Friday, September 12, 2014

A Humdinger of a Weekend

I'm SO excited!! Today and tomorrow will be filled with hummingbird activities. If you're reading this post between 9AM and 10:30AM, I will be at a friend's home to see and photograph the multitudes of hummingbirds that are visiting her yard. She has trained them to perch on her fingers as she holds the feeder. Not all of them participate, but the gutsy ones do, apparently. I believe my camera's video feature will come in handy for this. Hope I remember how it works!

Saturday morning Double D and I are headed to St. Francisville's Annual Hummingbird Festival where hummingbird biologists will capture and band birds at two private gardens.

In the meantime, I have been enjoying the pair that have visited my yard this week; an adult male and a juvenile male (I think).

Lullaby...and goodnight....




Depending on which web site you consult, below are the collective nouns for hummingbirds:

Charm (my personal fave)
Troubling
Hover
Glitter
Shimmer
Bouquet
Chattering
Drum
Sharing with next week's.
Thanks so much, Anni!

50 comments:

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Magnificent birds and stunning photos!!!!

Bethany Carson said...

Beautiful shots!! I love how the hummingbird's tongue is sticking out in one of the photos! All the best in your photo-shoot today.

Yesterday a couple of hummingbirds were really having a ball in my garden...love to watch them!

nookworm said...

The shot of it eyeing me and showing his three red throat spots is wonderful! Have a great time with your visit and photography opportunity later. I can't wait to see the results.

The Cranky said...

I'll have to share this with Mom, she adores hummingbirds. (So do I, actually.)
Can't wait to see the results of your hummingbird expeditions!

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Well it's 8:53 eastern time, so I guess you're not there quite yet!

I just LOVE the first photo. So sweet.

Anvilcloud said...

I think I'm jealous of the weekend you have planned. I look forward to seeing the photos.

Irma said...

What a great photos of a hummingbird.
Really perfect photographed Gail.
Photo 4 and 5 are my favorite.

Ela said...

What a gorgeous bird and so amazing shots !
Greetings

Anonymous said...

Beautiful shots of these amazing little birds!

TexWisGirl said...

sweet! ours have been swarming here - a dozen or so, but they're drinking like mad. have fun!

rainfield61 said...

Do the humming birds bring you here? or it is actually you who bring the humming birds here.

So nice to see you all.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

holy cow those are fantastic shots!!

hootnonny said...

While sitting in my daughter's backyard this a.m., a tiny hummer quickly flew in to sup from a pink anenome, then left as quickly. It was not a colorful and the beauties you've posted.

Have a humdinger of a weekend!

hootnonny said...

Oh, you said that!

Bas. said...

Zo,n vlugge vogel zo mooi gefotografeerd heel knap.

Evelyn S. said...

Fabulous, Gail! I've never seen the variety with the spots on the throat....must be a Southern hummer! My hummingbirds have left. I think they knew the cold nights were coming two weeks ago. The last two nights have been in the 20's....killed all my dahlias, which hadn't even bloomed yet. Looking forward to more hummingbird photos.

Inspired By June said...

Sounds like a fabulous weekend, Gail! Your shots are amazing. It's not just the camera, either, you have a gift. Can't wait to see what you see this weekend~! Have fun!

Anonymous said...

Oh I am green with envy!

Sally said...

Beautiful photo's. :)

Enjoy the weekend.

Ida said...

May I just say these are fantastic and I can't wait to see more. I hope you get some great shots at your friends place.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

OH wow Gail -- what a magical weekend you have ahead of you (well are already having by the time I write this).. Just wonderful. I'd be thrilled to get the pics you already show here, can't imagine how wonderful it will be to take part in both these weekend activites.

Spare Parts and Pics said...

Love your hummingbird shots, Gail!! Really excellent.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Call them by any name at all,but beautiful always fits.

Brian King said...

Fantastic! We only have one or two at a time. The male that was here is already gone. I've never had the pleasure of seeing multiple hummers at the same time. The festival sounds fun!

Indrani said...

They are such tiny birds and yet you have captured them so well.
Great series.

Pantherka said...

Your photos are just beautiful!
I wish you a nice weekend.

Shug said...

Awesome photos.....the best I've seen! I have never seen a hummingbird that wasn't in full fluttering movement. Your photography just keeps getting better and better and I so enjoy every picture you take...
Enjoy a great weekend....we are having some Fall weather.

Tammy@Simple Southern Happiness said...

This will be an exciting time, see if you can sit and hold the feeder then listen to their sounds they make and the sound of the wings. Also you can feel the wind from their wings. Its a thrilling experience. Awesome photos of your hummers. Cant wait to see more of your shoot.

Donna said...

Amazing photos and you are indeed lucky to see them perching on someone's finger.

Anita Johnson said...

I'm so jealous! (o; Our hummers are at the feeder constantly...with our 45 degree temps this week, I'm guessing they will be leaving soon. I never have more than 2 at once...I would be in heaven to see so many!

Barbara said...

Great shots! Have fun! I can't wait to see what you capture!

Hootin Anni said...

While on blogging hiatus, I missed this!! What an extraordinary post and spectacular images!

thanks, Gail, for linking up this past week at I'd Rather B Birdin'

Jeanne said...

These are just wonderful. I can't seem to attract any hummers here but even if I did I doubt I could get such magnificent pictures.

eileeninmd said...

Oh wow, I would love to be there too. I love the sweet hummers.. Gorgeous photos.. happy weekend!

Kathy said...

Your last photo certainly proves a fact I just learned: Hummingbirds do not siphon nectar with their beaks; instead they lap it up with their tongue. Amazing shot! Your photos put the rest of ours to shame.

Stewart M said...

Wonderful shots of wonderful birds! Seeing Hummers in AZ this year was a highlight!

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

Kerry said...

Fantastic, Gail! I look forward to many more hummingbird pics. Somewhere I saw a photography class/book specifically about photographing hummers. How fun.

Susan said...

Lovely shots of these speedy little birds! I've been excited about having so many of them at our place the past couple of weeks. Lovin' it!

troutbirder said...

Hmmmm. Most interesting. I'm wondering if the hummers stay with you all winter or had south across the Gulf?

Amy Burzese said...

Gail, these are excelling. So sharp. I hope you had a good trip to the Hummingbird Festival.

Amy Burzese said...

Well, excelling isn't a bad description, just not the one I intended. ExcellENT. Old timerz.

DeniseinVA said...

How exciting Gail, I wish I could see that. Your photos of these little darlings are beyond adorable. Fantastic shots!!!

A Colorful World said...

Amazing WONDERFUL hummer photos! Wow! All that hummingbird activity is so exciting right now! I envy you!

By the way, just FYI, a lot of people don't understand why the murals are allowed to be in the Denver Airport, but the airport is privately funded, as I mentioned, and the people who control it believe that there will be a cataclysm and then a new world will emerge (New World Order) when most people will be gone and the children of the world will inherit a time of peace, but with the elite in charge. This is one of their ways of telling us what is going on, without trumpeting it loudly. It's like the Georgia Guidestones (look them up if you don't know about them). We just had to see them for ourselves! It really is SCARY!

So glad you are back!

Stephanie said...

Love, love, love that second photo! You are amazing with your camera, my friend.

Have a beautiful evening!

Laura Delegal - Leroy Photography said...

Such fantastic captures, Gail. I have a friend who uses a green board to capture them in flight. I can't because they're too fast and my autofocus heads for the trees in the background. So glad you got to enjoy the hummers. We haven't had many this year, but my neighbors have. Last year we would have about 650 a day at the height of migration. This year we're only getting about 70-100. At least I know everyone is fattening thm up.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Beautiful pictures, Gail.
~

Helma said...

I'm really green with envy lol .......
So cool these beautiful pictures of the hummingbird bird.
Again one very thick comliment.

Kristin_Texas said...

These are fantastic photos. I think the third and last one are my favorite, although they're all beautiful.

For the first time, yesterday I hardly saw the hummers at our place. I only saw one a couple times, just flying around the yard. I think they're pretty much left us. I already miss them!

LC said...

Photos in this and previous hummer posts . . . priceless!

mick said...

Great photos and perfectly beautiful little birds.