Hummercises

Today's Blip isn't so much about the photo as the story behind it.

A couple of years ago, I happened upon a most fascinating website...It belongs to a fellow named Scott Kemp, who has some of the most awesome up-close and personal photos of hummingbirds I have ever seen.

Scott and his wife built a beautiful inn at Ketchikan, Alaska. I never would have known it, but hummingbirds actually make the trip north this far! Somehow, Scott decided it would be interesting to hand feed the hummers. He actually accomplished this and has some spectacular photos!

Well, the Kemps have their inn for sale now...Psaltery Lodge....and as I thought about that, I wondered if our hummingbirds would hand feed as well.

Yesterday, I spent maybe twenty minutes on the front porch with a small lid for a jar in hand. I had placed a small amount of food for the birds and dropped just a tiny bit of red food coloring in it.

I could not believe what happened! Within just seconds of standing there, a hummer came and hovered in my face for probably ten seconds. Believe me, it is hard to remain still under such conditions.....think of a bee buzzing your face!

While hummingbirds are adorable to watch, they are extremely territorial and will have little "dogfights", going after one another. Twice, I had just such a situation streaming in front of me.

One time, I was close to the feeder hanging on the porch. A bird came to the feeder and chirped its high pitched displeasure into my ear. It squawked so much, I was sure it was going to poke my eye out with that long pointed beak before it left!

I did have one bird brush its little rapidly beating wing against my arm! These birds are ever inquisitive....we have had them dive past our faces as we sat nearby on the porch, eating a meal.

Unfortunately, we will be off on a short adventure for a few days and I must leave my hummer experiment behind. I do think when I return I will pick up once again, though. These little birds are so incredible.....

So, although not a stellar photo, this little hummer was "hiding" in a tree branch many feet away from me, watching and probably planning an attack!