Keeping the Watch

21 years ago

Ok..I decided to re-write this...wayyy TMI.

I have a juvie male Anna's who THINKS my backyard is HIS domain. He spends a lot of time perched in various places where he can spot another hummer who frequents the yard, and try to chase her away (only moderately successful!).

Today, we're having rain so he chose to stand watch from a hanging basket of fuchsias under the eave of my back porch. He feeds there, then makes forays to other flowers in the backyard, then returns to his perch. Then he shakes the rain off and preens a bit. I can see this from my kitchen window, about 10' away.

You know how some plastic hanging pots have holes for only 3 wires, but many wire hangers have 4 wires? I usually cut off the 4th wire, but this particular basket has the spare wire still sticking out on it....that's where he perches.

I've decided I'll start leaving the 4th wire on, but cut it shorter and turn the end under carefully so it can't poke someone in the eye. Then the wire can stick out horizontally and be available as a hummer perch!

Now...aren't you glad I revised this to the SHORT version!

Patrick

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Comments (5)

wardw
21 years ago
Naa, take as much space as you need, god knows I do.
Not a bad idea, especially for those with good gazing windows.
mimidi
21 years ago
Patrick I made perches on all my feeders for my hummers so I could watch them. I have one sitting and keeping watch right now.
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jap373
21 years ago
I have crepe myrtles in my yard and they love to perch on them...the branches are very delicate, just right for tiny feet! Plus they blend right in with those little leaves...which makes it hard to spot them for picture taking, but I'm sure they like it cuz then they can swoop down on unsuspecting visitors...like the other hummers and even the chickadees that like to forage for insects in the crepe myrtles as well! I tried to do a video of the hummer chasing the chickadee but it just looks like two little blurry insects buzzing around the screen!

--Jane in BR,LA
Ellery9
21 years ago
I put those tomato guards on the salvias, which blythely ignored them and continued to grow - but the hummers take a break on them and sit a second, and then eat again - one even has figured out that he can sit and reach a flower at the same time! It's a hoot. But having a perch for them available in the middle of the flowers means they hang around longer...

Ellery
Patrick888
Original Author
21 years ago
My tomato patch (aka the vegetable garden!) is near many of my hummer flowers. I use wire fencing for tomato trellises, some 7-8 feet high, and the hummers like to sit on the top wires. I also see them perching a number of other places where they can get a good view of "their" flowers.

Several times I've watched a hummer sit on the relatively horizontal flower stems of my crocosmias, then lean way over to feed on a flower...good way to save energy I guess. Either that or his momma taught him to "sit down at the table and eat properly instead of eating on the fly"! :)

Patrick