HUMMINGBIRDS!!

Yes folks, they are finally back!! 

Bobbie is here and we were chatting when I saw our first little traveler. He came right up to the studio doors, stopped, hovered for about ten seconds and looked right in at me.

I shrieked, "It's A HUMMINGBIRD"!

I got into my wheelchair and we went out and sat on the screened in porch for a while. I saw two small males zoom by several times while we were out there. Bobbie never laid eyes on them herself, but after seeing my enthusiasm, has no doubt that they ARE finally here. Add joy and enthusiasm into your space and your life with my Hummingbird Prints! They make great gifts too!

Rufous Hummingbirds Still Here in NJ

As of this morning, there was still at least one Rufous Hummingbird here at The Sandarosa in Southern NJ. I estimate that there are (or were) at least four individuals that have had a few days lay over here in Hummer Land. I tried to get some shots of the buggers, but they are so fast, they put the Ruby-Throats to shame.  They are very shy and only seem to come to the feeders in low light; very early morning or dusk. They barely hover. They zip into the feeder, sit and rest, drink for a few minutes and then lickety-split, they are gone again! I bet that there are a lot of them coming this far East these days, it's just that people haven't noticed them yet. They are just so secretive!

According to the map,  they now are "infrequently" wintering in the South-Eastern US. See a map here. With lots of folks getting into the hummingbird habit, there's a lot more food sources out there for the little cuties than there used to be. So all you Eastern Hummer Lovers, beware! Keep your feeders filled, your binoculars and cameras handy and eyes peeled! Those travelers at your feeders may be juvenile Rufous Hummingbirds that have just flown in from as far away as British Columbia or the Rocky Mountains! You peeps in the Southern States may just get some resident winter snowbirds if you treat them right!! Here's another article on the newly discovered Eastern  distribution of the Rufous Hummingbird. I am posting a few of my terrible photos here, taken through my window, just to prove that I am not making this up.

A Rufous Hummingbird in NJ

OMG! Just had to tell someone . . . I'm so excited because I just saw a Rufous Hummingbird here in Southern NJ!! Normally, east of the Mississippi, only Ruby -Throated Hummingbirds are seen. He looked just like this little guy I found on Wikimedia Commons! Some other unusual looking ones are zooming around here today but I haven't gotten a chance to get a close-up look at any.  They really are a bunch of wild ones!! They are not coming to my feeders or plants very much but I can see and hear them in the trees, bushes, flowers and on the edge of the woods. It's obvious that they are gorging themselves on tiny bugs! I hope they eat mosquitos!

Bubba Birds

These photos were taken yesterday through my studio window.

This "Bubba Bird" has definitely by far,

got to be the fattest hummer I have ever seen!

And believe me, I have seen a lot of hummingbirds.

I've still got a half a dozen or more very active and vocal

juvenile male hummingbirds stirring things up here.

This guy is guarding three feeders right outside my studio porch.

Extremely aggressive, this Bubba Bird must have

an overload of hormones rushing through his veins.

Bubba's a great hunter. I've watched him successfully pluck

countless tiny insects from the air. He seems much more

concerned with stuffing his face with protein than sugar water.

I have a feeling he's a regular that was hatched here.

I bet he will be the very last one to give up

his claim to the digs this year in Hummer Land.

A Virtual Internet Friendship Turns Physical = A Delightful Weekend

I met artist, Jennifer MacNeill-Traylor online several years ago when I began following her blog. Although I am twenty years older, we have so much in common, that at times it's really uncanny! This past weekend, she took me up on my offer to come out and visit us here in Hummer Land. The hummingbirds brought her here and Jerry and I are so very glad they did!

 A delightful person and an interesting, lighthearted guest, Jennifer stayed a day and a half with us here at The Sandarosa. What an action packed, enjoyable, memorable time we all had! It's nice to have such company,  who makes you see things through fresh eyes and appreciate your gifts in life even more. See Jen's awesome paintings and photos on her blog here at: The Mare's Tales - Gypsy Mare Studios.


"In my friend, I find a second self."  ~ Isabel Norton