Do your hummers mock you?

Because they certainly mock me!!

Yesterday morning, as well as just a few minutes ago, I had a hummer come about 2 -3 feet away from me, she was just checking me out to make sure I didn't have my camera in hand, and, of course, I didn't. So, she proceeds to enjoy the shrimp plant that's right there, in touching distance.

So, this evening, I go in to get my camera, wait a bit, and she doesn't come back. I go back inside, stand at my computer room window -- where the feeder is hanging, and sure enough, here she comes to the feeder! She sees me standing inside, and starts laughing! Of course, again, no camera in hand.

I think they enjoy feeling the sensation of one's frustration when they don't have a camera in hand!!

They certainly do! I had some hummers in April and managed two nice pictures. Well, now they are back and use a different feeder. And anytime the camera shows up, they are just so shy, LOL. So today, I take a chair and sneak a little closer… you can see the results.

They do mock me! But I am glad to see they are back in the yard :)

Too funny!!!

The ones out here as so used to having me putter around the yard as well as two crazy dogs zipping in and out of the doggy door at all hours. The migration has quite gotten heavy yet...so only have a couple of feeders out...which they are good at buzzing me when they are empty.

Can't wait until the rest get here...then I'll put out a few dozen feeders to keep them all happy while I enjoy the hummie antics.

~ Cat

You guys are so lucky. I would love for a hummer to mock me. I have seen one this year total. I have three feeders now and plenty of flowers for them to enjoy but nothing. My sister did see one feeding on the flowers while I was at work but I missed it. Anyways, I don't think they get any heavier traffic wise at any time of year, migrating and such. I am not sure about that, maybe I will get lucky. They do seem like little smart alecks don't they? Demanding just like my dog.

Leslie

LOOK!!! I got her!!!

I placed one feeder right outside my kitchen window and took the pics right through it.

Can't mock you if they don't see you ;)

Yeah .... they mock me ...... they know I want them in my yard ..... so they are deliberately and intentionally avoiding my garden! I bet they are sitting up in the vacant lot trees and laughing their little tail feathers off at me! (Humph!) Can't ya just hear them saying ....."Uh oh! There's that crazy lady again ..... planting more red flowers! Does she really think that we would honor her with our presence! Nah ...... never happen!" And then they shake their tail feathers and fly off ...... laughing that little hummer laugh that they do! :-P~~~~

Poor Becky! I know the feeling, especially since I had them in April and then they disappeared until about a week ago. I don’t even have any hummingbird attracting flowers that are in bloom. I have some firespike plants that start blooming in about a month or so. So all I have is feeders. Funny thing, though, the hummers are not going back to the feeding places they used in April. So I moved the feeders to places were they were buzzing, and now they are eating. They even try to drink nectar from some roses, although I doubt they are getting any.

Maria - Your feeder is really attractive! Where did you get such a nice one?

I'd be thrilled to actually SEE a hummer in REAL LIFE as I have only seen them in photos and video, never up close and personal. I shall NEVER give up trying to attract them into my yard ....... NEVER!!! They will show up one day .... hopefully in the not too distant future (before I am too blind to see them!). :-}

Becky, you mean to tell me that betterbloom’s hummers never arrived? LOL http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=3423456

Becky, I got that feeder from K-Mart. Remember that old one with the yellowed bottle? In April, the hummers would only use that one and now they finally use the one in the pictures. It is higher maintenance, though, because I filled it this morning and it was empty tonight. It swung all day and the nectar just leaked out. I have plastic feeders on the deck and the hummers drink from those too. But I have not been able to get close enough for a good picture.

LOL Becky. I can really relate to what you are saying. I believe that is how they are mocking me too. The BF's also mock me that way, staying in my neighbor's yard when I have planted so much stuff for them, things I had never even heard of before, and yet they still stay away. Pretty funny. I love the way they watch you planting all those red flowers. That is hilarious.

Leslie

Leslie - I am sure it is TRUE! I have soooo many red flowering plants in my yard that it looks like the yard is on fire or in the middle of a red light zone in downtown LA. Green is the only other competing color. (sigh) Oh! and get this ........ the hummers like to nest on small branches over shallow water areas! Aaaah..... duh! I have the swamp land directly behind my backyard fence. It looks like a moat surrounding my property. Lots and lots of small trees back there. Lots of mosquitoes to eat, small spiders, bugs of all kinds galore ..... and the nectar plants all over my backyard! So my one and only question ..... where the heck are the teeny birdies???? Did they not get the map and the memo????? Grrrrr .................. (sigh) Frustrating ..... to say the least!!!

I guess I need to act like I don't want them or the butterflies in my yard .... and then they will show up in droves to spite me! LOL!

I know what it is, Becky!! The hummers come when you're away or not looking!! And, Leslie, I think it's the same with the butterflies!!

Contrats, Maria on getting those pictures!!! Very nice!

Finally!! I followed Maria's example, stood on a swivel chair in my computer room, and got this shot out the window...

I was also lucky enough to get this shot earlier today.

Finally, a decent shot!!

and, one more....

Indy Lilly,

Is that a shrimp plant in your last picture? If not, what is it? I love the look of the shrimp plant but did not think I could grow them here. But if you can grow them in Indiana I don't see why I could not grow them here. So it probably is not a shrimp plant but it is gorgeous if you could share what it is please.

And Becky,
So funny after I had read your post this morning and wrote my post to follow it I went in the kitchen looked outside and there was a little hummer at my feeder. No kidding. First one I have seen all year. And poor thing I had just had a huge bloom on my Texas Star Hibiscus yesterday, first bloom and it was so exciting and it was beautiful. Well this morning it was wilted and the poor guy kept flitting around it trying to get some of it and there was not anything there to get so he just went back to the feeder. So Becky, I am not bragging, I promise. Just thought it was funny. Maybe you are good luck to me.

Leslie

Indiana: When I saw the title of this thread, I knew what it'd be about!
Everytime you're out watering or deadheading or weeding.., "Buzzzz"!
Then you're there with your camera, getting bitten by mosquitos, waiting ...still...: Nothin'!

I have only 1 pic to show for my efforts for the past 2 weeks since the hummers returned and it's a pretty sad result, but ...
here 'tis.
Deb

Indiana Lily, those are beautiful pictures!! Who is mocking whom now? LOL

Debin, your picture is not bad either.

Becky, what flowers do you plant to attract hummers? I sure could use some ideas for the hanging baskets on the deck. In other posts, you mentioned that you have many bird feeders; do you use humming bird feeders at all?

Indiana Lily, I have to say that your pictures with hummers on real flowers do lock the best!

I am guessing that is salvia Deb? That is the only plant I have seen my hummer even get close to except my poor wilted Texas Star Hibiscus flower that there was nothing left for him on. My salvia was not red either, it was the black and blue variety.

And Becky,

Would also love to know what all red flowers you have planted.

Leslie

Leslie: yes, that's salvia. They also come to the Black andBlue salvia. The only other plant i see them near is the lonicera honeysuckle. ...and the feeder.
Deb

Well .... Leslie - Glad I could be of help and bring a hummer your way! LOL!

I did a list in another thread somewhere .... I don't remember now which thread.

Here's what I have that are red/orange hummer blooms: Red Shrimp Plant, Red Brazilian Petunia, Skullcap, Red Mound Lantana, Cape Honeysuckle, Coral Honeysuckle, Coral vine, Crossvine, Trumpet Creeper, Texas Star Hibiscus, various cultivars of red salvia, Jatropha, Mexican Flame Vine, Red Pentas, Phoenix Red Penstemon, Fuchsia Bush, Red Zinnias, Orange Porterweed, Geiger Tree, Red Canna, Red Freesia, Spanish Flag, Cardinal and Cypress vines, Lion's Ear, Firecracker plant

Other hummer nectar plants that I have that have blooms that are other colors other than red/orange:

Necklace Pod, Purple Porterweed, Milkweed, other colors of Lantana, Golden Dewdrop, Jasmine, Morning Glories, Bee Balm, Cuban Buttercup, Daylilies, Plumbago, Ruellia, Snapdragons, Rosemallow, Hibiscus, Coneflower, Moonvine, Hyacinth vine (white and purple flowers), Joe-Pye weed, Nasturtium, Hollyhock, Black and Blue Saliva, White blooming honeysuckle, and I wonder if Sunflowers are also nectar flowers.

Plus I would use a feeder if they started coming around. And I have put out feeders for months. No takers! So ....... go figure!

This message was edited Aug 4, 2007 11:23 PM

Leslie, yes, that is Red Shrimp plant, and unfortunately, I'll have to bring it in for the winter. But, it's worth it, because even with everything else I have, the hummers spend the most time at that plant. I could probably throw a few cuttings your way if you want. I understand they are pretty easy to root. Just let me know.

That's a decent picture, Deb. At least you can definitely tell what it is!! My first gazillion shots were nothing but blurs! LOL!!

We're just going to have to import some hummers for ya, Becky. That's got to be the most frustrating thing ever. :( Apparently, if there are any in your area, they have no idea what they are missing in your yard!

Felicia - There are DEFINITELY hummers in my area. The local nursery workers have told me to come in the early morning in the Spring and sometimes Fall to see them in action flying inside and outside of their large greenhouses. And I have some friends not too far from me that get a few in their yard at different times of the year. So the Ruby throats are here! They just haven't found me yet. :-(

Indy Lily. Thanks for the info. I think they are the most beautiful plants but just knew they would not live here. So you bring them in for the winter and keep them in pots in the summer? And the hummers will go to a flower in a pot, huh? I would love some cuttings but don't want to put you out. I have seen them for order at a lot of places and just kind of passed them by thinking they were out of my reach. I have seen lots of pics of hummers and I think even BF's enjoying the plant. Am going now to look some up and see how expensive they are to buy. Thanks for the info.

Leslie

Leslie - I have a few Red Shrimp Plant seeds I could share with you. D-mail me if you are interested. :-)

Leslie, oh yeah, hummers will eat from anywhere!! My Hibiscus and Mandevilla are in pots as well. I don't think pots make any difference to them.

This is my first year with a Shrimp plant, but I'm hoping that if I put it by a sunny window this winter, it should do ok.

If you don't take Becky up on her kind offer, I'll be happy to send you some cuttings. It would have to wait a bit because of this horrible heat wave we're having (upper 90's all week), because I don't know if they'll transport well with that kind of heat.

Here's a picture of the entire plant. When you do grow one, you'll probably want to get one of those round tomato plant holders to keep the plant upright, because the blooms are heavy. Oh, and it's a VERY messy plant! LOL!!

Felicia - That's what mine looked like last year. I pruned it back hard and it's a little bushier now, but still growing rather tall and flopping over from the bloom weight. LOL! And you are right .... it's messy dropping all the spent blooms! :-)

Not to mention the white thingies (don't know what they're called)!! There was a hummer the other day that had one of the white things (piston?) wrapped around her beak. Scared me to death!! Because she flew straight up, and you could tell she was panicked. I was on the phone at the time and panicking as well, saying "what do I do?" Luckily, by that time, she blew it off and the white thing went flying. Whew! It happened again, but she got it off immediately the second time.

But again, with the Greggii Salvia cherry, Agastache, Butterfly bushes, Lantana, Hibiscus and Mandevilla, the Shrimp plant is the absolute favorite. I should thank the sales person who was such an enabler that day, for her recommendation!

Becky, how do you collect seeds from the Shrimp plant, anyway?

I fooled them this morning. I stood watering with one hand, and the camera in the other. LOL! Female was grazing the blue and the red salvias and the male liked the red honeysuckle and the feeder. I took 40 pics and all were a blur(autofocus!) except 7. None were great. Here's the best one. :)
Deb

Well .... personally .... I think all the hummer photos are great! I am after all enjoying the hummers through ALL of your stories and your photos!

Felicia - The seeds are in the small whitish seed pods. I collect them after the flowers wilt and just put the hard pod in an envie to dry. They often will pop open and fling the seeds out inside of the envie. :-) The black dots are the actual seeds.

Awesome, Deb!! Smart thinking, indeed!!

Thanks much Becky for showing me that, because now I'll know what to look for. Definitely good to have in "just in case" purposes. Although, I think if you'd let it, the Shrimp plant would simply take over, that and the passies, but I won't even go there now. Apparently, the Shrimp plant works well as a house plant, but could you imagine all the cleanup it would require inside on a daily basis?

You go Deb! Great picture!

Becky, it sounds like you have quite a selection for hummers. Maybe you could try to attract them by placing some red objects in your yard, i.e., bows, lawn furniture, etc. That way, they could see your yard from a distance and might come to investigate the menu :-) I suppose the best time would be spring and fall when they migrate.

I love those pictures of the Shrimp Plant. I have never seen one in person but would love to have one.

Maria, if you'd like some cuttings, just send me a d-mail.

Just because this picture is so bizarre, I had to post it.
I was in the computer room, and I watched this hummer go to a bare branch in my huge Oak tree. So, I grabbed the camera to try to take a picture of her perching there. No such luck. Why? Because she moved to the feeder right in front of me! It was getting dark out, and I tried taking pictures either with or without flash (the flash really didn't faze her). So, this is what I got with flash, through the window. When I finished taking pictures, she just sat perched on the feeder, directly facing me, and looked so sweet. That, I would have liked to get a picture of!

Really enjoyed reading through the thread. thanks I.Lily
Beckyg.. hang in there. I know you will have hummers soon.
I would love some seeds of red shrimp plant from either of you and also do the red pentas set seeds? Will be glad to pay postage.
Have to go out tomorrow and see if I can "fool" my hummers. they are feeding and fighting.
Elaine

Had to share a little story this morning with yall and especially Beckygardener. I was outside drinking coffee this morning about 8:00 (need to do that more often) and I was watering the back yard as it is my watering day. My sister and I were sitting outside. Now a little history, like Becky, I have planted every plant I know to plant to attract the little hummers and butterflies and such. Just bought more salvia yesterday, red, and planted that. Well my sister's taste in plants goes a little different to mine. She has two hibiscus plants that she wanted and since she gets everything she wants her husband bought her these two. One is a plan and one is more of a tree type. I told them to plant them in pots because I do not believe they will survive the winter here. So they did. And I must admit they are beautiful. The bushy one is an apricot color and the tree one is a pink. Very pretty plants but in my opinion not much use in the garden for critter activity if you know what I mean. So sure enough sitting outside this morning saw a little hummer flitting around, third time to see one in my yard all summer. I was like Oh My Gosh a hummer Cindy. She said yups. And guess where the little bugger headed. Right for her pink hibiscus tree. Little toot. Boy was I wanting to cuss. He just loved that thing and the blooms were not even completely open yet. She just laughed and got the biggest kick out of that. I said I have all these wonderful plants out here for these things, they smell great, they look great and he goes for your stinky old hibiscus tree. Unbelievable. He did make a quick stop on my new cone flower I planted about two days ago but barely stopped. And then to make it worse I have a little hummingbird feeder you stick in the ground full of sugar water just waiting for some lucky hummer to come by and take advantage of. This feeder was about a foot from where he was and he did not even look at it once, much less twice. I swear. I don't know what to think about these guys. They are just laughing their butts off at me I think. They probably swarm to my plants when I am not lookint (NOT). Anyway, thought it was funny and my sister really got a huge kick out of it. Still love the creatures but beginning to think they are not very nice, to me anyway. LOL.

Leslie