A hummingbird's territory
The old Southern red oak near the house has a number of bare branches, twigs really, that have been favorite perching places for ruby-throated hummingbirds over the years. There are two feeders nearby, as well as flowers to visit, and this particular branch is perfect as a foraging perch, apparently. It's also easy for us to notice them sitting there..jpg)
This morning, I saw a pair of brown thrashers courting, while I was checking things in the garden, and thought I'd change lenses to get a better image.Of course, only one thrasher was visible preening up in one of the hemlocks by the time I returned, but I was able to take a few shots of 'our' male hummingbird, waiting for insects and monitoring his territory.
Hopefully, he has a mate somewhere nearby.
I can't tell you how amazing I find it to think that you have hummingbirds in your garden. In your garden! Sooooo jealous.
ReplyDeleteRob
It is nice to have them back each spring to spend the summer here - we have the ruby-throats and in the western U.S., there are even more species. But the New World tropics! Lots of hummingbirds.
ReplyDeleteBUT, you have hedgehogs and badgers, and the like in your gardens. Quite evocative creatures, especially the hedgehogs. I almost bought a hedgehog feeding dish when I was in England in May; fortunately, it was too heavy to drag back, and what would be the point? Oh, well...
I host dozens of Ruby-throats each summer. I saw my first male on 4/3/2011. Of course, all of the first birds of the season are males. So far, I've seen 4 at the same time. I usually have at least 5 feeders out at any given time. After the chicks leave the nests, I'll see as many as 8 or 10 crowding around a feeder. Check out this story written in 11/2002 by Bill Hilton, Jr. of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History. He visited early on a Sunday morning just to capture pictures of my vagrant Rufous hummingbird: http://www.hiltonpond.org/RufousBanding021110aMain.html
ReplyDeleteHollis Smith Barnes
Sr. Analyst
Data and Information Management
CCIT