Saturday, September 6, 2008

Hummingbird Theatre

Our hummingbird feeder continues to provide great entertainment, particularly as one hummingbird has claimed it as his own and drives any other usurpers away. He sits on the tomato cage and guards his small bottle of red sugar water diligently. If another hummingbird (or two!) dare to enter the yard, he swiftly rises and chases them through the yard, swerving above the ground until the other bird flies off. He then returns to the cage to keep his watch. He has grown accustomed to our coming and going from the kitchen, and so merely glances our way when we enter the room. We've been breaking into giggles and cheers of "get him! go!" in the midst of meals. I suggested we name our new little friend and The May Queen, in her usual way, dubbed him "red-necked guarder."


(Ruby-throated hummingbirds are apparently very territorial and aggressive, particularly in late summer when they are fattening up for migration. It's like a Discovery Channel special in our back yard)

Don't forget Monday's Mission: write a post in the style of a course description. Go wild. Give us a few courses to choose from!

13 comments:

flutter said...

I love that name!

JCK said...

That's a keeper. That name.

Beck said...

Those little red necked guys - Great-grandpa told me this - are there to drive the other ones away in time to hibernate.
Or it might just be a jerk.

Kyla said...

How fun! Sounds like pretty great dinner entertainment!

Aunt Becky said...

I love watching birds. Apparently, I am a geriatric 28 year old.

Jen said...

That sounds like so much fun. I adore hummingbirds.

Kat said...

I love watching the hummingbirds up north at the cabin. They are so gorgeous!

Louise said...

We had a migrating hummingbird come through that did not stay very long. It was more territorial than the others. I couldn't figure out how ANYONE got any food when he was here!

I read about your $1 feeder in a previous post My dad's wife bought me one that was $0.98, and I love it. Small enough so I HAVE to change the water frequently, and the birds love it. I think I want a dozen next year, and maybe more birds can actually eat.

Tania said...

I love watching the birds at the feeder too - and as a bonus, it's my neighbour's feeder.

Woman in a Window said...

Hummingbirds are little jittery gifts.

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Oh the cleverness! Those birds are so cool (and hard to photograph I might add).

Magpie said...

Ours have all gone south already. They're gone anyway.

I love watching them.

niobe said...

I don't think I've ever seen a hummingbird...