Archilochus colubris (Ruby-Throated Hummingbird) on 8-30-24, #1019-3.

Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you well. I bought a new hummingbird feeder this spring with perches to see if I could take a few good photos. Well, oddly, they didn’t seem to feed during the summer because the nectar level was always the same. Obviously, it would sour and have to be replaced. Once I filled the jar half full and marked it so I could tell if they were feeding. The level would stay the same dafter day. Every year, I only see one on occasion, and usually it is because the feeder is empty. It would fly around my head while I was working in the flower bed or watering plants on the porches. Last week, my son said he saw 2-3 hummingbirds flying around the feeder… Hmmm…

I refilled the feeder with just enough nectar to fill the bottom (with a little visible in the jar) so it wouldn’t spoil. Friday, I decided I would have lunch on the front porch. Well, she finally showed up when I didn’t have the camera… Then a little after 6 PM, I went to the front porch and sat down with the camera. Well, she finally showed up and I managed to get the above photo… 🙂 She wouldn’t sit on the perch and seemed a little nervous. She kept looking at me like she was somewhat reluctant about being watched.

Later on Friday evening, I posted the photo to iNaturalist and it was confirmed she is an Archilochus colubris (Ruby-Throated Hummingbird) female.

Archilochus colubris (Ruby-Throated Hummingbird) on 8-31-24, #1020-1.

Then on Saturday, I decided to sit on the front porch for lunch again. Within a few minutes, there was not only one, but TWO! For probably a half hour, one was chasing the other away constantly. She would even perch in the tree and wait for the other. FINALLY, she allowed the other to feed.

Archilochus colubris (Ruby-Throated Hummingbird) on 8-31-24, #1020-2.

Then I got them both together…

Archilochus colubris (Ruby-Throated Hummingbird) on 8-31-24, #1020-3.

Then she finally sat on the perch…

Archilochus colubris (Ruby-Throated Hummingbird) on 8-31-24, #1020-4.

So, I zoomed in to get a good shot! WOW!

It has been a long time since I was able to photograph a hummingbird!

Archilochus colubris (Ruby-Throated Hummingbird) on 7-28-18, #486-4.

The first and only time I took photos was on July 28 in 2018. The old feeder used to be on the back porch. It would feed then fly in a maple tree. One day, I saw it fly on a branch in the redbud tree behind the porch. I ran for the camera and took several shots.

I have never seen a male since they don’t stick around long after courtship.

The legs of hummingbirds are very short and they have no knees… They short of shuffle along on branches rather than hopping. Somehow, they still manage to scratch their head and neck with their feet.

The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird has the widest breeding area of any species of hummingbird. In 2021, there were an estimated 34-36 million in their breeding range. Apparently, both males and females may have many partners… The oldest banded female lived to be 9 years old while males rarely survive past 5.

They beat their wings 53 times per second and their heart beats up to 1260 beats per minute. They take about 250 breaths per minute even at rest.

According to the Wikipedia article I read, “their muscles make up 25–30% of their body weight, and they have long, blade-like wings that, unlike the wings of other birds, connect to the body only from the shoulder joint. This adaptation allows the wing to rotate almost 180°, enabling the bird to fly not only forward but backward, and to hover in mid-air, flight capabilities that are similar to insects and unique among birds.”

I thought it was interesting that Hummingbirds are only native to the Americas and nowhere else in the world…

Well, that’s all for this post. Until next time, be safe, stay positive, always be thankful, and GET DIRTY!