Hummingbird sighting

eldragon

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Yesterday, I was looking out my kitchen window and saw a hummingbird perched on a tree branch. It's silouette was perfectly clear, its wings were not moving. I showed my daughter, and even woke my husband to see it.


Until recently I had a book called "Don't you know Hummingbirds Don't Perch?" but I gave it away to a child who said she was interested in Hummingbirds.


So, in case anyone was wondering, Hummingbirds DO perch.

I was so relieved that the little thing was ok. I was worried that it might be hurt or sick, but it flew off when I approached it.

Can you imagine trying to keep a hummingbird alive?
 

Fern

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Cool. I don't think I've ever seen a hummingbird thats wings were still.
 

Sheryl Nantus

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I'm blessed to have two or three that visit me yearly - there's a tree right by the feeder that I can watch them sit and perch before heading for the feeder. I believe they're two males, since they get into some ferocious dogfights at times.

it's truly amazing to watch them fly.

:)
 

BlueBadger

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I've only seen one hummingbird in my life ... I didn't get to see it perch, unfortunately. :(

Well, the little buggers are understandably busy ... if they don't do all that humming and buzzing from flower to flower, who will?
 

Deleted member 42

Get a humming bird feeder at the local garden / nursery supply or discount store.

Make a solution of 1 cup water with 1/4 cup ordinary white cane sugar/table sugar.

Don't mess with these proportions; don't add anything else, not even food coloring, to the sugar and water soulution.

Fill the feeder and hang it someplace where you can see it. Give it two weeks. If there are hummers around, you'll see them.

You can hand tame them.
 

awatkins

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It's time to get my feeders ready - I saw one last year this time so they'll be here any day. :)

They are brazen little creatures, that's for sure! Sometimes they'll even buzz right up while I'm working on the feeder and either perch on the feeder or buzz all around my hands. One day a little female was fascinated by the telephone in my hands and hovered right in front of it, checking out the tiny red light on the end. They're not at all shy.

Ours like to sit on the top of our porch swing and preen their feathers. It's so funny to watch them use those long beaks to delicately groom themselves.

Sometimes they get into scraps with each other and you can hear them squeal and chitter; you can also hear their beaks click together when they fight. They'll tangle up and struggle right down to the ground before letting go and flying away.

They even fly in the rain and will come to the feeder during thunderstorms! Amazing little creatures. I feel fortunate to be able to observe them so often and up close and personal.
 

eldragon

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So, many of you have watched Hummingbirds being still?

I had never seen that before the other day.

AMAZING.
 

DaveKuzminski

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I once rescued an injured hummingbird and drove about thirty miles to take it to a wildlife rehabilitator. A cat broke one of its wings. I saw it from a window and raced outside to get it before the cat could do anymore harm. I don't know if it pulled through, but at least it had the opportunity. The rehabilitator didn't believe at first that we had one needing care. She became a believer when we showed up forty minutes later with the bird. That's the only time I've ever held one.
 

BlueBadger

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I'm in the middle of the city, so I'm not sure how much good a feeder would do. :(
 

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BlueBadger said:
I'm in the middle of the city, so I'm not sure how much good a feeder would do. :(

I've had hummer come to a feeder in the middle of Manhattan. Try it.
 

eldragon

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I once rescued an injured hummingbird and drove about thirty miles to take it to a wildlife rehabilitator. A cat broke one of its wings. I saw it from a window and raced outside to get it before the cat could do anymore harm. I don't know if it pulled through, but at least it had the opportunity. The rehabilitator didn't believe at first that we had one needing care. She became a believer when we showed up forty minutes later with the bird. That's the only time I've ever held one.


Bless you, good man!

We used to drive a good 40 miles to a rehabber, but unfortunately, the place was destroyed in Katrina.

We drove a woodpecker once. He was also injured by a cat, but I'm thinking he probably did ok. He was the strangest bird I ever saw! He attached himself to the side of the cage and hung on for dear life the whole ride!

Last summer, one of our cats got a young starling. We got it before it was hurt. We made a pet of it, and, I must say that it was one of the best pets we ever had. What a personality! Unfortunately, it only lived 4 months, then it dropped dead. We don't know why.


Everyone cried when that happened. He was something else. He would fly across the room and land on my shoulder, walk all over me, sit atop my head.
He thought he was huge, not a tiny little bird. He would walk across the floor and yell at our big dogs when they tried to eat any of his snacks. (He was a meat eater and ate a diet consisting of dogfood and other items.)
 

awatkins

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Wow, Dave! I wonder if it survived. I'd like to think so, but cat have such toxins in their claws it'd be really tough for the little bird. Still, stranger things have happened.
 

jdkiggins

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Eldragon,

I have a flagpole with a brass eagle on top. Yes hummingbirds do perch.
I have a picture of a hummingbird perched on top of my flagpole. He's sitting on the eagle's head. Also have a picture of one perched on my feeder. I'm working on a few articles about the animals and birds in my yard, and hoping to use the pics I've taken.

I love hummingbirds! Oh heck, I love almost all animals. ;)
 

awatkins

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I bet that little hummingbird felt like he was king of the world, Joanne. :)

The other hummingbirds probably gave him a cool name, something like Eagle Tamer or something. :ROFL:
 

September skies

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There is this one place out by the lake, called "Horse Creek" -- I love it there and usually hike up the river about half a mile to a beautiful area where the river is crystal clear, fake gold on the river floor, waterfall near by. I was there once, writing, when suddenly I noticed a tiny hummingbird right above me on a branch. I moved away as quietly as possible and still, he didn't move.

I wish I had a camera on me that day. It was then I noticed it had a tiny nest. I guess he/or she was guarding it. It was such an awesome sight.
And until that day, I had never seen a hummingbird perched.
 

jdkiggins

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Aren't they great, Esther. They're so tiny. Not much bigger than a quarter.
Here's the only picture I have of one. The tree it was in was nearly dead and the branch the nest was in fell off. Thank goodness it was after the hummingbirds left for the winter.

Anyway, here it is, Anne.
hummernest2.jpg
 
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awatkins

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Saw one!

Woohoo! My first hummingbird showed up yesterday at the feeder, perched on the little yellow perch, and enjoyed a leisurely meal. Later when my husband was on the porch, another hummer buzzed all around him, checking him out. :D

I put the feeder up last week after thinking I'd seen a couple of hummingbirds buzzing around the spot where the feeder usually hangs. I'm so glad they're back!
 

eldragon

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I've been seeing my little friend flitting and perching lately, too.


There are a few things I think might be nests, but they are too far up in the tree to see.
 

Ted

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Everyone had hummers here but us, until we planted a "flowering Western red Current."

That brought them in and we have two - five all the time, even over the winter.

Of course they perch...