S/He's a beauty!!! And does look cozy in all those feathers! Great pics!

glo

All fluffed up and pretty! Nice pictures!

The "fall" word is not really exceptable in polite gardenweb society. If we don't think or say it, maybe it won't come. It certainly doesn't feel like @#%#$ here now, the remnants of the hurricane are scudding by, the air warm and humid. Best of all, the pineapple sage shows no signs of blooming.

what a cutey!
And yes, iam so glad fall is coming

Me too. It has been a long hot summer.

She is beautiful and I'm with Ward I want summer to never end the hummers only just arrived in May! Sarah

We finally had the humidity drop here by Thursday, although the temps have still been going to near 90 but are expected to only be in the low 80s next week. This morning, it has been in the nice refreshing 70s and I caught a pic of a similar little fluffball hanging on in the breeze around 8:15 am perched on one of my blueberry bushes outside of my bedroom window:

Not sure if this is one of my regulars but I have noticed that the activity has significantly dropped off and I seem to only be getting sporadic early morning/late evening visits from a single hummer or perhaps a rotation of at least 2 based on their size and shape. Not seeing the all day, every 10 - 30 minute visits at this point anymore, although the feeder is still steadily being drained, so the long drinks are happening from the ones who visit. Am hoping that some migrants see my "beacon" bag!

Jenny - Great pic! That sure looks like a cute puffball. It is interesting that you saw more when the temps were in the 90's. I feel like I am seeing them more now. Have you seen your juvenile male lately? Keep that Hummer Beacon flying high! Ruth

I think I saw one of them Thursday evening and possibly the other (or the female) a couple times yesterday, but not yet today... Although sometiimes I may miss the quick fly-ins during the day if I'm home and not actively looking out the window (the feeder is in my line of sight from the sofa). I've noticed them doing alot more perching at other areas of the balcony - particularly near where the swarms of gnats and other insects (FOOD!) tend to congregate, so they may be coming a bit more often than I can directly tell, but they would not be in view from where I generally monitor them from.

And yeah, I think they do also respond to the temps along with the shortening of the day length and perhaps consider any extended changes as a sign to get a move on! I still have stuff out there blooming including the B & B, Agastache, and tropical hibiscus, as well as some canna and plenty of morning glories, which they seem to like to peck at and perch on. One of the ones I saw last evening was trying to get into some of the closed morning glory blooms, which appear trumpet-shaped at that time of day before dropping off.

That is a good point that they perch where the insects are. Do your Rubythroats make any sound? I keep all windows open so I can hear when I am home and in the house. The Annas here make this chipping noise so I can always tell when they are in the area. The Rufous are migraters and they make this squawking sound that is really different. We are seeing less of them now. Ruth

The Rubys do chirp but I've only heard mine do so twice - both times in the past month and only during some confrontation or chases. The rest of the time, they were silent up here while investigating me or the plants, feeding, or perching.

Great pics! Our nights have grown crispy enough to set most any feathered into a ruffle like that. I know I'm not at all ready for ph@// yet as my first ever hummers only just arrived a month or so ago! -I just don't think I've been sufficiently graced by the little ones to get me through...*gulp*...the w!nt#r just yet.

Some of my rubies chirp between every drink when feeding. One afternoon I was on the deck reading and heard that cute little peeping sound. She would chirp everytime she pulled her beak out. Some don't make a sound while there.

As for puffing up, I watched one at the feeder during the pouring rain. It puffed up like a balloon several times, and then would vigorously shake itself. After doing this a few times, it preened. I guess it was taking a shower!

Deb in PA