Hummers feed their young mainly insects and spiders. The frequency of the visits may not be for that but easy food for themselves. Their crops aren't very big and they have little fat. They have to eat often depending on how much energy they are using.

This was in the rain as well. This Rufous checked out all the feeders, thistle, nut, seed and suet. I think it is a young bird that was wondering why the other birds were there. It stayed near the thistle long enough for me to focus on the bag and click. Luckily it was close enough to be somewhat in focus. The shutter was slow because of the low light and the hummer is blurred a bit. Wish it was as sharp as the bag...BnB..

NavyMom - I am too new to know anything but I think hummingbirds expect to find their nectar at a particular place and when it is moved, they still go back to that old place. When we first moved into this house 11 years ago, we had a hummingbird come up to the kitchen window every spring and I swear she was saying 'Where is the feeder?' The yard already had kniphofia, red flowering current and elderberry, which are still regularly visited by birds. Right away, I added Alabama Crimson and Gold Flame honeysuckle, crocosmia, penstomen and various salvias (and roses) and it took them awhile to start going to them, but now they are regular visitors there too.

Bob & Bernie - Great shot of the Rufous!

ohhhh Bob & Bernie........ how absolutely wonderful to see them so close up. They are so fast you just get a fleeting glimpse of them........ great pic!!!
Flower........I learned a big lesson and will never change it again.. lol.

They seem to fly invisibly in and out. That's a beautiful picture of a rufous very clear!! If my pictures could be half as clear I'd be in heaven! Sarah

they really seem to prefer specific locations, don't they, navymom? good observations. keep watching closely and keep us posted. I don't know if the frequency of visits means a nest nearby or not. males won't have anything to do with a nest, I don't think. can you see if it is a male or female? I hope you have more mouths to feed soon!

excellent picture of the rufous, bob n bernie, thank you!

Navymom,
Last year, I had all my feeders out so I'd have to take them down, go wash and clean and refill...usually I'd do it at night, but when I didn't the little guys would come and just hover around the hook where it was supposed to be. I could see them from my kitchen window and it would just crack me up! Now I have enough feeders that I take clean ones out to replace the old with out disturbing their "routine".

Wonderful pic, BnB!

glo

Did I say I've never seen one "up close"??? Decided to put on a RED Hawaiian print dress yesterday/ and while sitting on the deck with Art.. one "dive bombed" me and kept hovering in the back of my head.... A. sat perfectly still saying "Dang/ wouldn't you know I don't have the camera!!"
I felt like the lady that said they hover over her with her red hat....... LOL What a thrill to actually hear a hummer in my ear :o)

What music it is.

Before we knew we had Anna's all year, we took the feeders down for the winter. The Rufous came to the window in the spring to where the feeder had been the year before. We have had them wait for them to be returned when being refilled.

We have also been buzzed while wearing red and other colors. We have a feeder near the front door. Friends have been buzzed while we talk out front. I had one buzz me while I was standing near the feeder waiting to get a picture. It came from behind me and was so loud it scared me and I almost dropped the camera. It drank and was gone before I regained control of the camera that went almost to my waist.

The thistle bag hangs on a wire that is between the house and a fence 25' away. A lot of time the hummers will sit on it between sips. Most of the time they are on the far end like this.

Sometimes they will land just above where I am standing on the porch. After getting over the shock and excitement of them being so close, I try not to make any fast movements that would scare them and I don't get the camera on them and focused before they fly. Most of the time I miss the shot.

These are the same day as the suet bag and I got lucky. It was shaking off the water from the rain. The slow shutter loses some of the detail and being a young bird the Rufous color isn't as dark as an adult.

Beautiful close ups!! I wish I could get that close. I think the inmatures are letting me get closer. Sarah

thanks for the excellent close up. beautiful bird. I guess they all look just as interesting in their own way, but one rarely gets to see them so closely. love to see the detail.

Bob & Bernie - Thanks for posting these close ups. So cute! I have these in my yard also but have never gotten a decent picture. I am too busy being startled and falling down! How close were you when you took the pictures? And if you don't mind my asking, what kind of camera do you use?

Sarah and Standard - It looks like you are able to get pretty close, from the look of your pictures.

Thanks flowerpower I think the younger ones aren't as scared of me as the older ones are. I would love to get a close up of the male. Sarah