Last weekend I mentioned that fall migration is underway and I said that bird feeding might slow down at your feeder about now.
But I failed to note that it’s completely the opposite for the hummingbirds. They are battling strong at our feeder and are ‘bulking up’ for the long (unbelievably long) flights ahead. From here in Tennessee, most of the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds (our only regular hummingbird on the East Coast) will fly in excess of 1500 miles to Mexico, Costa Rica, or Panama.
On our porch, the two males and a female spend more time fighting over the six available holes on the sugar-water than they do actually feeding. I love watching them, though I do think they could, you know, get along a little better. There’s plenty for everyone at our front porch happy hour.
This is a picture from the Audubon Society’s photography awards page on Instagram. It’s an Anna’s Hummingbird - only found in the western US.
What a fantastic shot and amazing birds. So tiny and so fierce.
And apparently, also very fit.
1500 miles on their own with no help - not even Google Maps - and weighing about the same as my little finger. Geez. Miracles are I fact all around us if we only have eyes to see.