Hummingbird Magic at Christmas!

by incahootswithmuddyboots
December 25, 2020
23 comments
hummingbird magic, In my Garden, Musings, Nature, Photography, Poetry, Up Close & Personal ...

Sparkly tree topper
resting, guarding, protecting,
“I’m not sharing today”

I recently put out a hummingbird feeder for those who stay over winter.
One feisty hummer spotted it right away right and now fiercely guards “his feeder”.
Then I put out a second hoping other hummers will feed alongside him.
This morning while making coffee I spotted two hummingbirds on the feeder
when suddenly a third one buzzed by and chased them off!

Merry Christmas and please stay healthy and safe!
Sabine
🙂

 

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My passions in life are vegetarian cooking, gardening, photography, writing, good books, traveling and nature. Thanks for stopping by, Sabine

23 thoughts on “Hummingbird Magic at Christmas!”

    • incahootswithmuddyboots says:

      Thank you Trudy! The hummingbirds are challenging to capture well since they’re always on the move, but patience and a little time help. I hope you had a peaceful holiday season. Be well, stay healthy and may 2021 be better for us all! 🙋‍♀️

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  7. Linda Schaub says:

    For such a cute little bird, these hummers sure have bad manners don’t they! They are a beautiful and sparkly tree topper, that’s for sure. You have captured them perfectly, right down to the indignant look. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

      • incahootswithmuddyboots says:

        I came across an article about hummers the other day that explained this behavior in great detail. It’s all about their need to feed so frequently due to their super high metabolism. I was glad to learn that it’s nothing personal! 😉

        Liked by 1 person

      • Linda Schaub says:

        That is interesting Sabine – well their little wings are constantly beating to flit from place to place. When I was trying to take Hope’s picture, she was often there and gone before I really got a chance to see her up close. I read several articles through “Birds and Bloom” after deciding to get the feeders and feed them and read about them going into a torpor state. Rather than put the link, I’m going to put this paragraph which I found fascinating. I wonder if you’ve seen this on a cold evening or early morning with your hummers?

        “Hummingbirds often find a twig that’s sheltered from the wind to rest on for the night. Also, in winter, they can enter a deep sleep-like state known as torpor. This odd behavior usually happens on cold nights, but sometimes they go into a torpid state during the day. You may seem them hanging upside down when they’re perched on a feeder. All body functions slow down dramatically, metabolism drops by as much as 95 percent, and heart rate and body temperature decline significantly. Torpor allows hummingbirds to conserve precious energy and survive surprisingly low temperatures. The bird isn’t any worse off when it awakens. In spite of their fragile appearance, they’re tough little creatures!”

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Tofino Photography says:

    I get buzzed by my hummers all the time Sabine. I use my sliding door as my main exit and entering. Thats where I hang my feeder. They do not do it to ward me off,they simply are coming there and I surprised them. You can hear them chirping away madly at me.
    I have 5 Anna’s right now.

    Liked by 1 person

    • incahootswithmuddyboots says:

      I’ve always loved the hummers and their antics too. Of all the birds I get I believe that they are quite intelligent and possess individual personalities. Sometimes they fly right up to the big window in the back and look in. I’ve seen three Anna’s so far. I see and hear several of them at the park too. 😊

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