Fall Migration of Hummingbirds

The first arrivals of fall migrants appeared September 26th this year.  Days later, there were scores of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds competing for sugar water at our feeders.  It seems though they used most of their energy fighting with each other- such territorial little things they are.  

My family and I have all enjoyed watching their show of speed and acrobatic skills.  They've been our morning and evening entertainment on the back porch.  

Our little friends have moved on now.  There'll be a straggler or two passing through for a couple of weeks so I'll leave the feeders up for now.  I wish them a safe journey to their wintering grounds and look forward to their spring return.

Super Excited About My New Camera Lens!

Hi Everyone!  It's been weeks since I've posted on my blog.  My internet service has been horrible latetly!  I get a connection for one to two minutes then lose it.  I've never had worse internet connections than this one.  I'm planning to check into more options next week.  

Now for my good news- I now have a new camera lens, hooray!  I received my Sigma 150-600 mm Contemporary lens a couple days ago.  The Canon 100-400 mm was on my wish list for a while, but the Sigma was more affordable and I think it will serve my purpose.  

I tried the new lens out today while there were so many hummingbirds present at the feeders. I've been waiting for the crowd to show up because autumn is approaching.  They suddenly appeared yesterday morning- at least a dozen of them, ready to devour the sugar water.  I accommodated them by refilling the feeders and even adding a couple more.  

The Sigma lens is pretty heavy (4.3 lbs) so I had some difficulty shooting with it hand-held, but even so, the photos aren't too bad considering the speedy subjects.  A Manfrotto 393 support bracket is on its way to me so I'm anxious to see how well the lens does when mounted on a tripod.  

Hopefully my internet connection will improve soon and I'll be able to post more often.  It seems to take forever to upload photos.  I become really annoyed while trying to pay some of my bills online, ugh!!!  

Thank you for taking the time to read my posts.  I hope you have a wonderful Sunday and a great week!  

Summertime Hummers

We've had 2 to 3 little hummingbirds hanging around this entire summer.  At times I've seen up to 6 or 7 of them fighting over the feeders.  I haven't taken many photos yet.  I'm waiting to see if the feeders become more crowded within the next couple of months, particularly during September when fall migration begins.  Last year there was a feeding frenzy at the feeders during that period- up to 4 dozen of these tiny birds at once!  It can be challenging to capture good shots of the hummers on my back porch due to the areas of bright sun vs dark shade.  

I haven't been around much lately- working quite a bit these days.  I hope you are all doing well.  I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some cooler weather.  Temperatures here have been in the upper 90's and lower 100's with a heat index of 110-120- now that's HOT!  Many of my plants have succumbed to the unbearable heat.  However, it was cooler today, at last some temporary relief.  I was able to sit on the back porch for a little while without becoming drenched in sweat.  

Have a great week everyone!  :)

Anticipating the Return of Spring & Hummingbirds

Anticipating the return of Spring soon,

and the arrival of these tiny jewels...

The Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds should begin arriving in my area about mid-March.

Some will simply stop to rest and drink up, then continue their journey north.

A few will linger a little longer, perhaps up to a couple of weeks before heading north.

If I'm lucky, I'll have a couple of summer residents.

Photos taken August - September 2014

Feeder Frenzy

This group of photos were taken in late September at our previous residence, when there were literally dozens of hummers in our front yard.  

The day after we moved to our new place, I spotted a hummer darting around my potted flowers so I filled a couple of feeders and put them out.  Most days there are about 4 little hummers hanging out at the feeders.  There will be a few late migrants passing through so I'll leave the feeders up for a few more weeks.  

These tiny creatures aren't as innocent as they appear.  They can be really brutal with each other when fighting for their spot on the feeder.  If you've ever had the chance to observe them, then you know what I'm talking about.  

I think this one with the orange plumage is a female Rufous Hummingbird. This is the first I've ever seen. It's not uncommon for them to migrate from the west to Florida for winter. Perhaps this one was just passing through...

Thank you for dropping in...

I appreciate your visits to my blog and your comments :)

Sitting Pretty

Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds are presently a big part of my everyday routine, so I have a multitude of photos to share.  I've been sitting on the front porch observing them during my short breaks from household chores and packing.  We'll be moving in just two weeks!  I'll be glad when the move is over and we are once again "settled".  Hopefully, this will be our final move.

These tiny guys and gals will be moving on soon too...across the Gulf of Mexico to their wintering grounds in Central and South America.  This is one of their favorite feeders.  Unfortunately, bees and yellow jackets like it, too.  Sometimes the yellow jackets work their way to the inside of the feeder, where they drown.  I've used feeders with bee guards, but they somehow manage to get in anyway- they're persistent and determined, as are the hummingbirds.

Thank you for dropping in...

Wishing everyone a great start to a new week!