That video on the Toast of Southwest FB page about the little hummingbird baby is wonderful! I am sitting outside - garage sale today- and when I played the video, a female Anna's hummer came over and chip'd and hovered- curious about the sounds the baby was making! so cute.
When we were at Big Lake last week, there was snow everywhere and it was pretty cold (50-60's during the day, down to freezing at night) and the hummers were everywhere. I had 2 feeders out and they were like flies on dog ... food!
Can't believe those little tiny things can make it when it is that cold, but they go 'torpid' at night, slowing down their heart and breathing, reaching a semi-hibernating state to make it through the cold nights.
With the huge orange jubilee, yellow bells and 5 different hibiscus (that are covered in flowers- use palm food for them) I seem to have more hummers than ever. The ponds get those little gnats (not 'squitos) and they are cool to watch as they zip in the gnat swarm, snatching up gnats with their long tongues. I do have 4 feeders up, but they only queue up there as it gets close to dusk. I think they prefer the natural food all day, then tank up on feeder food to get through the night.
Sherri Williamson (on the SABO website at the link above) is a super nice person and one of the foremost experts on hummers. She is the author of the "Peterson Field Guide to Hummingbirds" and "Attracting and Feeding Hummingbirds"- plus she contributes to alot of other books and articles. If you ever have the opportunity to go to SABO and take one of their field trips or walks, you will have an excellent visit. They are nice people and can show you so many beautiful hummers and other birds, not to mention the beauty that is the Sky Islands and desert valleys of Southern Arizona.
The majority of hummers we get here in the valley are Anna's. Many of the males will spend the entire winter here, with the femals taking some time off to visit relatives in Mexico, before returning around January to find a husband and then set up housekeeping,,, alone! Anna's male hummers have an entirely red/dark pink head, but the sun must hit the feathers just right to refract the color- otherwise they just look black or appear to only have a red/pink throat. The females are difficult to tell apart without experience, but many of the female Anna's have a sprinkling of red/pink feathers on their throat, as will juvenile males. We also get Blackk-Chinned- the males look like they have a plain black throat, then they will turn and the sun will highlight the gorgeous purple stripe across the bottom of the black area, making it sooo pretty!
I know- probably too long a post, but I can't resist...
Susie
