Friday, August 06, 2010

In the Garden




Our hummers arrive here in Northeast Georgia in about mid April.  The 'scouts' precede the major migration, and shortly thereafter we welcome quite a few Ruby Throats to our feeders.  C and I love them so much that we now hang three feeders in different areas around our house, as we have learned that these guys are fierce competitors and the feeders should not be within eyeshot of one another.  I have one directly outside my sewing room, and the other morning while painting a color wheel I was amused to watch the antics of the little guy who seems to think that this particular feeder is his alone.  Can you see him, perched on the suet feeder, guarding his nectar?


Here's a better shot


  
You can even get a peek at his ruby throat in this pic!  Now that it's August, the babies have hatched and are learning to fend for themselves.  All of the hummers are gearing up to migrate again, so they need to build up their body weight.  There are many birds fighting to sip from each feeder, and it is a daily task to keep them filled.  But it is a worthwhile task for me, as I can't get enough of watching them!  Soon they will begin to migrate south, and we won't see them again for another six months or so.  Normally we only have Ruby Throats in our area, although an occasional odd ball comes through.  During two separate winters, we have been lucky enough to host Annas which had become disoriented on their migration south, and spent the cold months with us.  That was a rare and oh so wonderful treat!


Here is another rarity for our Ruby Throats:




Seldom do I see two Ruby Throats perched at the same feeder at the simultaneously! When we've been to Arizona during the summer monsoons, we have seen similar feeders literally covered with a dozen hummers of varying size and specie, but not these guys here in Georgia!  


We have three deer who seem to think that our back garden is the perfect place to graze.




It is a wonderful treat to look up and see the deer just outside my sewing room window!  When I take my early morning dip in the pool, the three are usually grazing down by the lake.  It is just dawn, so very still, and I often feel that we four are the only ones awake and barely stirring.  Delightful!


just one more pic




Have a wonderful day........and thanks for stopping by!

PEACE

5 comments:

Cate Rose said...

Nice digs, Judy!

Elizabeth said...

I love the hummers so!!! HTe other day I was out watering a bit by hand after filling the fountains and bird baths, and a hummer came a nd danced and drank from the spray about two feet away from me- Simply amazing!!! I always plant tons of hummer favorites in my garden and I find that they really love the old fashiioned flox!!! Happy Day!!

Eva said...

How wonderful to have these little gems flying about! I'd probably neglect all my duties just to watch them.

Jeannie said...

It looks so serence and cool there. I could just lie in the pool all day and watch the hummers and deer. Have a great weekend.

Carol said...

Hummers and deer! Sounds perfect to me. Our garden is buzzing with Rainbow Lorrikeets (little parrots) and Galahs (bigger parrots). Galahs are pink and grey, a perfect colour combo for a very cheeky bird. My favourites at the moment are Satin Bower Birds, who have discovered they can share food with the chooks. Judy, I got your email and will reply. XXOO