Hummingbirds at the feeder

[Johnsfolly]

BH and smalliebigs

We definitely don't have as many hummers in our Columbia neighborhood than you two. Been only seeing two or three at a time at any one of our feeders. They have been draining the feeders pretty quickly with this heat.

Also do not mind the Seals and Croft song. My uncle Larry looked a lot like James Seals and even wore similar hats. He and my aunt divorced when I was fairly young but that resemblance stuck with me. Now if we can just get a summer breeze that would make me feel fine. 

[jdmidwest]

Last night at a beekeepers meeting, one member said to coat the feeder part with veggie oil to keep honeybees off of it.

Since I started keeping bees, I could not keep feeders out because of bees crowding it out. I am gonna try it. I miss my hummers. I had a white one at one time. 

[ness]

Out in colorful Colorado last summer. They're used to people:

 

[Johnsfolly]

Ness

Are the hummers in CO ruby throated or a different species?

[lee G.]

My bird book says black chinned and broad tailed hummers in Co.

 

 

 

[ness]

46 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

Ness

Are the hummers in CO ruby throated or a different species?

Not sure. The males had an iridescent throat that sorta changed colors based on the angle. Sometimes black, sometimes red. 

[Johnsfolly]

7 minutes ago, ness said:

Not sure. The males had an iridescent throat that sorta changed colors based on the angle. Sometimes black, sometimes red. 

Ness

After we got home, I looked up the distribution of the ruby throated and they may not get as far west as CO. From the distributions in CO there is the black chinned hummingbird that has a black and then purple throat. Also there is the broad tail hummingbird that the photos in my field guide show the male from different angles and the throat patch looks black in one photo and ruby/fuschia colored in the next one. Both have the green backs like the ruby throated. So I would guess that the broad tails were the ones in the picture.

Just saw Lee G's post above. Looks like he and I saw the same distributions.

[Johnsfolly]

On the home front we had two juveniles at the feeder out front of the house. They looked tiny compared to the adults that have been regulars at the feeder.

[ness]

They're one of those things that just makes me think God put them here just to make us happy. Beautiful and cool creatures. 

[Ham]

My only knock on humming birds is how many it takes to make a good gumbo.