Hey, Hey, We've Got Hummingbirds

This ruby-throated hummingbird has become a regular at our two red feeders.  We fill the feeders with sugar water (1 cup of sugar dissolved in 4 cups of water). 

His ruby throat isn't visible in this photo.  The black throat patch reflects bright ruby red when the sun hits it.   

Thank you, sun.  I love that bright ruby-red color.

Is that one cool bird, or what!  He's only 3 inches long.  Maybe that's why he attracts my attention.  You know, the best things come in small packages. 

Several weeks ago, I concluded that I'd probably never get a photo of a hummingbird.  Hummers came and went so fast that I could never get my camera, turn it on, zoom in and shoot before they were gone.

Now, we see hummingbirds many times every day.  This hummer is standing on a metal branch of our feeder system.

I see them everywhere, even on our telephone and cable wires.  I don't know how they grip the thick wires. 

This female hummer (same as male, but lacking the throat patch) has no trouble at all perching on this lofty spot; she's in the thick of things, surrounded by trees and shrubs.  She can watch all the activity of her neighbors at the feeders and birdbaths.

I took this through the screen.

I captured this photo as he hovered beside the feeder.  If I'm close enough, I can hear the hum of their wings as they fly in.

I have a rather unbelievable tale to tell:

  "Lon and I were sitting on the screen porch (with the screen door propped open) early one evening.  It was when we were beginning to see hummers more frequently.  We'd seen several females.  I was looking at hummingbirds in our Birds of Wisconsin field guide.  The only kind listed was the ruby-throated.   I commented to Lon on how pretty the males were and how much I'd like to see them at our feeders.

I put the field guide down beside me and looked out the open door.  At that exact moment, a male ruby-throated hummingbird came flying in my direction.  It hung in the air in the doorway about 3 to 4 feet from me as if to say, 'Here I am.  I've come to grant you your wish.' "

Can you imagine how excited I was?  Was it just a crazy coincidence or something more?  I choose to go with "something more."   

Since then we've seen countless males and females.  Now that I have several good photos of them, I can relax and really enjoy them.  No more frantic scrambling for my camera when I spot one!