The hummingbirds continued to entertain us this week, and I was fortunate to capture three (3) of them chasing each other. I say three (3) of them because I think I saw a fourth one the other night.
Until next time,
~donna
3 Little Birds
Hummingbirds
Fast, Furious and Feisty
The hummingbirds are becoming more and more active these days. It seems as though they are everywhere zooming around the yard chasing each other. They’re fun to watch yet challenging to photograph.
We have a row of Leyland Cypress trees flanking the hummingbird feeder this year. The hummers love to rest and stretch on the branches before swooping into the feeder for food.
As cute as these little garden fairies are, hummingbirds are territorial creatures, keeping close guard over their spot at the feeder. They are fast, furious and very feisty when it comes to protecting their food source.
I could probably place another feeder in the yard and that might help to ward off some of the fighting. But, quite honestly, I don’t think that will help much. Besides, they’re very entertaining to watch as they chase each other making what sounds like a heckling laugh. I’ve seen three (3) at one time chasing each other but have only been able to shoot these two (2).
August is the month when hummingbirds get even more active as they build their strength and prepare for their migration back to Mexico and Central America. Hopefully, I’ll be able to capture some more shots of their adventures before they leave.
Until next time,
~donna
Sunday Vibes – Humming Along
If you’ve followed along with my blog for a while, you know that one of my all-time favorite bird is the hummingbird. They are cute, swift and very challenging to photograph.
Except for the occasional scout, they were a little late showing up to the garden this year. But finally, this past Monday we had an emerald green hummer land on our feeder.
As you might imagine, Hummingbirds get their name from the humming sound their wings make when in flight. They hover at rapid wing-flapping rates, which vary from around 12 beats per second in the largest species to 99 per second in small hummingbirds (source: Wikipedia).
The feathers on a hummingbird don’t come from a specific pigment. Instead, the top layer contains prism-like cells that reflect the light (source: Hummingbird Info). Look how shiny and multicolored this little guy is.
I’m a little rusty when it comes to capturing these cute garden fairies in flight. Normally, they fly at a speed of 25 – 30 miles per hour and when threatened they have a burst speed of 30 – 50 miles per hour (source: Hummingbird 101).
This was a lucky shot of this guy getting ready to leave the feeder.
I hope you enjoyed the fun facts about hummingbirds, today. Rest assured there will be more posts this summer of these beautiful creatures so stay tuned.
Until next time, have a great week and keep humming along.
~donna
Silent Sunday
“A Friend May Be Hiding…..”
I wonder if the hummingbird and wasp were considering this quote when they met each other at this feeder?
How do you approach “strangers” or someone you never met before?
Happy Wednesday!
~donna
“Blessed Are They Who See Beautiful Things…”
“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.” ~Camille Pissarro
Do you find beauty in humble places?
~donna
“The World Changes from Year to Year….”
“The world changes from year to year, our lives from day to day, but the love and memory of you will never pass away.” ~unknown
♥Do good.
♥Be strong.
♥Celebrate life.
Be sure to hug a loved one or call a dear friend and let them know you love them – every day.
“Impatiently Waiting for Spring”
We’ve been experiencing some beautiful Springtime weather in Atlanta. The temps were in the high 70’s just knocking on 80 this past weekend and we were running around in short sleeves, shorts and yes, flip flops! Surely the early Spring promised by Beauregard Lee (our resident groundhog) was here to stay?
Nope! Mother Nature has a way of reminding us she is still in control. The rain came in on Tuesday and the temps are starting to dip back down into the freezing zone with our weekend forecast indicating possible rain and snow showers (gulp). I guess it’s a good thing I resisted the temptation to begin my Spring gardening.
But one thing’s for sure with the weather so nice I couldn’t resist the urge to fill the Hummingbird feeders. There have been sightings already in the Atlanta area, so I thought why not?! They haven’t found their way to our feeders yet, but I’m ready for them.
I sure hope this change in weather is only temporary. In the meantime, I’ll be right here reminiscing over these sweet little beauties from last summer’s “30 Days of Hummingbirds” challenge while I find myself impatiently waiting for Spring,
~donna
“Taste the Sweet Nectar of Life”
What a sweet tribute to those wonderful little garden fairies that will be returning soon.
How about you? Are you tasting the sweet nectar of life?
~donna
“Just Living is not Enough…….”
“Just living is not enough. You must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.” ~Hans Christian Anderson
May you find your sunshine, freedom and little flower this week!
~donna
P.S. If you’re looking for unique greeting cards, prints or digital prints be sure to stop by my Etsy Shop by following this link: Shop Etsy: DonnaRobinsonPhoto
Donna Robinson Photography 