Cool Spring Happening!

[Monttexan]

Figured there are enough nature oriented folks on this site that would appreciate this so here goes. I was in my folk's shop today getting ready to do some work on my mom's car. It was a nice day so I left the overhead door open. As I was getting ready to jack the car up I heard a hummingbird fly in. I stood up and began watching him fly around checking out gas cans, etc. I was standing about a foot from the passenger door when he lit on it right at the bottom of the window. His little tail feathers were splayed out over the top of the door. He was licking away trying to find something to eat in the reflections in the window. I'm staying statue still throughout this. Then he flies up about 6 inches in front of my face; close enough I can feel the breeze from his wings. Next, he drops down and lands on a fold of my red t-shirt at about the bottom of my rib cage. He sat there for about 15 seconds taste testing my shirt while I checked out his teeny tiny feet, watched his amazingly long tongue flick around, and admired the bright red throat on him. Small as he was I could feel his weight pulling at the small fold of material he was sitting on. He then took off and flew up around my head. I watched his reflection in the car window to avoid spooking him. Then I felt the breeze from his wings on the top of my head and he lit there for about 5 seconds. When he abandoned my noggin he checked out a couple more items in the shop and then headed back out into the wild. It was easily the coolest thing I've had happen in a while!

[tommag]

For a while, I couldn't figure out why the cats would tear up the screen in the window of the office. Then, one day I was sitting at the desk and heard a hmmm- pop. Looked over and a humming bird was hovering at the screen and then would stick its beak through the screen, pop!
I looked out at the humming bird feeder and it was empty. After filling it, he left the screen alone. It wasn't the cats, it was the hummer letting us know that we had one more chore to do.
Smart little critters, it took them a while to train me.

[Bzcraig]

The wife loves hammers so years ago I hung a few feeders around the place with one in front of a window she can see while having coffee every morning. Never have had one land on me but sure have had my head buzzed!

[starmac]

I remember my Greatgrandmother catching one, she hooped and howled and did a little jig before it got away. She claimed it was harder turning it loose than it was catching it. lol

I pulled down under the river bridge at San Marcos right at daylight once. I had stopped and bought a paper and was leaned up against my motorcycle reading it after I had checked to make sure i was alone. A pidgeon tried landing on my head, and wound up on the seat, it walked up and perched on the handle bars and sit there looking out the windshield while I read the paper. Scared me to death though, when it tried landing on my head, I thought some bum had snuck up on me and was beating me about the head and shoulders. lol

[**oneshot**]

I was setting up some planter pots a few days ago, the little hummingbird couldn't wait for me. He started hitting the purple flowered stocks (as well as buzzing my head) before I could get them into the bigger pots. It was quite fun to watch.

[Finster101]

A friend of mine that lived near Kentucky Lake used to go through 100 to 150 pounds of sugar in his feeders starting in the spring. He loved those birds. I sure do miss him.

[slim1836]

All I keep getting around my feeders were bees, lots of bees. Finally took them down. Hated to do that.


Slim

[ShooterAZ]

I have had them come to the feeders as I was still hanging them up!

[762 shooter]

One Spring, about 10 years ago I was working on a lady's property in Murrells Inlet, SC. As I looked toward the house from the road I noticed she had a swarm of bees around her hummingbird feeders on the porch. As I got closer, I realized that the bees were hummers! Must have been 200 or more hummingbirds trying to drink. Never seen such since.

762

[Hickok]

I love those little birds. The wife feeds them on our patio deck. If the feeder gets empty, they will peck at our picture window.

[fastfire]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRDrZHlJPUs

[bear67]

Twenty five years ago we were building a new house on a place in the corner of Runnels and Nolan County near Hylton. The kids kept feeders out in the live oak thickets in front and back of the house under construction. We had both Rufus and Ruby Throated Hummers. My good friend, our wives and my kids built his house and were in the process of building mine. We were putting in the windows on a Saturday and the wives were spreading lunch in the back yard. He yelled that a humingbird was in the garden window over the kitchen sink and it would not fly out. My fourteen year old son dared him to just catch it and let it go outside.

Then the fun started as when he closed his hands around the ball of energy, it stuck it's beak almost through his hand. He was dancing a Irish jig, speaking in an unknown tounge and slinging his right hand with bird attached. It finally came loose and escaped post haste out the patio door. For some reason he insisted he keep a cold beer in his right hand all afternoon to ease the sting. Don't really know if the beer worked, but it kept him from gritchin'.

We still have hummingbird feeders out but the last few years had more problems with ants than bees.

[Sweetpea]

Some years back, I was working in a new home under construction.

A little hummer had gotten inside, but couldn't find its way back out.

By the time it had gotten worn down enough that I could catch it, it was in pretty rough shape, from the work out and the 110 deg heat. I placed it outside, in a breezy spot, and it took about 15 min for it to recouperate...

Little guy was pretty cool!

[Dark Helmet]

Had a chained dog catch one once, didn't know whether to cuss her or praise her for being able to catch it!

[DLCTEX]

Last year a hummer drank from the hose while I was watering. This week a lizard stayed near my feet as I was watering a flower pot on the front porch, showing no fear. I splashed a little water at him and he drank from the drops on the concrete. When it drained away he looked up at me, so I splashed a bit more and he drank again.

[Mausermeister]

We have a feder at the back of the house right outside the kitchen window and another on the front porch. They are fun to watch and will do laps around the house going from one to the other. Had a pair nest in a shrub last year.

[airsmithy]

We have been lucky enough that for about 3 of the last 6 years, a humming bird has nested on our front porch. It is amazing to watch those little heads and beaks poke over the side of the nest, and the small birds fly around.

[Cactus Farmer]

We keep feeders out here in the desert too. It's amazing how many hummers are here. They seem to learn where to come and who is friendly. They land on us regularly too.
On the Pecos River in New Mexico, north of Pecos, N.M. is an old mining town that caters to the summer campers/fishermen. Their porch has 10-15 BIG feeders and hummers are there by the hundreds. You could catch a 5 gallon pail full in a few minutes. The level of the sugar water falls at a rate that is hard to fathom. Many pounds of sugar are used every summer.
I was up there fishing and heard the biggest hornet ever buzz my head, then I remembered I was wearing a "Hawaiian" flower print hat. Changed hats and the "hornet" went away. We later fed them with a small red cup on the table as we ate lunch. They are truly amazing little critters. And they fight! And can yell loudly! I've seen them lock wings and roll on the ground when someone perceives that someone else cut in line to the feeder. I am in awe of their skills.

[snuffy]

I'm extremely envious! I bought a feeder last year, the bag of nectar mix, filled it up and never saw a single hummer. A neighbor down the street put his out two weeks ago, had some hummers feeding right away, so I put mine out. Looked like the level of nectar was dropping, then I saw IT! My first hummer! Then this morning a second one!! I'd never get bored watching those feathered bees, I'd love to just sit and watch them.

It's hanging from the edge of an awning that's over a big window. Too close to the house? Report here about them buzzing around peoples heads says they're not bothered by just where the feeders are, or if my dog snoozing under a nearby tree might be bothering them.

The feeder has a perch ring around the base, then yellow plastic flowers that they can put their beak into to get the nectar. The first one landed on that perch and took several long sips. This morning it hovered, took a short sip and left quickly. Just hoping I can see more this summer, amazing little critters!

[Finster101]

Snuffy,

sugar water will work as well as the nectar mix and a bit cheaper I believe.

[bear67]

Visited an old oil patch friend up near Pine Mills Texas yesterday and had a hard time getting in and out of his backdoor. His wife had 6 feeders out in front of 24 feet of windows in the west side of the house. He said he could not open his front door as it had not been used in so long. They were competing for a place at the "trough".

[Handloader109]

They are amazing. Over past few years I have had several come into my shop in MS. Have skylights and they go to ceiling to try and get out. Had to rescue them to get them out. Fun little devils.

[ghh3rd]

... and I thought it was cool when a Finch landed on my tree climber when I was hunting in the woods, climbed up the rail and onto my hand and was pulling the hair on the back of my hand. Wish we had hummingbirds around here ... rarely see them at all.

[41 mag fan]

Theres a program on IIRC animal planet I seen last summer about Hummingbirds. They'll migrate down to the the Gulf Coast for 3 weeks fattening up. They then make the migration across the Gulf of Mexico to South America.
It was an amazing show, they showed micro hummingbirds...barely the size of a quarter.
What made me stop and think though, was those little buggers have to feed every 15 minutes. They make a migration flight across the Gulf non stop. How many make that flight and dont make it due to starving to death and dying before they hit land.

[Pb Burner]

We always put a feeder out for hummingbirds. We never get a bunch, but always a few. Love watching them.
Another cool video, hope the link works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUEZkwJulBY