Tag Archives: Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Sunday – 7.16.2017

4:28 AM – It’s another Retro-Sunday.

This is from April 12, 2017. This Blue Jay keeps coming and going, stopping just long enough to grab a seed. The Jays that visit now will stay for at least a minute (that’s how long the camera records before shutting off). They sit right in the feeder, eating. I wonder why the change.

We haven’t had much success with hummingbirds. We got a few, then they’d disappear, and all we had was ants in the feeder. We’re waiting until later in the summer to put the feeders back up. Never give up on hummingbirds, every twitcher knows that.

This video was recorded on April 10, 2017, back when the Cardinals were showing mating and chick-raising behavior every day. We don’t see that now, but I expect we will eventually.

Wednesday – 5.3.2017

2:13 AM – We got a new feeder for the hummingbirds, on that should give us a better view of the little birds. And other creatures. Here’s a video of one of the first hummingbird visitors, followed by one of an unwelcome guest.

We should have expected this:

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Recently we’ve seen the young bluebirds sharing the mealworm feeder, two and even three at a time – a first for any kind of birds. Here’s a are a couple of Carolina Wrens following the new trend:

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The Blue Jays now hang around the feeder all day, even more than the Cardinals. Here’s a typical moment – this one seems to be posing for the camera:

Sunday – 4.30.2017

1:33 AM – It’s been interesting watching the young bluebirds develop. Even though the adult male still feeds them sometimes, this clip shows they’ve pretty much mastered the mealworm eating technique. We wonder how long they’re fully grown and move on. Maybe they won’t, and we’ll have a large, permanent bluebird colony.

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We’re seeing more hummers. We’d like to have so many the sound of them is so loud we have to wear hearing protection.

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This closeup rearview of one of the Blue Jays shows this back and tail – the color is vivid, and the pattern is almost digital.

Saturday – 4.29.2017

3:40 AM – We replaced the shabby old birdbath we were using as a feeder with a nice one, made of wood with a screen floor. The birds probably don’t care, but it does look better. Here is a parade of birds trying it out: Cardinal, White Breasted Nuthatch, Sparrow and North Carolina Chickadee.

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We don’t have clouds of hummingbirds yet, but we’re starting to see an increase in traffic.

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The Blue Jays are now at the feeder off and on, all day. I think they’re nesting in a tree across the yard by the back fence. This is interesting – one Jay flies into the other, knocking him off the feeder, then does a kind of hopping victory dance. The last part of the clip shows this in slow motion.

Wednesday – 4.26.2017

3:57 AM – We’re not sure, but it looks like we’ve got at least two different Blue Jays. Take a look.

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Here’s a couple of the bluebird kids sharing the mealworm feeder. Their coloring seems to be getting a little clearer. The one on the right is a male, and getting bluer, while the other is probably a female, and staying gray.

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Finally, this video combines a couple of visitors we haven’t seen for a while – a Hummingbird (Ruby Throated, I think) returns to the Foodcourt, and the squirrel with one ear is back. At least I think it’s the same one-eared guy. I couldn’t find the old video to compare, but how many one-ears can there be in one Foodcourt?

Sunday – 4.9.2017

10:29 AM – Bruno the neighbor dog jumped the fence again this morning. In the first section he’s in the bottom left corner – he pauses briefly to listen to, and ignore, his owner calling him. We always enjoy our visits from Bruno, and he seems to have a good time.

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9:14 AM – Bluebird fledglings are back. There are three of them, and they seem to be getting stronger, better at flying and hopping. Not always though. Here’s one trying to take off from the birdbath and getting an involuntary dunking.

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7:56 AM – Early morning Hummingbird.

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4:06 AM – The bluebirds made a brief appearance yesterday morning, but that was it. With any luck, we’ll get some good footage of them today. In the meantime, here’s a couple of standard variety Carolina Chickadees. These little hoppers are among of my favorites.

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Heavy traffic at the mealworm feeder.

Saturday – 4.8.2017

12:05 AM – This is great. I had no idea these young bluebirds could be so aggressive.

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One of the fledglings takes his first bath (probably). I guess he’s a little preoccupied when dad comes by with a snack. Which must have annoyed Mr. Bluebird, since he seems to spend every moment of the day ferrying mealworms from the feeder to a bird-mouth.

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Here’s a break from the many home movies the bluebird parents now have of the kids growing up. We had a Ruby-throated Hummingbird have a nice long drink of nectar. We’re really looking forward to swarms of them this summer.

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Finally, this Yellow-rumped Warbler has some markings we haven’t seen before. He’s a little small and rotund, and we’re wondering if he might be a fledgling, or maybe a little older.

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Wednesday – 4.5.2017

2:14 AM – We had a second hummingbird sighting late yesterday afternoon, this one a little longer. It’s a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, for sure.

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The Carolina Wren with no tail disappeared, and in it’s place appeared a wren with partial tail feathers. I’m assuming it’s the same bird due to the ‘coincidence’ of the no-tail disappearing just as the partial-tail arrives on the scene. The wren seems to have regenerated it’s tail feathers. A little research told us that this is not only possible, but normal. How little we know about birds. In the wrens case, it seems that only some of the tail feathers are back. The tail looks suspiciously narrow. If the follicles at the base of the tail are damaged, no tail feathers. Incidentally, it looks as if the wren, like the bluebirds, is carrying off mealworms, presumably to a mate or chicks.

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A busy day at the mealworm feeder. The first bird is the new-tailed Carolina Wren.

Tuesday – 4.4.2017

1:50 AM – The first hummingbird of the season, and the first to be captured on our Hummer Cam (formerly the Suet Cam). He’s only visible for less than a second, but this shows the hummers are here, and the security cameras can record them.

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4:10 AM – We haven’t seen any female Bluebirds for several days now, and the male is still carrying food off somewhere – presumably to her. We’re looking forward to seeing small Bluebirds eventually.

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Here’s a Ghost Cardinal in the rain.