The Ruby Throats are moulting

[MaryOfExeter]

And they're looking kinda scruffy! We've had hummers zipping from one side of the house, to the other, constantly for the past few weeks. There's a feeder at both the back and front porch. I've been watching them fight and play all morning, and managed to get some pictures at the kitchen window.


Sticking his tongue out!


More here, but they aren't as exciting.
http://picasaweb.google.com/MaryOfExeter/July23rd2009
I plan to try to take some more, and see what other kind of shots I might be able to get. I get more clear pictures from the back door, but right now the sliding glass door is open, with a fan blowing in through the screen. So everytime I get close, my shirt blows all over the place and they see me But the AC is broke, so I kind of need that fan

[TerriB]

Neat shots and what a cute feeder!

[TrevorsCoop]

nice pics! are they this years babies?

[MaryOfExeter]

Thank you Terri and Trevor
That one is an older one. As far as I know, I haven't seen any juveniles yet. The young males don't get their red patch until the Fall. I'll keep an eye out for them though. They tend to be a bit more gold tinted than the females.

[TrevorsCoop]

oh okay. we dont have many hummingbirds around here. but we have a good sized Mamosa tree in our yard and they love the flowers. but i havent seen many this year, the summer has been quite cool.

[MaryOfExeter]

The summer has been cool here too! Pretty weird. Normally we'd have several 100+ degrees days so far, with most weeks consecutively being in the 90's. Now I can't even remember the last time we got out of the super humid 80's
If we lived out west, we'd see all kinds of hummers, but on the East coast, all we will see are Ruby-throats. Over there they have hummers with orange, gold, red, pinks, blues, purples, black, and green feathers. It's not fair

[TerriB]

Originally Posted by MaryOfExeter

...If we lived out west, we'd see all kinds of hummers, but on the East coast, all we will see are Ruby-throats. Over there they have hummers with orange, gold, red, pinks, blues, purples, black, and green feathers. It's not fair

Not to mention the exquisite copper-colored Rufous hummers. We had one earlier this summer (obviously a male) who positively glowed!

[MaryOfExeter]

Oh! So jealous. I've seen pictures of them, and they are so pretty!
The Calliopes look cute too, with their short beaks and tail. Little mini hummers, as if they aren't small enough! The Costa's and Black-chins look like they would be pretty too, with those deep iridescent colored feathers Then again I just love any iridescent feathers, haha.

I've noticed many of these odd looking hummers are mainly in Mexico and central america, spreading into the bottom of New Mexico. They're hogging a bunch of pretty ones too! Of those they are hogging, is the Magnificent Hummingbird (5 1/4 in. long), which if I'm not mistaken, is the largest species of hummingbird in the world. And I'm pretty sure the Bumblebee hummers in some other country, are the smallest.

[MaryOfExeter]

Whoops. Not the largest in the world, but the largest in North America by a 1/4 of an inch

The largest in the WORLD is the Giant Hummingbird (original name, huh? ) but I was right about the smallest at least

http://www.avianweb.com/hummingbirds.htm


OH! Look how small and adorable they areeee! I want one!
http://www.avianweb.com/beehummingbirds.html

And here's the Giants. Hard to find good pictures of those boogers!
http://www.hummingbirdsociety.org/ph...defined&page=1

[TrevorsCoop]

here is it usually well into the 90's and up to the 100's. and its been in liek low 80's, 70's and stuff. so weird. lol ik, i think hummers are so cool!

[Leopard]

We have tons of ruby throated hummingbirds. Come to think of it we have tons of birds.
Leopard