I so can relate, last year I had one who would feed while I was watering, but not this year. What a thrill your experience must have been.

Lisa,
Same thing here this year. Last year they didn't seem to mind me being a few inches away from them. This year's bunch or should I say 'few' dart off at the slightest movement. I have put a small patio table and chair in my proposed patio area which is within four ft of where I have my cuphea, some salvias and fuschias so I can sit there quietly and hopefully get them used to me being there. So far it has worked out as long as I remain totally motionless. I got a picture of one at the cuphea just after dawn this morning. He was about 5-6 ft. away from me. The hummer is on the left side of the cuphea about mid way down the picture. It isn't a very good shot but here it is:

Hummer at Cuphea
{{gwi:994675}}

Penny

Mine are pretty timid, too. One of my feeders is hanging from a suction cup on my office window; my desk is just on the other side of the window, facing out. I took the screen off so I could see them more clearly, but that means they can see me too. They are fine as long as I don't raise the camera, but as soon as I try to get a picture they flee. I'm hoping they will get more & more used to me. Lisa, sounds like yours are more at ease. Penny, your flowers are pretty and it looks like your little friend is enjoying them. What is the flower on the left? Some kind of fuscia?

Lisa I have 2 just like that - a male and a female. If I am sitting at the bench which is 3-4 feet away they might come over and drink from the feeders if I stand as still as a statue, but usually if they know I'm there they will come down look at the feeders like they REALLY want to drink but fly back up in the tree and wait for me to leave. I think over time observing you they will eventually get used to you.

I went to a Hummingbird seminar last weekend and was told that these timid ones are usually the young ones. I am almost postiive they are very young because the male does not even make the chirping noise yet.

Beautiful hanging basket, Penny! Good shot too. It is so hard to catch them in action.

that's a great cuphea, Penny - did you start it from seed? Mine aren't blooming yet.

Lisa

catwhiskas
The plant to the left of the cuphea is one of my gartenmeister fuschias. Last year they used them quite a bit but this year they seem to prefer the salvias, bee balm and cuphea.

Lisa and Oubliette, This one wasn't started from seed. I bought this one in a little three inch pot when we went to Indiana over Memorial week end. It only had 3 small branches on it when I bought it and it has really filled out. I had to move it to a shadier location because the Japanese beetles were having a field day with it in the bright sunlight..

Here is another picture after the sun came up so it is a little brighter. He/she is on the top right hand side:
{{gwi:994677}}

Usually my adult hummers don't pay any attention to me when I am out in the yard. They will go to the feeders and sip until they are content and then fly off but as catwhiskas stated the juveniles will fly off at the slightest breeze.

Penny

I think my hummies are just too used to seeing me in the yard.

They definitely associate me with food!!!

The heat and humidity quickly affects the nectar and since our temperatures hover around the 100 degree mark or higher I have been using those small insulin bottle feeders I made. They hold only about 12 ml of liquid so I go out early to fill the feeders before work...then again as soon as I get home...and then once again before evening sets in.

On my days off I'm usually working on the yard so I am periodically making sure the nectar doesn't run out.

When I have free time I am also out there with the camera trying to get photos while fending off mosquitoes. They are used to seeing me flailing my arms around and slapping at my back :o)

~ Cat

Nice pictures Penny! I was out trying to stake up my agastache foeniculum when I heard a loud buzzing at first I thought it was a bumble bee because there ar tons of them on the agastache so I jumped and screamed enought to scare a hummer but the buzzing continued and I looked up and there was a hummer staring straight at me ready to attack me I stared at her she stared back and she wouldn't leave she went over to the salvia urica about 8 feet tall then back to me and wouldn't leave she sat on the trellis that holds the alabama crimson when I left she was still there I went inside and she came to the window now if I had a camera in my hand she would have gone in 2 seconds flat! Sarah

that sounds like a great visit, lisa, I hope she keeps coming back.

nice pics, penny, thank you. your little visitor really seems to like that cuphea. it's very pretty.

it seems like I have opposite observations regarding juvie and adult boldness here. when I'm out in the yard, the adult males will feed at the farthest feeder from where I'm working, but they don't come near. it is the juvies with whom I have close encounters, and I think it is because of their curiosity. we surprise each other, and I freeze motionless, and they hover around, looking at me. one did so at chest level in the driveway tuesday, and one scoped out the red bill and letter "C" on my chicago cubs cap last year, right in my face. it was so cool.