Hummer’s Mean Home: Part I (Perching)~

On May 28, 2017May 28, 2017 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life295 Comments

Coming home means hanging out with the hummers.

I don’t worry about them when I’m gone.

I just miss them.

My husband, the actual-factual, logical-biostatistician, said incredulously, “They fly up to me like they missed me.”

He’s not used to thinking like this,

but he can’t help noticing such obvious birdy behavior.

Speaking of birdy behavior, we are having a problem this year.

The snoozing little capitalist you see above is dominating two quart-sized feeders and relentlessly attacking and driving all hummers off who try to feed. He spends more time hoarding nectar than feeding and snoozes all the time because he’s exhausted from all his effort. Of course he can’t even begin to drink this much nectar!

You can see him perched on the wire above the feeder, waiting to attack any bird that dares to drink! We have three feeders now spaced far apart to control him, one in a bush that is impossible for him to monitor, but when I shut one of “his” feeders down, he goes to dominate another. We have never had such a greedy little guy and he reigns unchallenged. I hope he’s not learning this behavior from watching humans! 😉

Cheers to you from the harmonious Holler Hummers….(and the one little greedy guy)~

Hummer’s Mean Home: Part II (Flying)~

On May 28, 2017May 28, 2017 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life141 Comments

If you read Part I, you know about the greedy little capitalist. Above is one of his victims with a feather askew from a direct hit!

Here is another escaping his wrath.

The good news is, moving one of the greedy guy’s feeders into the bushes worked, and he is now under control.

Birds are feeding and flying freely once again at The Holler.

We now have three feeders up and about twenty birds actively feeding. This is less than prior years, probably because the persistent drought has ended, and The Holler and all the surrounding orchards are abloom with flowers, giving the hummers lots of dining options.

The orioles and Grosbeaks are here at the feeders too, also in smaller numbers for the same reason.

So once again, peace and harmony reigns at The Holler!

Cheers to you from The Holler’s Harmonious Hummers~

Trust~

On July 14, 2016 By cindy knokeIn Birds, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES328 Comments

is an honor,

that is earned,

and easily broken.

The Holler Hummers have learned to trust,

and will feed readily from hand.

My husband and son volunteer occasionally for photos,

as you can see in this photo, but mostly I do it myself, which is really quite comically difficult.

I hold the camera with my right hand and the feeder with my left!

But the experience of concentrating, vibrating, hummingbirds feeding from your fingers, so close to your face and eyes, is so simply phenomonal, that’s it’s worth is above words.

It is amazing what we will do, and receive back, for unselfish love.

Cheers to you from The Holler Hummers~

The Holler Preens it’s Plumage~

On January 17, 2016January 18, 2016 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES266 Comments

I couldn’t do another post on Holler birds without including The Holler Hummers could I?

The year-round hummers are mellow and co-operative.

Right, and I am the Queen of Bavaria!

We have oak groves full of all sorts of birds including droves of Acorn Woodpeckers in their smart red pope caps.

There are Western Scrub Jays,

who don’t like being photographed,

and very shy Western Bluebirds,

who like it even less!

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without words
And never stops at all.” (Emily Dickinson)
Cheers to you from your Holler feathered friends~

Holler Hummer Home~

On July 21, 2015July 21, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Uncategorized290 Comments

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~

Teeny Tiny Birdie Feet~

On February 6, 2015February 24, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS273 Comments

I evaluate hummingbird photos by how clearly I can get the feet in focus. If the face is in focus, but the feet are blurry, then the photo doesn’t make the cut.

Besides I can’t believe their birdie feet. They are miniaturized, engineering marvels.

These tiny birds who weigh less than a nickel, have impressively functional feet.

Check out this guy with his landing gear engaged and ready to lock on!

Right now the hummers appear to be miffed.

I moved their feeder so it would be more in the sun for photos, and they are balking about using it.

It’s a hummingbird standoff.

If they refuse to use the feeder for another hour, I’ll move it back.
Cheers to you from The Holler Hummers, who, of course, are always in charge!
I am just their feeder filler~
.

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Mortal Combat!

On June 22, 2014 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES192 Comments

Notice the hummer spearing another in the head, amazingly I have never seen a hummer seriously hurt from the sparring although I imagine they could be. I certainly hear the sound of their airborne impacts, and see the missing and displaced feathers.

This guy is waiting to spear the guy from above who is about to attack him! Hummingbirds move incredibly quickly, but when they are in attack mode they move at warp-speed.

You can see evidence of the airborne impacts in the ruffled feathers.

Some seem disproportionately harassed.

Others position themselves for advantangeous attack!

The majority though avoid the fray and remain untouched. I suspect their aerial evasion techniques are even more evolved than their attack skills. They are simply phenomonal fliers.

This is of course how I prefer to see the hummers! Peaceful and radiant.

Cheers to you from the occasionally bickersome, but always beautiful, Holler Hummers~