Close up wonder of a hummer’s tail. (Tap to enlarge all photos).
Hummers can hover and fly backwards.
Their tongue is longer than their body and rolls up when not in use!
They can flash their colors at will.
Hummers are joy in the garden!
The world’s smallest bird,
is quite brave,
and not afraid of humans.
Cheers to you from The Holler Hummers~
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They are so gorgeous and your photos absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing these little marvels with us. 🙂
I <3 my friends who <3 hummingbirds დ
They are fantastic creatures and your photos captured some of their delights.
They are such wonderful birds. They are feeding off a feeder ring I have now. They argue over it! დ
Unfortunately, they are very possessive, regardless of how many feeders there are. Sharing is not one of their fortes.
Certain birds are more aggressive than others. I find the most problems with our small group of year round resident birds, who get highly offended when the southies arrive. By, June when we have peak numbers, 45+ birds, the aggression diminishes as there are just too many birds to fight off.
45+ birds?! I’m in awe!
It is a rather serious undertaking to keep them all fed! დ
I can imagine! You need to buy industrial size bags of sugar!
Beautiful! Do you what’s going on at the top of the beak in the 4th photo?
Yes. I think it is avian pox. This bird is doing quite well. He has had it for quite some time. So far it is not interfering with his ability to eat. They can survive the pox with scarring. It is imperative to clean feeders daily when there is a bird with pox. I run the feeders through the dishwasher on sanitize cycle and rinse them with boiling water. I use glass feeders. დ
Thank you. When I saw the photo, I researched what it could be. I found nothing. I suppose I should have re-worded my query. I sanitize mine every few days. I offer simple sugar diluted in boiled, then cooled water, as I do not appreciate the chemical and dye-loaded liquids. I refrigerate the little bit extra, offering only enough that will be consumed. The extra bit keeps a few days. I do need to make purchasing a glass feeder my priority, as I dislike the plastic, especially when heated by the summer’s heat. I will be keeping a better eye on pox possibilities. Thanks so much. I have learned I need to be better at this.
You are a very responsible person Dawn, who sincerely cares about the creatures in your care. Thank you so much for this! Hummingbirds get ill when feeders are allowed to develop mold and sit for days fermenting in hot weather. Backyard feeders have brought hummingbird populations back up to healthy numbers.
Stupid smartphone. Please insert “know” prior to “what.”
Smiling……. You remind me of me, I am the Queen of Typos.
I don’t know, I’m pretty baad, espppecially when I think I can type without some reading glassses
I relate!!!
Beauty shots Cindy!
Thanks much Wayne & cheers! დ
Sweet and amazing little creatures. Beautiful photos!
Thank you very much Michele & cheers to you დ
Cheers! 🥂
They are the birds that add the most summer delight to a garden! Unfortunately we don’t have them over here in New Zealand.
Very true. I am sorry you don’t have them, but you have incredibly beautiful, stunning, and well managed NZ! დ
wow ..they have a supersonic metabolism…I think their little hearts must beat a thousand times a minute
You are so right! 1,260 or so beats per minute. დ
wow 😳😳
Yep.
Great shots! They dart around so much, but you captured them on film. (so to speak)
Much appreciated Rebecca. Thank you & cheers! დ
I’m not a bird watcher, but I enjoy your photos of them and your passion too.
Ahhh….. So thoughtful & so appreciated David. Thank you დ
Great photos, Cindy!
I’m always happy to see hummers. There are more of them around here in Victoria BC than decades ago. Mostly Anna’s at my place (year round), but Rufous are found in other spots in summer.
I’ve seen hummers in Canada. These little buzzers get around!!! დ
They’re very special birds, and so are your photos of them.
I am touched by your thoughtful comment. დ
These birds are amazing – how magical to have them visiting in your garden. Your photographs of them are so beautiful too.
Thank you Anne. We have them in our central courtyard too, so they are really part of the familyდ
I love those little things. They can be loud when they are close to you. I’ve had a couple of them scare the crap out of me…tiny helicopters.
When they do that super loud and super rhythmic buzzing while darting back and forth at warp speed, it certainly gets your attention. I have had them buzz up directly to my eye and hover there many times looking at me. დ
That is exactly what they did to me. I heard this loud noise and they would drop down, right at my face, as if to say “hello.” It is an exciting visit.
Yes. It is so totally amazing. It is as if they may be thinking, “We are clearly more skillful than you because we can fly away from anything in an instant, and you can’t even fly, but we find you interesting.” It is such a honor. Plus, they get so close to my eyes, and I know they will never hurt me.
🤗😍
One of my favorite pastimes is hanging with hummers.
This why we get along! დ
These birds move so fast, how did you capture them so beautifully and in such detail, Cindy?
That’s my question, too! These shots are just incredible.
Ahhh….. I am honored. Thank you both very much. It does take a bit of patience and practice. I sit with them, and get into their rhythms. When we are in synch, the photos come დ
You’re welcome, Cindy! Getting those shots isn’t just a matter of technique, then. There’s an art to it.
I honestly don’t know. I do know I have always loved birds.
🙂
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Oh fabulous. Could you persuade one or two to relocate to England: specifically North Yorkshire?
Hmmmmm……… It would have to be a trade, maybe for a nightingale or three! 😉
We no longer have many to spare 🙁
Yes. I understand. Not a fair trade. Wild birds belong where they are. It’s up to people to protect them.
Quite! We’ll have to manage without hummingbirds. We have your photos ….
They are the most incredible birds! Thanks for the great pictures. xo
Thank you more for appreciating them Darlene დ
Having recently learned just how small these creatures are makes these images all the more amazing
Thank you so much Derrick. They are so incredibly tiny. I can’t get over the fact that they fly back and forth across The Gulf of Mexico every year დ
Dammit. I forgot I am anonymous to you – Derrick
A rose by any other name will always be Derrick!
Wonderful bird and gorgous fotos.
Merci beaucoup mon Ami Marie! დ
They are glorious creatures, flashing colors, smooth to watch and as you said, very brave. And great pictures dear lady, to put them on show perfectly. Thank you for sharing 😀 ❤️ 🙏🏽 🦋
Thank you Mark for such very thoughtful appreciation & cheers to you დ
Lovely and astonishing little flying diamonds. <3
Have a fine weekend, and stay safe, dear Cindy!
Visa versa 2UX2 dear friend დ
Wow the hummingbird tail feathers photo is soooo kewl! I put a feeder out I sure hope hummingbirds find it! I am going to try getting plants on my deck to attract them too!
Oh, you are going to have a lovely summer! დ
Love the collection. Good job getting the hummer to keep its tongue out for the picture!
Creatures are always sticking their tongues at me! დ
Great pictures, Cindy! Unfortunately we don’t have hummers in the wild in my country. (We do have sparrows, but…. well…. 🙂 ) They are wonderful creatures.
Thankfully, since there are about 11,000 species of birds in the world, it ensures that every place in the world has some fascinating birds. One of my great joys in travel is seeing all the new and amazing birds. დ
Beautifully done for the very close-up. The shot from under the cutie is awesome!
Thanks so much & cheers! დ
Did you get anew camera? this is very close!
No. This is my trusty Sony bird camera. They aren’t making this camera anymore which is sad for me. I love it დ
I have an awesome expensive camera and still go for my phone! Of course I’m not traveling ro I take it but in the backyard the phone is so easy.
It is not the camera actually, it is the person behind it that matters დ
I’m starting to think so
I have seen incredible iphone photos.
Amazing photos of the amazing Trochilidae family!! 🙂
❤️carmen
Much appreciated Carmen. Thank you! დ
Awesome pictures! I did not realize the hummingbird’s tongue was sooo long. The picture of the tail was interesting, too. It looks like a fan. Great post!
Thank you Betty & I am happy you enjoyed დ
Fanfare indeed! Hummers are fun and fascinating to watch. You forgot the aggressive part! 🙂
Feisty fliers!!! 😉
😋
They are gorgeous! I’ve always thought Humming Birds were very special and fascinating to watch.
Your thinking is completely accurate Kymber დ
Our hummers have just returned. Looking forward to another season of their antics and beauty.
They are teaspoon beauties packed with personality! Enjoy დ
To capture a hummingbird on a feeder is easy, but to capture it in flight is a great challenge. Great shots, Cindy!
Thank you very much Peter დ
WOW. Quite the beauties!
Aren’t they amazing creatures! დ
How I love the Holler Hummers! Celebrate!!
They are mini-flying-celebrations on wings! Cheers to you Sheila დ
Utterly delightful to see the Holler Hummers, Cindy, so close-up and magical.
So very happy you enjoyed my friend & cheers! დ
Great shots! Not easy to capture!!
He has made such a wide variety of intruding beauty snd wonder for us to enjoy!!
Happy Weekend!
💛
Yes, they are fascinating and beautiful. Have a wonderful weekend too my friend დ
*intriguing 🤦♀️
დდ
Small birds are fragile beings. Yet they survive long after their death. Art is a miracle.
Have you seen the Nazca Lines in Peru? They have ancient giant hummingbirds carved into the rock, visible only from high up on the mountains დ
Somehow, the past always looms larger. There were giants hummingbirds.
And the amazing thing is, these historically tiniest birds in the world, are still tiny giants today. Thank you for understanding Micheline დ
I just saw our FOS hummingbird today but not as close-up and personal, so your photos are wonderful addition to my viewing pleasure! 💙💜🤎
I am so glad the hummers bring you pleasure Teresa. They do the same for me დ
Wow! Longer than their body, amazing!!
And they are hollow straws, enabling them to suck nectar from deep in flowers დ
Even more incredible …. Wow. I never knew!
Fascinating that they weigh like only 2-3 grams and move so quickly.
And migrate thousands of miles annually. They are incredible little buzzers დ
Amazing…
Pingback: Fanfare~ — (Hummers from the fabulous Cindy…each photo a marvel) | Rethinking Life
I have the most awesome blogging friends, like you kind Gigi. Thank you & take good care დ
Excellent photos! Great close up and amazing detail! These are such beautiful and precious birds.
Thanks so much! They are such incredible creatures. Cheers to you დ
Such an exquisite bird!
They are precious flying jewels დ
Yes. Flying miracles დ
Microperfection!
Yes! Wonderful gifts in small packages დ
We have a nest on our back patio. She’s had several rounds of babies. So cool. 🙂
How wonderful!! They will have rounds of babies if there is plenty of food available. Lucky you დ
Beautiful hummers, Cindy! I always miss “mine” from Sacramento. Don’t see many here yet, but people tell me they are around. Once our trees grow and our cold weather warms more, I hope to attract some back! They are indeed very brave!
I hope you are successful! I think you might be, after all they have hummers in Alaska! დ