkward position!
The positioning has got to be difficult.
Beautiful, Cindy. You are so blessed to live where you do.
Awwww, the 🕊️🕊️ and I thank you!
Amazing photos, Cindy 🙂
Honored! Thank you~
Amazing photos! I can’t believe that you shoot these without a tripod… you must have very steady hands!
And sore arms!!! 😉 😉
You’ve just made my day, Cindy! I love hummingbirds! My cubicle at work is covered with photos I’ve taken. Of course, they’re not as amazing as yours. Right now, our back yard is full of hummies and I love it!
They are just so incredible to live with and I am very glad you have the experience~
It makes me so sad when they migrate, Cindy. They’re amazing creatures.
Thoroughly enjoyed this post, Cindy!! I, for the very first time this year, saw my first hummingbird in person!! I was so excited…whooohooo 🙂 🙂 They are such incredible little creatures…love them…love your post!! Hope all is super in your world <3
How exciting to see one for the first time and I am glad it left such a big impression on you. That is what hummingbirds are, tiny creatures with a big impact! 🕊️
YES!! 🙂
The thrill when one comes to the feeder is still as exciting as the first time. Thanks Cindy! <3
Thanks for writing about keeping wild birds wild. Extremely important.
Yes. Thank you for resonating with the message~
What incredible photographs, Cindy. I have never seen a photograph in real life but I have read up on them.
They are the most remarkable little creatures and I am very happy you enjoyed them!
I agree with you…we have no right to play with their natural instincts. Better let than do what they do best – enjoy themselves at their own will!
You’ve captured some stunning shots, thanks to your son too!
Thank you for both lovely comments & cheers to you!
oh wow how I envy you hand feeding them ☺️☺️ beautiful shots!
Thanks much my friend & be well!~ 🕊️
And you 🙂
Amazing photos!
Ahhh, honored. Thank you~
What amazing little birds. Your shots certainly do them justice.
Thank you very much!
Beautiful shots! 🙂
Merci beaucoup mon ami~ 🕊️
I love your hummingbird photos. I think people don’t realize how “bacterial” we are. When diving in the ocean we always took care not to touch anything including the corals, turtles, and sharks because our fingers are so icky. The best thing about wild animals is the “wild.” 🙂
So beautifully stated and so perfectly true!
Wonderful pictures. Puts my pictures to shame and I am very envious.
Ahhh, humbled & honored. Thank you so much~
Spectacular unbelievable pictures. THANK YOU Cindy. ~~dru~~
Hugs to you dear friend~ <3
it is wonder for me to see these lovely birds so familliar with you! I <3
Your message about interacting with wild creatures is so true and important. I love the photos. One handed photography? Wow! Cindy you are good!
~Ron
You are nice! Thanks so much Ron & cheers to you~
Superb pictures, Cindy! I love seeing these birds close up – they move so fast. Thanks for sharing!
The detail is fun to see isn’t it! Very pleased you enjoyed~ <3
The forked tongue photograph is amazing! – as are all the other photographs! (I never knew hummingbirds used a fork – polite little birds!!)
Laughing……It’s good they have nice table manners since they try to stab each other while dining~
Unless your camera was on a tripod and you carefully positioned yourself, I think you had to hold the nectar in one hand and the camera carefully and steadily in the other while you took the picture?
That is exactly right, and it hurts after about 5 minutes, which is just about when you start to sweat in the sun….
Amazing and stunning pictures Cindy! These birds do not come to our shores and it is so lovely to see them and to hear they are thriving. I am totally with you on responsible behaviour and thankfully most people will always consider this 💜
Yes, it is the efforts of responsible, caring people who maintain garden feeders that has helped the hummingbird population rebound~
I did have a hunch these birds are small, but I never realised they are this tiny! And that they have a forked tongue. I learn every day. Great pics!
Thanks. That is one reason why I do the annual hand feeding photos, so people can see the birds aren’t much bigger than my thumbnail!
I never knew hummers had a forked tongue. That photo, and the others are amazing. Sounds like it was a fun day.
It always is fun doing this. The hummers swarm around my face so closely, I don’t move my head. The fanning of their wings creates a breeze that cools my face in the hot summer sun~
So cute. I’ll bet that’s a treat.
Absolutely amazing, super photos 😀😁
Awww, you are very kind & most appreciated Ute!
Your shots are stunning, Cindy! I didn’t even know that they have a long forked tongue. My population is small, but I love watching them and trying to catch them with my camera.
Yes, they are joy to live with and to photograph. Glad you are able to live among them.
Wow! What an amazing photograph.
Merci beaucoup mon ami~
White woman speak about forked tongue.
Hummingbird don’t fly away, fly away. -Seals & Croft
‘..some humans should not be trusted’? OMG. Who knew?!
I hate to be the one who had to break it to you John!
All totally amazing photos Cindy, from start to finish! But this time,
the fork tongue speaks the truth, one of a kind!
Thanks so much. I was truly jazzed to get it on camera and to actually see it for the first time~
Awesome picture Cindy! If you do not mind me asking, what kind of camera and method do you use for your pictures?
I use a sony hx400 for all bird photos. It has an adjustable 1200mm equivalent lens. I never use a tripod, even for full zoom shots. I like to move with the camera. I also notice that wild animals are fascinated by me moving with a camera permanently stuck to my face, so I get a lot of shots of animals looking directly in the camera. For these shots I had to hold the feeders for the birds and the camera in different hands which is tricky and hard to do.
Awesome, thanks for letting me know! I have been getting more and more into photographing wild animals
Thank you for letting me know, that is great! I have been getting more and more into photographing wild animals
Reblogged this on Blog Pad 2017.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness & cheers to you!
Nat Geo material here, my friend, simply amazing!
Awww, humbled & honored. Thank you!
Stunning! xo
Muchas gracias amiga mia!
Wow! that is something I too, did not know … never mind catching a photo of it!
Hey, you, great to hear from you & thank you!
Amazing shot of the forked tongue – well done, that is an achievement! And you are as tender to your birds as you are to your blogging followers; thank you! We are all envious of your hummer numbers; just one or two will make the day for us!
You are very kind. I am up at a cabin in the mountains now and their five hummers on a feeder out the window! It makes me feel at home. Be well my friend and thank you for your lovely comments~
That is unbelievable, feed them with your hand, and one hand hold the camera… Awesome captures. Thank you sooo much for sharing with us, Cindy!
You are a lovely & valued friend Amy. <3
Great photos, Cindy.
I’m enjoying them a lot.
I am so happy you did & thank you for taking the time to tell me~
Great photos, thank you for sharing! I don’t have feeders, just plants in the yard, but I see quite a bit of action. They are amazing, territorial and fearless. I love watching them.
Yes, hummers, humans and love seems to go hand in hand. They bring out the best in us!
Fantastic shots Cindy! These adorable little birds make me ooo & aww every time you post them. Congratulations on getting that first forked tongue shot! Sending big love vibes out through the universe to the Holler Hummers! 😀
And they are sending the love back to you. I just arrived at a cabin in the mountains, and there are five hummers I am looking at now on the deck feeder! <3
Cindy, these are gorgeous shots of such beautiful creatures! I stopped putting out a hummingbird feeder in my area, because it gets so incredibly hot here, that I couldn’t keep up with how often the water needs changing, and I couldn’t keep it clean enough.
Yes, in hot weather the feeders should be glass and rinsed with boiling water. When you have a large population of birds they empty the feeders daily so you don’t have to worry as much. But in hot weather, nectar can’t be left in the feeder or it will grow mold which could harm hummers, so your flowers sound best for the birds.
I agree. I have never had glass feeders, though. And we don’t have flowers. We are watering very little because California has been in a drought for so long!
What marvels they are! I love watching them come to the feeder! Your photos are fabulous – I had never seen the forked tongue before either. We do leave them alone, although they like to ‘buzz’ us.
Leaving them alone and watching them brings enough joy doesn’t it! <3
These are completely amazing photos. I love hummingbirds and it’s wonderful to see them in such detail. 🙂
Thank you for noticing! They are intricately complex creatures which is fascinating to see when viewed close up~
Great to see all the detail! Love the sun shining through the wing
You are observant Diana and notice the detail~
Truly awesome! And I never knew about the dangers for them.
Thank you for caring about them & cheers to you~
Fantastic photography! Beautiful birds.
I am honored by your kindness. Thank you~
Hummingbirds are my favorite. Great photos!
They are my favorites too, so we are in accord~ <3
Wow, so beautiful! Having never actually seen a hummingbird, I didn’t realize they were so tiny. Your photos are amazing!
Awww, honored & so kind of you!
This post is absolutely BEYOND awesome!! Best, Babsje
Awww, your comment made my <3 smile! Thank you sincerely!
Hey Cindy,
How are you? Hoping all is well in the Holler 🙂
Outstanding captures of these exquisite little birds and all testament to your patience and perseverance. The opening photograph on its own is an image to captivate. My favourite is the third image…perhaps because it also delineates scale, offers superb portrayal of delicacy and strength and foregrounds the outstanding precision and control Hummers have in their flight to feed. It is breath-taking/ Breath-taking also to consider the mechanics at work, Hummers fascinate me I the same way as Bees. It is the perceived impossibility in their magical ability that prevails as a wonder. Thank you Cindy, blown away as always 🙂
Namaste 🙂
DN
~ Holler Hummers ~ By ~ DN
Izzy whizzy wings busy busy
Busy with dizzy holler and dash
Busy with fizzy feathers so pretty
Pretty with sunlight and flash
~
Pretty and bright flitting in flight
Flitting with wild verve and splash
A splash with brash a slash with thrash
But always a Hummingbird to thee.
~
A gift for thee oh sweet pollen fantasy,
On tiny wings burning hot with fire
Burning with yearning near giddy with turning
Turning and twisting with desire.
~
Desire for the wire upon which to perch
Perch and search with tongue extended
Extended fork ended distended intended
To sip and sup from the nectar cup:
To drink from thy Feeders of Love.
~
I like the little guy at the end…his emerald a flash cutting dash at the wingtip end of your post 😉
Namaste 🙂
DN
You have a way with words my friend and your poetry is pure delight. What talent you have! Love your insightful observations on the hummingbirds too. Cheers to you my friend and thank your for your kind thoughtfulness~
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My pleasure.
Namaste 🙂
DN
Namaste~ <3 <3
Huge congratulations!! Wonderful!
Awwww, honored! Thank you Margaret~ <3
What wonderful moments for you, Cindy. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you more for appreciating the hummers!
Wow!!! These are awesome shots. Not only from you are able to get the birds to trust you to feed off your hand and your ability to capture such events with one hand. Amazing!
You are a lovely friend! Thank you & cheers too~
WOW, WOW, WOW. That photo of the forked tongue is amazing, Cindy! What a wonderful blog! What kind of camera do you use that you can hold a feeder in one hand and photograph with the other? Thanks so much for sharing this.
Awwwwww, I am honored. Thank you much more for your very kind appreciation! I use a sony HX400 which has a 1200mm equivalent zoom lens for all bird photos.
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Always love seeing your hummingbirds, Cindy. The forked tongue is definitely a prized photo. Interesting how close they will come to feed on the nectar. <3
They come up close and personal! So pleased you enjoy them & cheers to you Olga~
Reblogged this on Lyn Horner's Corner.
The hummers and I thank you for your thoughtfulness Lyn!
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Beautiful. 🙂
Merci beaucoup mon ami!
Oh my! Such detail in the captures. Wonderful 💕 Thank you Cindy for sharing a forked tongue that doesn’t speak 😉
Laughing……so wonderful you thought of this! A forked tongue that tells no lies! Love this! <3
😊
You bring up some good points, Cindy. We need to assist where we can with the aim of keeping the wildlife wild. Wonderful photos of these stunning birds!
Yes, teaching them tricks that could kill them for a photo is not okay! Thank you Eliza~ <3
Agreed! Humans in general don’t seem to think too far ahead (our gov’t is a great example) 😉
Exactly my thinking…..
Absolutely amazing! 🙋🐦
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Amazing! Just…WOW!!!
Thank you!
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I never saw a Hummingbird’s tongue before and to be honest – it makes him look not so attractive….
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but you have to admit it is a rather impressive tongue!
Incredible pics!(esp the forked tongue!!)
Thank you! I was so jazzed to get a photo of it!
Yeah i could feel so!! It’s awesome… infact i didn’t even know it had such a forked tongue!!
<3 <3
Beautiful, as always. I love the closeups.
Thank you Marie. I like seeing the details too~ <3
Wow wow wow you did it again Cindy. Beautiful images! I can’t even begin to imagine training a hummer to sip from my mouth! I’m speechless!
Alison
Pretty horrific isn’t it. Anything for a photo is a no go for me. I don’t like invasive street photos that impinge on people’s right to privacy either. Photographers need to have ethics.
Your hummers are amazing…as are your photographs!
Awww, thank you sweetie~
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Fabulous…and thanks for that important bit of information. We must conserve without harming nature’s magnificent gifts.
Thank you for resonating with the need to respect our world and all the people and creatures in it~
The birds really look stunning. ☺ They are beautifully captured.
Thank you so much and be well my friend~
You have such gorgeous friends!
They are little flying jewels!
Fabulous images. 🙂
Honored, thank you!
I wouldn’t trust a person who speaks with a forked tongue but a hummer who hums with a forked tongue is nothing but pure delight.
Exactly! Wish I could have you for tea, so you could watch them~ <3
That would be such a lovely experience. 🙂
It would~
Cindy, these are wonderfully magical
You are very kind and I am honored you enjoyed them Derrick. Thank you!
Absolutely amazing pictures!
So very appreciated! Thank you~
Wow , really nice and very beautiful bird👍😃
Merci beaucoup mon ami~
Incredible pictures, Cindy! Although I’m not a really fan of birds as an issue, I must say that the photos are really amazing! The colors, the movement, the moment…
Very pleased you found aspects you enjoyed and thank you for taking the time to tell me! Cheers to you my friend~
Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
More pictures of hummers from Cindy Knoke.
Hugs to you my thoughtful friend~ <3
Dear Cindy, these Humming birds are really gorgeous, and your shots are awesome, thank you for sharing. 🙂
Thank you always Ranu for your beautiful friendship~
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Oh Cindy, I’ve such a soft spot for the wee darlings and nobody can photograph them like you. Your appreciation seeps into your photos. Before moving here, in Sacramento, I had a garden full of lavender. Needless to say, I had a garden of Humming birds. I also had a woodpecker who was in love with the old telephone poll on the corner in front of my house. 🙂 Beautiful post. As for the woman who had the poor birds feed from her mouth, you are so right, she is only trying to impress others with no concern for the lovely hummings.
I wish I could get our woodpeckers to come closer, but they remain elusive. I get shots of them rarely, so they have become my holy grail. Enjoy your August in gorgeous France dear Lea!
Thank you dear Cindy and enjoy the season with the birds… One day we shall meet up here and have I got some wine for you! xx
Oh, I cannot wait, truly…… <3
Nor can I! <3
Amazing photos. That’s cool that you captured the “forked tongue.” By the way, I used your method of homemade nectar (one part sugar, four parts water, red food coloring) and it worked. We’re starting to get a lot of hummers in our backyard now. Thanks!
WOO HOO! They will bring you many happy days of watching and laughing at their antics and they may well get to know you and follow you around outside!
What a pity we don’t have them here… they are so lovely! But you are quite right that they should not be made to trust humans… and certainly not tamed for the sake of some tricks… ! Before you know it, they will end up in cages to be shown to friends and neighbours – just to name one of the dangers… :-/
<3
Exactly. I have never seen a caged hummingbird, and I don’t want to!
Neither do I…
<3
Just stunning photos. WOW!
Very kind and most appreciated Ruth!
Thank you for sharing these precious feathered gems of nature! Just love them!!
Makes me happy I posted them. Thank you!
Be still my beating heart, love them.
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Thanks for sharing your beautiful hummingbird photos and wise warnings about how we treat them. Too often people try to tame wild creatures or turn them into parlor tricks. Thanks for caring enough to let them be.
Thank you for caring too & be well Brad~
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Bless you Cindy for not just thinking of the amazing photos and kudos you could so easily get!
Thank you for recognizing & for caring! <3
Cindy, your photos are worthy of National Geographic!! The detail on these tiny birds is amazing, and I so agree with your stand on protecting them from becoming trained monkeys!
Animals in the wild are so much more interesting to watch, than animals trained to do tricks!
Great birdies and a good point. We do have to think about the ramifications of our actions especially since we already have a lot to put right.
Perfectly said Graham. Thank you.
wow!
Merci beaucoup mon ami~
How beautiful Cindy and that shot of the forked tongue is one in a million moment.. I agree with you about feeding the humming bird from that woman’s mouth.. not hygienic for her or the bird. Such incredible creatures and to have them on your doorstep must be incredible. I have put in the blogger daily and copyrighted the image for you.. I hope that is okay. hugs xx♥
Thank you so much for your kind friendship Sally. You are a daily light.
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Thank you for sharing images we would not see otherwise.. hugs xx
<3 <3
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70+ hummers! Along with all the other birds and critters around the Holler it must be full of amazing sights and sounds.
We just went to the mountains for a few days, and I was wondering why are the birds so scared and where are all the wild critters!!!
You are an amazing photographer!
Honored & humbled by your kindness~ <3
Beyond words incredible photography!!!! Just amazing!! A big thanks to Sally for sending me!
Ahhh, hugs to Sally and gratitude to you!
Every single time I remain awed by your captures my friend! <3 <3
You have touched my <3 Thank you & cheers too!
Stunning photos, Cindy!
Merci beaucoup mon ami!
Wow! I love hummingbirds and so appreciated seeing their upclose beauty. I can’t even believe you got the closeup of the forked tongue! Thanks for the beauty. <3
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Thank you so much from the hummers & I!
Cindy, this is one of the best photography posts I have ever seen as I love hummingbirds! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your amazing photos and for all the unseen hard effort you and your son put forth to bring these amazing photographs to your blog! xoxo
What a lovely and so very appreciated comment!
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Cindy, what extraordinary photos. Congratulations on the forked tongue shot. Thanks, too, for educating people. It must be really something having one so close at hand. Ours know us too, and will sometimes buzz us to let us know the feeders are low. We have seven feeders going in the summer along with what we grow. Your photos, today and always, are simply amazing.
I love being buzzed to indicate it is time to change the feeders! They are such wise little creatures. Thank you so much for your truly lovely comments~
It’s almost a compliment, isn’t it? I know you’re hear taking care of me. I just want you to know that the feeder is low. By the way, I enjoyed four different hummers at the water fountain today. They love taking a shower in the bubbler.
Incredible, Cindy. I learned a lot I never knew – including the fact that hummers had forked tongues. Thanks!
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to educate a world!”
Thank you Madelyn and I am happy you enjoyed the hummers! Happy Friday my friend~ <3
Thank you, Cindy — you have a great weekend.
xx,
mgh
<3 <3
They are beautiful! I would love to feed hummingbirds, but I have two cats who are excellent hunters. I don’t want to cause a decline in the bird population. I will just have to enjoy your photos!
Hummingbirds and cats are not a happy mix, so thank you for your caution. I only have to worry during the short preying mantis season which should soon be on us. I have to relocate the mantis from around the feeders during season.
Bravo, Cindy. Absolutely magnificent! We have a few who now show up at our two humble little feeders. They are fascinating to watch. Sometimes when we’re out on the porch, they’ll buzz past our head. I never before realized how loud they are and how much like a drone they sound! Scared me the first time one buzzed by my head! 😀
And they may fan your face with their wing draft, and land on you, but they will never collide with you, no matter how close they get. They are precision fliers.
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Good to know! 😀
Cindy how did you know humming birds were my favorite above all. Great photos. You must live in migration path or keep the juice flowing all the time.
Did you get the extra comments sent with videos of James Arthur? I picked special ones for you.
Hugs
M
I didn’t get the videos. I will look for them in spam. I wonder if he is the person who has hundreds of hummers and never leaves his house for any length of time during season to keep all the feeders going! Is that is who you are talking about, it is truly amazing!
I know how far down he was, drug addict, alcoholic, depressed and very angry at everything. Nor releasing a LP would kill some people’s career. He is bigger than he evert dreamed, he very honest in his interviews. I’m so disappointed you didn’t receive. I picked what I think are his best & sexiest video. It’s important for you to get my Montaigne. I’ll find you’re email and recreate a big drink of James Authur!
Have a great weekend.
Amazing, amazing, amazing
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Wow! I’d never even know that hummers had a forked tongue! I know most in government do. 😀 Seriously, thanks Cindy, for that cool pic. You’re a hummer whisperer! (PR)
Laughing. If those politician’s vocal repertoire was limited to hummingbird sounds we would be in much better shape!
Wow, Cindy. These pictures are incredible and so are the hummers!
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What a stunning series of images, Cindy. Their wings flap so quickly I’m amazed you managed to hold the camera steady with one hand and get such superb sharp focus. I’ve used one hand to photograph something stationery like a flower (shielding bright sunlight with the other hand), but never a bird moving.
Well done 🙂
Thank you. Much appreciated that you are aware of the effort involved! <3
Wow, Cindy! I am impressed with all your different hummingbird photos. You are a truly gifted photographer as well as a “hummer whisperer.” So sweet how they trust the fingers of the one holding the bottle top full of food or fruit bits. 🕊 xo 💞
Earning the trust of wild creatures is a humbling experience. Thank you for sensing this Robin & cheers to you my friend~
PS Thanks for your great message! Protecting the our wildlife from ourselves.
The “white nose syndrome” is afflicting bats in the Kentucky caves. It is believed to have been from a purse or backpack. Many caves have sections closed off to the public due to bacteria we carry in or on us! Thank you and although bats aren’t as cute as hummers, they bless the areas they forage in by keeping bugs at bay. I think they are cute tho’ ! xo 💐 😊
I hadn’t heard of this bat problem, so thank you for letting me know. We do need to be sensitive to the damage our viral and bacterial loads can pose to wild creatures~
Beautiful pictures! Amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you more for your kind appreciation!
These pictures are magnificent…
Thank you!
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Wonderful! I have never seen a hummingbird, but I’ve seen a hummingbird moth, and it was an incredible experience for me. Thank you for sharing 😀
Hummingbird moths are incredible aren’t they! I have seen maybe one in my lifetime~
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They really are! It is a rare and wonderful experience! 🙂
Unbelievable, how much they trust you! Wow…
It is humbling, and a wonderful feeling. Thank you for resonating with this Alexander~
This is outstanding work in all respects, Cindy! Excellent!
Ah, honored and humbled Klaus. Thank you~
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Fantastic , thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much more for appreciating!
Amazing photos!
So happy you enjoyed & cheers to you~
Congrats on capturing the forked tongue! I had heard about it somewhere but had never seen a photo of it. The whole series is spectacular, and I appreciate the thoughtful remarks about endangering wild critters by taming them for photo ops.
Thank you for your concern and sensitivity & have a wonderful weekend!
You are the Hummingbird Whisperer. Enough wonder to last a life time.
Ahh, I am blown away by such a wonderful comment………
Enjoyed this post, Cindy, so much. That’s an incredible number of hummingbirds to The Holler, congratulations. That translates to so much nectar making and feeder maintenance, keeping the ants and bees out of the nectar, and ducking from their aerials while filling the feeders. I have seen the forked tongue exposed in air, but to get a photograph of it is astounding. And BTW, that little bitty feeder is adorable, I have never seen one. Thanks for sharing this once-a-year tradition.
Thank you as always for your kind friendship and your thoughtful and considerate comments. Have a wonderful weekend! <3
My parents delight in hummingbirds, as do I!! Sometimes when I’m on their back deck, the hummingbirds come up to the plants right by us. Your photos here are incredible, Cindy <3
Yes! They are looking you over and saying hello, kinda like dances in high school! 😉
Cracking hummer shots, Cindy. 10/10! RH
Thank you very much! So appreciated~ <3
so cool, we love Hummingbirds. 🙂
So happy you do!
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Superb! They are precious! 🙂
Ahhh, honored thank you very much!
Amazing photos! Thank you for this welcome treat.
Thank you more for appreciating the hummers!
These pictures were amazing, I fetched the family out so we all got a look.
I agree we do have to be so careful, in this cruel world even acts of kindness can have negative consequences. I really admire what you are doing.
I so admire you and what you are doing and accomplishing with your blog, so thank you right back! I am honored you showed my feathered friends to your family. All creatures need to help each other. Thank you for making me smile~
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That cover/1st shot with the tongue I’ve never seen anything like before but then I saw the extreme detailed clarity of the second and was just talking about to a friend today!
I am truly honored & humbled by your kindness. Thank you!
What an amazing sight it must be, Cindy. I can only imagine. Hugs on the wing.
Hugs & gratitude flying back to you Teagan~
They are such amazing birds, aren’t they?
Yes, magical in some indefinable way……
beautiful Cindy…:-)
Ahhh, thank you, means a lot from you my friend~
These are some of the best hummingbird photos I have viewed. In some you almost froze the motion of their wings, and I know that’s very hard to do even under the best light.
I am truly honored. Thank you.
It is amazing that you were able to catch the hummer’s tongue! Your photos are fabulous, as always. We were visiting our neighbors last night and remarked at how many more hummingbirds we see each year. They have a feeder, and though I have one, I haven’t put it out because of the huge numbers of flowers I have in my garden. We have several hummers at a time in my garden at any one time. We were also talking about feeding them by hand. Neither of us have done that yet.
Yes, hummingbird populations appear to have increased this year in California, due I would imagine to the ending of the drought. Hummingbirds survive mostly on gnats and fruit flies, augmented by nectar from flowers. Flowers draw them, but bugs sustain them!
Such beautiful birds Cindy and that forked tongue quite a sight. What a magnificent job you did photographing these little fellows. 🙂
Awww, so honored you enjoyed & thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing these amazing photos of the incredibly beautiful hummers. And I can imagine your delight to have managed to get one of the forked tongue. Wonderful.
It definitely made my day! Thank you for appreciating them Mary & cheers my friend~
Reblogged this on Random Ramblings; Myriad Musings and commented:
I always love to see these precious, flying jewels up close…these pictures are perfection!
😎
Awww, hugs to you dear friend~
Bravo! Splendid photography!
Thank you! Thank you! Much appreciated Robert~
wünsche einen schönen Ruhetag, liebe Cindy
Vielen dank mein lieber Freund!
wünsche guten Wochenstart
Du auch, mein Freund!
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Incredible shots, Cindy, and such an important message – you are a hummer champ! 🙂
I love them and I think they know it!
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Gorgeous!
Merci beaucoup!
Incredibly beautiful birds – and incredible shots, Cindy!
Ahhh, honored my friend and be well!
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How we’ve missed you’re gifted eye Cindy. Unbelievable. Sharing these now!! 😉
Awww, so wonderful to hear from the talented duo! Love to you both~ <3
These are absolutely amazing – especially the first one! Wow! 👏👏👏
And such interesting info – thanks 👌🏻
Ah, your kindness is much appreciated! Thank you~
Wow! What an amazing series!
So pleased you enjoyed & thank you!
Thanks so much & cheers to you!
Beautiful images of the Hummers, very unique captures.
Thank you so much and happy post eclipse Monday~
Absolutely amazing photos Cindy. There is so much detail in their plumage to look at and admire. Exceptional creatures. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you more for appreciating these incredible creatures as I do!
OMG, their tongue is actually forked! <3
I was so jazzed when I actually captured it! Couldn’t believe it!
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Stunning photos!
So pleased you enjoyed & thank you!
Amazing shots, Cindy. Stunning details.
Ahh, means a lot! Thank you~
Wonderful photographs! I’ve never seen hummingbirds humming (or is it hovering. . .). Mostly they are zipping here and there, back and forth .They are definitely another of nature’s lovely mysteries!
They definitely hum, it really sounds more like a buzz, and they hover, and they are the only bird that can fly backwards~
wow wonderful shots. I love these incredible birds!
They would love you too……as long as you feed them! <3
Great shot
Yay. Happy you like them & thank you!
I never been seen hummingbird in my whole life like you’d experienced
I am very happy you enjoyed seeing them and thank you for letting me know!
I had two feeders and a beautiful swarm for about two days until one Ruby Throated Hummer ran them all away. I read that adding more feeders or moving one of the feeders would help but I apparently didn’t move them far enough away because he was able to terrorize both of them. So I took them down in hopes that he will move to greener pastures. I know they spar and I understand. As long as they are sparing equally I don’t have a problem. But when one can run everyone away, I just do not think that is fair. I wish I could speak hummingbird for just long enough to tell them there is plenty for everyone, and I will bring more.
Yes, this happens sometimes, and it is very frustrating to watch, so I empathize with you completely. And the dominant bird will dominant another feeder, as you mention, if placed in visual contact of the existing feeder. However, he can’t keep this up forever because it becomes too exhausting, leaves too little time for him to eat or mate, and expends too much energy. A sufficient numbers of challengers will eventually overwhelm him, however you can stop the process more quickly by doing a few things. Move the existing feeder to a difficult to dominate place, like hanging it from a branch among the scrub of a very large bush. This is harder to dominate because it is more difficult to see. Have this feeder plain glass, no red dye or red glass. Next hang a second feeder on another area of your garden, out of the visual field of the dominant bird and far enough away that the bird cannot possibly dominate both feeders. Fill this temporarily with red dye nectar or a red glass container to attract the rejected birds. Eventually you should have two feeders going and his dominance of your garden will be over and he will give up. You have already removed the contested feeder for awhile which is actually the first thing you can do. He will hang around waiting for it to return for awhile and then give up. At this point hang the two feeders as described. It may help for you to know he dominates the location where the feeder is placed and all his strategy centers on this. So stopping this location dominance is your first tool. There is an interesting book you may want to read titled, “The Fastest Thing on Wings,” about hummingbirds written by a hummingbird rescuer. The author describes in good detail how a very small percentage of hummingbirds are just bullies and terrorize other birds. In this way they are similar, unfortunately, to humans.
I used to have aquariums. I used to say that the prettier the fish was the bigger a***hole he would be. Just like hummingbirds and many people. Thanks for the suggestions. Have a blessed day.
Good luck & hope it works~
I ordered and received “The Fastest Things on Wings” thanks to your suggestion. I’ve only read the first chapter, but I am sure it is going to be a wonderful book.
The author is unusual and you will learn a lot about hummingbirds. I hope you enjoy it!
Wow, what amazing photographs!
Thank you very much!
Lovely
Very pleased you enjoyed!
Great photos!
Thank you very much!