BS: I just LOVE hummers!

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 04 Aug 08 - 05:14 PM

Early last summer, I bought a 4' length of 1/8" threaded SS rod and washers and nuts. I bought SS "fruit cups" at The Real Atlantic Stupidstore. I was gonna make ant dams. WEll, I got busy and never did make the ant dams because I had no ant problem last year. I am serious. Not one ant.

So, I had the threaded rod near the back door all summer and into the fall. Damn thing was always in my way in the corner of the boot tray. When I had to go into hospital for an operation in mid-December, I cleaned the house from asshole to appetite because I knew I wouldn't be able to do any housework for at least a month. Today, I decided to build ant dams because the feeders are covered with ants. Anybody seen that threaded rod? It ain't in my house or my garage or Mum's garage.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 04 Aug 08 - 05:03 AM

Phot... Recovery Vehicle. Hehehe. True Brit "attitude"!! Wassail!

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Phot
Date: 04 Aug 08 - 12:37 AM

Gnu, not many Hummers in Aldershot, but they sound great! There are a few of the wheeled variety though, which don't seem to like my old Disco. Which could be something to do with the "Authorised Hummer Recovery Vehicle" on the back window..............

Wassail!! Chris

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 10:27 PM

It's a myth. I'm familiar with THAT look. Ya gotta love something that tiny and that fearless.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Peace
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 10:18 PM

Goodness, what a beautiful thread.

As with most people, seeing a hummer ranks right up there. I absolutely love that 'attitude' they have. They hover and give ya this, "And who might YOU be" stare. Talk about yer David and Goliath story.

Does anyone know whether the story about them hitching rides with geese is fact?

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: pdq
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 10:12 PM

Anyone who likes hummingbirds has a good heart.

Other vital organs may be suspect in some, but not that one.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 08:11 PM

Eric... thanks! Good stuff!

Mary... kinda neat, eh? Ya don't really think of them ever taking a sit.

Jeri... way cool eh!

Gush, gush... sorry.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 07:13 PM

...and the funny thing is, I just looked out the window, thinking "wouldn't it be cool if I saw one" and I did. The mrs was doing the rounds in the back yard.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: SINSULL
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 06:46 PM

This spring, whne the rhododendron blossomed, Lizzie was sitting the front window making complaining noises. I looked out and there was a tiny hummingbird sitting on the front porch. My first in Maine and so strange to see one just sitting.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: GUEST,eric
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 06:30 PM

Here's the classic slo mo strobe video:
http://techtv.mit.edu/file/146/
(full screen recommended)

But check it after reading the 2005 press release about "discovering" 75% lift from down (forward ) stroke, and the rest from upstroke.   
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=104263

(Resting pulse 40 - flying 500 bpm.)

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Greg B
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 06:10 PM

Their eggs are just incredibly small, as are their nests.

It's a rare privilege to see them nesting. I've only had the
chance once.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 03:07 PM

Some fun, huh?

I know I sound "gushing". But, I have seen many birds "up close". I've had Ruffed Grouse challenge me, scratching and throwing leaves as they ruffed out and defined the line. I've sat 2m from a Perrigrine Falcon perched on the upper deck of my (EX) camp hunting mice, and Ruffed Grouse!, on the lawn. I've sat 5m under a Bald Eagle hunting fish in the river in front of my camp. I've seen ravens in the bog country that were so large you would not believe me. I've had a great horned owl smack me in the back of the head when it was pissed off at me for being there. I've had a wee tiny owl sink his talons into my hand when I tried to rescue him from a tangle. I've had Moose Birds (Grey Jays) help me hunt... yes, HELP me hunt, just like a bird dog, although my hunting days are over now.

And, I could go on, but, you get the pic. Gushing, yes... none compare to the awesome hummer.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: maeve
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 01:32 PM

My little sister and I used to sit by the hummer feeders, gnu. We'd move closer each day, until finally the little beauties would perch and feed from our fingers.

Lovely thread! Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 01:32 PM

Metch! Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!! Excellent!

Good thing they didn't try that with me last night when I was snoring... mighta sucked one back!

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 12:34 PM

Love it!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 11:10 AM

A number of years ago, one sunny afternoon, my neighbour was dozing in a lounge chair on his deck, below his humming bird feeder. My neighbour is a rather rotund gentleman with a florid complexion and a very prominent nose. His reclining figure presented a glaringly obvious opportunity for one of our local rufus hummingbirds. Al awoke suddenly to discover a hummingbird beak and enquiring tongue up his nose. Don't know who was more surprised, Big Al or the bird?

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 10:50 AM

I haven't seen them back here, but I haven't been looking, and you HAVE to look- or have the odd 'WTF was that!?' moment. First time I noticed them, I was walking in my back yard. It's a totally unplanned weed 'garden', with ragweed, jewel weed, asters, ornamental oregano, queen anne's lace and joe pye. Hummingbirds LOVE joe pye. Anyway, I got buzzed by a really big bee, then another, then they continued buzzing. I was prepared to swat at one when it did that hovering thing a couple of feet in front of my face, and I thought, 'WHOA! WAAAY better than bees!'

They were less evident in years after that one, until last year when I saw them a lot. After the leaves fell in the autumn, I found the little nest hanging from a branch on the big tree in my front yard. I wanted to save it, but left it too long and the branch came down.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 09:36 AM

The little red ants in the feeder don't seem to bother them. But, I am still gonna put in some ant dams.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: topical tom
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 09:11 AM

gnu:Honestly, when there were dead flying ants in the sugar solution the hummingbirds never came to feed again.Regardless of the fact that I would thoroughly clean and refill the feeder the ants would come again and the hummers would not feed.I have also seen hornets scare them off as well.
In another vein, after the feeders were removed for a couple of years the hummingbirds would return and hover where the feeders were as though saying, "WTF is going on here? Where's the grub?" LOL!

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Bobert
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 08:59 AM

We have a bumper crop this year of the little fellers... Maybe 10 'er so... They're hard to count 'cause of all the activity...

We've had two get into our "mud room" and I've had to catch them with a big plastic bucket up on the ceiling and then a piece of cardboard squeezed between the opening of the bucket and the ceiling...

I'm not sure why but I collect birds nests and have two hummingbirds nests and they are real cute...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 08:24 AM

Oh, yeah... I changed out the grub this morning. The ants and hornets have found the feeders. Gotta get the ant dams installed soon. Only way to get rid of the hornets is too kill them with a trap and I don't do that. Neither do hummers. They could easily kill the hornets, but they don't. They just back off and fly around them.

Actually, the hornets are quite intriguing. Some feed complacently alongside each other, some do not. I assume those that fight are from different nests... anyone know? They go at each other and engage in a kind of wrestling match, at which point they fall to the ground and rise again. I haven't seen any kill the other, but perhaps this can happen? sting the opponent? Any buggers out there know about this?

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 07:54 AM

I have a lovely maple tree in my own backyard and a line of pine trees extends along the back edge of my lot and two neighbouring lots, 18m wide each. Robins nest in the pines and in my maple. They are fierce when they defend their territory and will gang up on intruders, usually with success, driving away even crows and ravens.

The robin nest in the maple is on the south side of the tree. So is my clothesline. My southerly neighbour has a number of hummer attracting flowers and a feeder. So, the clothesline is a great spot for a hummer to sit to catch bugs and have the occasional feed in the neighbouring yard.

Two summers ago, I was working at my desk when a racket began outside my office window. The robins were obviously in great distress. A crow? A cat? Would they need my assistance? I rose to the window and saw four robins. Two on my neighbour's fence and two on my telephone wire. Each was spewing vehemence toward the maple. I searched the maple, thinking there must be a cat in the tree.

I was about to go outside when one of the robins flew toward the maple at speed. That was when I saw the threat. The hummer lifted off the clothesline straight up about 300mm as the robin went by and alit on the line after the robin had passed. He shook his head and ruffed his feathers as if in disdain smugness.

The robin landed in the maple, squawked and returned. Buddy dove downward and sideways, made a tight circle, smacked the robin in the back at about 1m from the line, and perched in the same spot. Each of the robins had a go at him, sometimes two of them at once. Ever see a robin sitting with wings out and mouth open, obviously overheated and exhausted? That's what I saw after about twenty minutes of futility.

And, that is when buddy decided to crank it up a notch. He flew to about 1m in front of a robin and baited it into attack. He did this with each robin, one after another. At one point, two robins collided in mid air. A half hour after I first looked out my window, the robins gave up and buddy went back to eating bugs. Lord and master of the yard... indeed.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 05:53 AM

magic! we don't have anything like hummingbirds here, the closest I've come to them was stories from my sister when she lived in California nearly 20 years ago.

more hummingbird stories, please.

sandra

my closest nature experience was some years back when I spent about 10 minutes (still & silent) in the Nocturnal House of a local wildlife park, that something with big eyes walked close to the glass & looked up at me. I think it was a Tawny Frogmouth
day & night pics of Tawny Frogmouths

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: topical tom
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 12:50 AM

I realize that this is not a music thread but I can't help but post the lyrics to what is ,to me ,a great song, "Hummingbird Heart":

   http://www.completealbumlyrics.com/lyric/38536/Frankie+Laine+-+Hummingbird.html

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: jeffp
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 12:13 AM

Back in the early 80s, I was in a restaurant in Vail, Colorado. The glass door to the outside deck was open, with waitresses going in and out with food. A hummingbird flew in to the dining room and stopped in a hover. The place fell silent as he looked left, then right. Then he backed up a little and turned around and left the way he had come. Everybody in the room looked around at each other, smiled, and went back to their meals.

A magical moment.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 10:51 PM

I only see hummingbirds occasionally, living in the city as I do.

However, I have a story similar to gnu's in one way - birds do pay attention to our music. One summer day, four of us were on the front porch, just socializing. I was strumming my guitar, and an American robin perched on the telephone wire nearby and sang and sang while I played.

I'm convinced he either saw the guitar as competition or he just liked it. Anyway, he sang as long as I played, and the singing was extra fancy, not just a mere 'cheer-up'.

I played all the chords I know (20 of them) and every chord seemed to harmonize with the robin's song. That shows how complex was his song.

For those of you in Europe, an American robin is a blackbird in a gray suit and rusty vest. It is quite different from a European robin.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: frogprince
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 10:39 PM

I've only seen them a couple of times that I can think of. Once on Martha's Vineyard, around the flowers at the edge of the porch where we were staying. Once on Manitoulin Island, where a little cafe had a feeder at the corner of the front window. Delightful wee beasties, for sure, and some sweet posts.   

I held off opening this thread for a few moments, toying with the question of which of at least three meanings it could have. I was almost ready to bet that Liz the Squeak had started it (with the purest of intentions of course).

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 10:22 PM

Couple of evenings ago we were sitting on the back deck, talking and laughing at the golfers, when a hummingbird came right up to my wife and hovered in front of her face. It then hovered all around her head and then took off for parts unknown to us. She'd never had a hummingbird that up close and personal before, and it was really, really, something to watch. I told her that it was because she was so sweet, but she still won't let me have a pony.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: SINSULL
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 07:15 PM

A few years back when Kendall was fighting what seemed a hopeless battle against cancer, he and I were driving in South Portland. I told him I would do anything to make him laugh. As we passed a Hummer Dealership, I said "I will even buy you a Hummer." With a sly grin and the dimples he grinned at me...and I blushed.
He can still make me blush.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Don Firth
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 06:43 PM

The first time I ever saw a humming bird, I was about five or six years old. I saw it at a distance, but the way it was moving (sort of hovering and darting) and the buzz of it's fast-moving wings, I thought it was some kind of huge bee!

Scared the hell out of me!

I dashed inside and slammed the screen door and my mother asked me what was wrong. As I complained incoherently, she looked out the door and said, "Oh, that's just a little humming bird. That won't hurt you."

I'd never heard of a humming bird before. I watched the way it was moving from flower to flower, just like a bee, and I wasn't gonna buy that for a minute!

Don Firth

P. S. Someone has to do this, so

Why do humming birds hum?

(Okay, all together now. . . .)

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Lox
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 06:15 PM

If you whistle backwards which way do they fly?

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 04:41 PM

Apparently, they love my snoring too. Just called me mum. She said she watched several from her kitchen window while suppering and doing dishes. I was outside on hummer watch with the camcorder for the last hour.... good snooze.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 03:32 PM

You can pickup chicks with a Dodge? Sweet.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: pdq
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 03:30 PM

Wednesday I installed a couple of brand new tail lights on my '88 Dodge pick-em-up truck. The next day I was doing yardwork and a hummingbird came up to one, looked carefully at the bright red plastic and spent about 10-15 seconds probing creases and screw holes for nectar. That never happened with the old tail lights.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 03:28 PM

Nest.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 03:18 PM

One of my brothers once found a hummingbird nest. He described it as deep and about as big around as the ball of my thumb.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 01:32 PM

Peace... minds me of Cheucie... a female black and white cat of large stature that was a true lady. She listened to me like a Lab.

One day, a young hummer was at the flowers along the walkway of the house. It spied Cheucie, sprawled in the heat. It came over, hovered in front of her at 150mm and looked her over. She never tried to smack it. It was there for over a minute, up, down... she just watched it.

A camcorder moment.

On accounta she was as quick as a cat and coulda took a swipe.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 01:19 PM

Ebbie! Applause for you!

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 01:16 PM

tt... no need. The hummers don't mind bugs.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Peace
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 01:14 PM

Met one near Mount Edith Cavell about 20 years ago. It is bear country--both black and grizzly--so I was having a look around to be cautious. Entered a meadow and this little guy came zooming up, hovered about five inches from my nose and gave me a once over. Then a twice over. He stayed about 12-15 seconds and then pulled the 'WTF was that'. It was a brief moment in the scale of things but it impressed me so much. I have laways loved seeing thos little guys.

Gnu, Spaw ain't the only one you got in tears. It is a beautifully-written piece of your heart on the page.

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 01:06 PM

a local woman in my area has written a book about humming birds
and in it there are several pix of her with the little critters
perched on her finger....i have had some close encounters with
rubies...and they are very bright when they flash their feathers.

in my area right now there are very few things with any color at
all--the blackened trees and ashen ground are drab and stark. I
would so welcome a flash of color...i have seen woodpeckers...and
they have a red patch. but it is not the same.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 12:50 PM

They are such fearless, sensible little birds. Once one (we have only ruby-throats here in southeast Alaska) got trapped in my sun porch on a hot-for-us day. He tried to find a way out but instead got into the more distant section. I didn't want to chase him for fear it would exhaust him further so after a bit of cogitation I held up a broom with the bristles toward him and let him climb on.

Then I took him to the coolness of the outdoors and flattened my palm so he could leave. Instead he sat there for a few minutes, regarding me with his bright eyes, seeming totally unafraid. When he lifted off and zoomed into the nearby trees I felt like applauding.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: topical tom
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 12:49 PM

I used to put up hummingbird feeders and loved to see the colourful flitterers hover in the air.The courtship dance is something to behold!The female sits on a nearby perch while the male hummer describes huge arcs in the air swooping up and down, up and down.One day I noticed ants in the sugar solution so I suspended the feeder so that no ant could reach it(or so I thought!).They were flying ants!I took all feeders down and now watch the hummers suck nectar from the flowers about the house.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 12:24 PM

I made you cry, Spaw? Gee whiz, golly gosh. I guess there's nothing left for me to do. Except build more humming space.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 12:21 PM

Oops... sorry... I said they could fly a km per second. Of course, no way! The feathers would blow right off em. I belive the definitive speed I was searching for is "WTF was that??!!"

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 12:20 PM

I have a friend in Worcestershire who drives a hummer... he just loves his Hummer too.

Subject: RE: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 12:19 PM

Geeziz gnu.........I'll tell a story as soon as I can quit crying.

That may be the best post you ever made...........


Spaw

Subject: BS: I just LOVE hummers!
From: gnu
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 12:15 PM

And they like ZZ Top! and old Irish Trad songs...

Yesterday afternoon, after I watered the baskets of mostly mini-petunias hung on the eave of the garage and the potted flowers along the edge of the patio, I sat on Mum's patio double glider-rocker. It's about 2.5m from the post upon which are hung two Hummingbird feeders. I lit a smoke and relaxed after a long and gruelling week.

After about ten minutes, I began to whistle a ZZ Top tune named "Girl In A Tee Shirt" or sommat like that. Buddy, the Ruby Throated Hummingbird that is lord and master of the apple tree next to the post... well, of the whole backyard, really... zoomed out of the tree and perched on the clothesline about 2m from me and was enraptured (or pissed, perhaps). I kept whistling. He chirped and chirped. I imagined that he did so because he couldn't clap (or didn't have anything to throw at me).

Unfortunately, the concert was abruptly interrupted when another male Hbird swooped down and started to feed at one of the feeders. Now, if you have never seen these guys scrap, no written description can do any justice to the amazing display of aerial acrobatics. Imagine a couple of 50mm tall helicopters that can go from hovering face to face 1m apart to a km per sec in a tenth of a second.

When the intruder had enough with having the boots put to him, Buddy had a long and well deserved suck on the feeder, which dispenses a mixture of white granulated sugar and water, and alit just within the apple tree to prune his dishevelled feathers. And, I began to sing, softly, The Parting Glass. We put Bro's ashes in the ground yesterday and my cousin and I sang one verse of that song before the covering. So, it was in my head. Well, sir, buddy was right back on the wire… best audience I ever had! Heeheheheheeee!

I watched him, the wife and two younguns flit around for an hour… with me singing and whistling all the while. I just LOVE Hummers!

PLEASE tell me about Hummers you have enjoyed.