Hummers

Big, ugly boxey things.....cost many thousands of dollars, all for the
privilege of paying many more thusands of dollars for fuel.....and I'm
going to guess it really doesn't work anyway.

On the other hand, there's those itty bitty birds, the smallest of all
birds and, if the source I encountered recently is correct, the
smallest of alll vertebrates. Not the ruby throats, the only ones
that routinely how up and nest here eas of the big river, but they're
close enough, which is to say very very tiny.

One never really notices how tiny until one gets very close. From ten
or twenty feet away it's already pretty obvious that they are SMALL,
writ large. But at two to three feet it become obvious that they are
astonishingly small. The acid test, though, is to hold one in hand.

I got to do that for a fraction of a second a couple of weeks ago.
Hearing a thump on the window to which the feeer is attached, I
immediately assumed that a hummer had hit it and went out to
investigate. Yep, there he was lying on the deck.....ever so
briefly. He tried to get up and take up but was still disoriented.
After a few seconds I managed to get him in hand.....for less than
half a second before he took off.

About half an hour ago, sitting on the deck with Larry and Gisela, I
offered to bet a shiny new nickel that I could get one of the hummers
to land on my finger within ten minutes. Sucker bet (I knew, though I
had never done it before), but they can afford a nickel so they took
it. Two minutes.....maybe a bit less. I WIN!!!!

Interestingly, the adult males are smaller than the females and
immatures (presumably of both sexes). I already knew that this is the
case with many of the raptors but had no reason to suspect it would be
so with any other birds. Nevertheless, it isn't terribly surprising.
What IS surprising is how immediately obvious the size difference
is.....a mere glance suffices at a range of two the three feet.

I read somewhere a long time ago that hummingbirds need to sit and
digest for ten or fifteen minutes after feasting on a good nectar
source. Experience here belies that conundrum. As near as we can
tell, based on many hours of observation, there are six hummingbirds
here. I'm note sure whether it is a breeding pair and its offspring
or whether there is a second pair and/or a bachelor. In any case
there appear to be two adult males, as two of the birds show the
distinctive ruby throat. I don't know if immature males display this
distinctive trait or not. Regardless, there can't be more than seven
or eight birds all told even though we have seen only six at a time.
And the traffic at the feeder amkes it clear that if the birds are
resting at all to digest their meals it can't be for much more than a
minute or so.

We put out a second feeder yesterday. It wasn't really necessary but
we figured that it might reduce tensions at the already existing
feeder (the adjective relating to hummers that comes up most often and
sticks in my mind is "pugnacious") and, who knows, that it might also
attract even greater numbers of birds. It doesn't appear to have
attracted any more birds yet but, contrary to expectations, has
resulted in even greater activity among those already present and even
more boisterous behavior as they now have TWO food sources to fight
over.

It gets even more amazing. Six hummingbirds (assuming our
observations are to be trusted) can put away a pint and a
half.....maybe more.....of "nectar" (3 or 4 parts water to one part
plain old cane sugar, depending on who makes the brew) in a day. I'm
not even going to try to guess what that translates to in terms of x
times body weight per day.

One thing you never see in the literature.....he who eats a lot
excretes a lot. Hummingbirds **** a LOT! You just mostly never see
it.....because you aren't looking. Watch them for a while. The
lighting has to be right.....small birds, small turds, ainna? But
when the light is right you'll note that after they eat they take off
and within a hundred wingbeats or so, which is to say almost
instantly, less than a foot from the perch (or hover, as the case may
be), they squirt.

Yeah, I've looked, and I haven't found a humminbird turd yet. And,
yes, it IS worth looking. The literature says that hummingbirds eat
bugs and stuff.....not surprising (or shouldn't be to anyone with
kids......a pure sugar diet CAN'T be all that good.....right?).

Anyway, where was I?

Um.....I forget. And Larry says we gotta go for a Gator ride to check
out the trees.

More.....later.....or not.....who cares?

giles
i mean, jeeez, you people should get a hobby or something.

On 7/16/10 3:29 PM, Giles wrote:


On the other hand, there's those itty bitty birds, the smallest of all
birds and, if the source I encountered recently is correct, the
smallest of alll vertebrates.

Better check your "source." The smallest vertebrates are fish, by a long
shot -- about 8mm long. There are MANY species of fish smaller than the
smallest hummingbird.

By God, you're dim. And pretentious. Dimly pretentious. That's you. And
obnoxious.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

On 2010-07-16 17:29:46 -0400, Giles said:

Big, ugly boxey things.....cost many thousands of dollars, all for the
privilege of paying many more thusands of dollars for fuel.....and I'm
going to guess it really doesn't work anyway.

On the other hand, there's those itty bitty birds, the smallest of all
birds and, if the source I encountered recently is correct, the
smallest of alll vertebrates. Not the ruby throats, the only ones
that routinely how up and nest here eas of the big river,

We've been feeding these marvelous creatures for many years, and
started in April to feed them in Georgia before we came north. To our
surprise, we spotted goldfinches at the hummingbird feeders, apparently
getting a sugar high.

Lakewood Camps has six feeders on the lodge's porch. They have at
least 10 of the itty bitty creatures return each year. They are *very*
pugnatious and a bit controlling; we've seen a male go from feeder to
feeder chasing away other males and females.

They are the only birds that do not take Jenny's (the golden retriever)
fur which we put in suet feeders for the birds to line their nests. In
the fall, after the leaves fall, we find nests on the lawn after a good
storm. They are lined with Jenny's underfur. They are engineering
marvels, built strong and cozy thanks to Jen.

Dave

On Jul 16, 6:13*pm, rw wrote:


Better check your "source." The smallest vertebrates are fish, by a long
shot -- about 8mm long. There are MANY species of fish smaller than the
smallest hummingbird.


Ya know, when I read that bit and then again when I wrote it there was
something nagging me just below the level of conscious thought.
Sitting out on the deck in the bright sunshine this morning the fish
thing occurred to me. Funny how easy it is to overlook the obvious.
In any case, there is no need to check the source.....it was
wrong.....nothing to check, and I couldn't even if I wanted to because
I've forgotten where I read it.

By God, you're dim. And pretentious. Dimly pretentious. That's you. And
obnoxious.

You don't know how lucky you are. Life is so simple for one who needs
nothing more than impotent rage for sustenance.

On the other hand, I suppose that a self described automaton hasn't
really got much choice in the matter, eh?

g.

On Jul 16, 6:34*pm, D. LaCourse wrote:


We've been feeding these marvelous creatures for many years, and
started in April to feed them in Georgia before we came north. *To our
surprise, we spotted goldfinches at the hummingbird feeders, apparently
getting a sugar high.

That's interesting. We've got plenty of goldfinches here but I've
never seen one at the hummingbird feeders.....nor any other bird
besides the hummers.

Lakewood Camps has six feeders on the lodge's porch. *They have at
least 10 of the itty bitty creatures return each year. *They are *very*
pugnatious and a bit controlling; we've seen a male go from feeder to
feeder chasing away other males and females.

I would expect the males to be more dominant and territorial.
However, that doesn't appear to be the case here. They certainly do
their best, but all the other birds (I can't tell whether any are
immatures of either sex or they are all females) hold their own.
Sometimes the males will succeed in chasing others away and sometimes
they fail. I've seen no distinct pattern as yet.

They are the only birds that do not take Jenny's (the golden retriever)
fur which we put in suet feeders for the birds to line their nests. *In
the fall, after the leaves fall, we find nests on the lawn after a good
storm. *They are lined with Jenny's underfur. *They are engineering
marvels, built strong and cozy thanks to Jen.

Dave

I know that many species are very particular about nesting materials
but that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge. No idea what
hummers prefer. I have a field guide to nests somewhere in the piles
but have never taken it out in the field.....too many guides.....too
many things to look at. The vegetable kingdom has dominated my
attention for the last couple of years. It's beginning to look as if
winning the lottery big is the only way I'm ever going to have enough
time to devote to all the things that require scrutiny.

giles

On 7/17/10 10:31 AM, Giles wrote:


I would expect the males to be more dominant and territorial.
However, that doesn't appear to be the case here. They certainly do
their best, but all the other birds (I can't tell whether any are
immatures of either sex or they are all females) hold their own.
Sometimes the males will succeed in chasing others away and sometimes
they fail. I've seen no distinct pattern as yet.

I know that many species are very particular about nesting materials
but that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge. No idea what
hummers prefer. I have a field guide to nests somewhere in the piles
but have never taken it out in the field.....too many guides.....too
many things to look at.

giles


Are deliberately doing a parody of rdean?

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

On Jul 17, 11:50*am, rw wrote:
On 7/17/10 10:31 AM, Giles wrote:



I would expect the males to be more dominant and territorial.
However, that doesn't appear to be the case here. *They certainly do
their best, but all the other birds (I can't tell whether any are
immatures of either sex or they are all females) hold their own.
Sometimes the males will succeed in chasing others away and sometimes
they fail. *I've seen no distinct pattern as yet.

I know that many species are very particular about nesting materials
but that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge. *No idea what
hummers prefer. *I have a field guide to nests somewhere in the piles
but have never taken it out in the field.....too many guides.....too
many things to look at.
giles

Are deliberately doing a parody of rdean?

Am serious questioningness?

g.

On Jul 17, 11:08*am, Giles wrote:
On Jul 17, 11:50*am, rw wrote:





On 7/17/10 10:31 AM, Giles wrote:

I would expect the males to be more dominant and territorial.
However, that doesn't appear to be the case here. *They certainly do
their best, but all the other birds (I can't tell whether any are
immatures of either sex or they are all females) hold their own.
Sometimes the males will succeed in chasing others away and sometimes
they fail. *I've seen no distinct pattern as yet.

I know that many species are very particular about nesting materials
but that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge. *No idea what
hummers prefer. *I have a field guide to nests somewhere in the piles
but have never taken it out in the field.....too many guides.....too
many things to look at.
giles

Are deliberately doing a parody of rdean?

Am serious questioningness?

g.

Well, whatever that means, it's a brilliant parody, albeit
unintentional: the willfull (and even perversely proud) ignorance of
the facts, the casual and careless false statements and speculations
that are easily checked and found to be false, and most of all the
assumption that anyone gives a **** about your armchair musings.

On Jul 17, 3:46*pm, " wrote:
On Jul 17, 11:08*am, Giles wrote:





On Jul 17, 11:50*am, rw wrote:

On 7/17/10 10:31 AM, Giles wrote:

I would expect the males to be more dominant and territorial.
However, that doesn't appear to be the case here. *They certainly do
their best, but all the other birds (I can't tell whether any are
immatures of either sex or they are all females) hold their own.
Sometimes the males will succeed in chasing others away and sometimes
they fail. *I've seen no distinct pattern as yet.

I know that many species are very particular about nesting materials
but that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge. *No idea what
hummers prefer. *I have a field guide to nests somewhere in the piles
but have never taken it out in the field.....too many guides.....too
many things to look at.
giles

Are deliberately doing a parody of rdean?

Am serious questioningness?

g.

Well, whatever that means, it's a brilliant parody, albeit
unintentional: the willfull (and even perversely proud) ignorance of
the facts, the casual and careless false statements and speculations
that are easily checked and found to be false, and most of all the
assumption that anyone gives a **** about your armchair musings.

And yet, here you are.

O.k., just for amusement's sake, let's see if you can identify a false
statement in anything I've written in this thread. And let's
see.....I believe you said something in an early post about
pretentiousness. After your done with the false statements, show us
an example of pretense.

Go ahead......I double dog dare ya!

****wit.

g.
and we all know that regardless of the outcome, it's gonna be fun,
ainna?

On Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:29:46 -0700 (PDT), Giles
wrote:

*Snipped*


More.....later.....or not.....who cares?

giles
i mean, jeeez, you people should get a hobby or something.


Interesting post. In Winter our bird feeders are strangely ignored. We
get chickadees and nuthatches but the neighborhood blue jays avoid it
like the plague, as do the juncos and cardinals.

We have a hanging plant out front now that supposedly attracts hummers
but so far, no luck. Somewhere in our pile of randomly accumulated
stuff is a hummingbird feeder. I really should set it up and see what
it brings in. I'm guessing yellow jackets.


GeoC