It’s about time for our hummingbirds to head south for the winter so two days ago I decided to stay home and spend the entire morning attempting to photograph hummers at my trumpet vine before they’re gone. I didn’t want to wait too long to tell them goodbye like I did last year. And I’ll admit, it’s a long distance to my regular birding locations and I didn’t feel like driving all morning.
It was slow going. In the 3 1/2 hours I spent sitting on my deck in front of my tripod, one or two hummers only showed up four times and they rarely fed on the trumpet vine flowers. They spent most of their time fighting or laying in ambush for each other on their favorite perches.
So I didn’t get many photos I like but I did get a few. I believe that the hummer in the photos below is the same grumpy and aggressive female Black-chinned Hummingbird in all five photos. But I’m not certain.
1/3200, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
These first three photos are sequential in a flight series as she was hovering near some of the flowers during a faceoff with a rival hummingbird above her. Wings forward.
1/3200, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Wings back.
1/3200, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I chose a different composition for this third photo in the series. She still has her eye on the other hummingbird above her but immediately after this shot was taken her rival dived down below her and she followed. So I lost her in the frame.
Immediately after that they both disappeared.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Ten minutes later I was still waiting (im)patiently for one of them to show up again when I realized that Miss Grumpy was perched on a high twig of the trumpet vine and guarding ‘her’ flowers. This photo was taken as she was reacting to the approach of her rival.
It looks to me like she has a full crop. If so (it may not be – after all, they feed mostly on nectar), I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that in a hummingbird.
Edit: I became curious, so I looked it up and found this. ” Hummingbirds generally only fill their crop 1/10 to 1/3 full when they drink. They fill their crops before sunset to provide them with extra energy at night in torpor. Hummingbirds can’t eat again until their crop is half empty.”
1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This was her other favorite perch for standing guard over the trumpet vine. She isn’t taking off – she’s holding her wings out in a threat posture as her rival approaches once again.
It was a long morning with very few opportunities for photos but I’m glad I made the effort. In the two days since these photos were taken I haven’t seen a single hummingbird at the trumpet vine, or at my hummingbird feeder in my garden or anywhere else in my yard. Even though I’ve been watching for them.
They may already be gone for the winter. I wouldn’t be surprised because suddenly it’s been getting quite cold at night (50° night before last). Cold enough that for the last three mornings I’ve been sorely tempted to fire up my furnace. In August!
Ron
PS – I just now (8:05 AM) looked out at my trumpet vine and saw a hummer feeding at one of the flowers in the shade. I’m delighted about being wrong about them being “already gone”.
Very nice sharp images! I did not think I had any hummingbirds in the yard this morning. I sat outside for 5 and a half hours waiting for two bird who were weathering in the mew to leave. Two hummingbirds showed up and I took a few photos while sitting waiting for the guest to leave the birdy B&B.
April, I’m glad we both had a few hummers show up.
I am often amazed at how territorial birds can be. Some of ‘ours’ miss out on feeding opportunities because they are too busy defending.
How I would love to see these pint sized aggressors.
EC, I keep forgetting that you don’t have hummers in Oz. I wish you could see them too.
Your hummers must have heard the party was south of you. My sister sent me a video the other day from her deck in Santa Fe, NM – there must have been 200 hummers mobbing her feeders, just amazing.
There is so much to see in these photos, even if you didn’t have a totally productive day. As Shoreacres says, their little feet are entrancing.
Carolyn, tell your sister to quit hogging the hummers! 🙂
Nice photos. I have seen an Anna’s female with an extended crop but that was during the nesting period and I suspect she was taking nectar to her young. But we are long past that time now. You may have more than one bird. Sometimes intruders into a territory will quickly fill their crop, or as much as they can before being driven off where a bird on territory can consume nectar over a longer time period. Everything about hummers is small except their attitude. That crop only holds just over 1/2 ml of nectar when full.
“That crop only holds just over 1/2 ml of nectar when full.”
That’s amazing, Dan. I’m fully aware of how much 1 ml is and it’s very little.
It’s very possible that my photos include more than one bird.
Great shots Ron. I also have two hummingbird constantly dive bombing each other and protecting my feeders and flowers. Crazy to watch.
Thanks, Ellen. You have to wonder where they get all their energy. And their bravado.
Judy’s description made me audibly laugh. So true — they’re the chihuahuas of the bird world. 😉 I get scolded by the group of hummers hanging out in my neighbor’s coral tree every time I’m anywhere near my driveway. Thanks for sharing these images of Grumpy Girl, her stubby legs, and your beautiful trumpet vine. Hoping all these hummingbirds have successful migrations and return to entertain us again.
“Chihuahuas of the bird world” works just as well, Marty.
Nice shots, Ron! 🙂 Glad it wasn’t a “wipe out”…. 😉 They are territorial little bastards – I’ve noted that when, on rare occasions, we get a few in the fall. Interesting about their crops having to half empty before they can feed again.
Have notice a few more hawks(unidentified) around this past week and the yard is geting “quieter” tho not “labor day quiet” yet.
Thanks, Judy. “Territorial little bastards” says it all when it comes to hummers. 🙂
I love the way they protect what they presume to be theirs. Constant battling all day long. The life of a Hummer is a wild one for sure. We have Anna’s here all winter long. Some people put out insulated or heated feeders etc, and even thought we have lots of snow etc our winter are more mild than yours. Nice shots and information.
Everett, Anna’s have a strange range. You have them in winter south of me, friends of mine north of me (in Boise) have them in winter, but we never have them – any time of year.
That is very interesting. They are so common here that I would expect them to be that way everywhere.
I’ve been wondering about the extreme amount of hummingbird
rivalry I’ve been seeing near my feeders this week. I thought, “this
can’t possibly be about mating rivalry THIS time of the year”–and
duh! you answered the question–they’re aggressively defending
their food sources in favor of “tanking up” for the long trip south—
I’ll miss them…….
“\
“I’ll miss them”
So will I, Kris. But I’m happy to learn that I don’t have to start missing them yet.
Hummingbirds.. little bird big attitude!
The other day I watched one dive bomb birds on their feeder. Silly bird.
Interesting info about their crop.
“Interesting info about their crop.”
I thought so too, Diana. I learned something.
It’s especially nice to see photos of them at flowers. For some reason, I’m entranced by their feet, which you’ve captured beautifully. You’ve also reminded me it’s time to clean my feeders and get them out. I heard my first arriving Osprey this week, so things are moving along despite our heat and humidity.
Shoreacres, thanks for the reminder to keep an eye out for migrating Osprey this time of year.
Nice shots Ron.
Amazing the amount of energy they will expend on a territorial kerfuffle. Don’t know how they do it.
“Don’t know how they do it.”
Or in my case, why they do it. Thanks, Michael.