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Author
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Topic: Little guy
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted July 31, 2021 06:02 AM
Leonard I have a pot of zinnia volunteers that came up from seed from a few years ago I have been watching the smallest humming bird I have ever seen not much bigger than a bumble bee ,I have never seen anything like it have you seen one or know anything about them, Unfortunately I had to take my feeders down due to bees what a pain they are but we need them and i will not kill them .
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted July 31, 2021 10:56 AM
Hmm? I think the Calliope is about the smallest? I don't see them here but I have heard they range all the way up to Canada in the summertime? If it was male, the gorget has very long and brilliant feathers. If female, well, they are, (surprise) green!
On the other hand, I think I might have heard of a Bumble Bee humming bird? There are so many species that winter in South America, and I don't know a thing about them?
One thing in your favor is that Arizona is host to way more humming bird species than California. We have a couple that could be described as "coastal" but occurring the entire length of the state.
Again, I find it mind boggling that a bird this size, existing on pollen and nectar and a few insects, can fly 3/5 thousand miles every season! What's the attraction in British Columbia?
Good hunting. El Bee
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31511 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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NVWalt
Does not claim to be overly bright!
Member # 375
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posted July 31, 2021 11:20 AM
Probably got pretty female hummers up in BC.....
Those Calliope hummers are pretty tiny. We used to get them at our feeders back in Nevada up in the mountains.
I thought we would get a few more species of hummer here in the hills of TN but we only get one species and that was a bit different for me.
I also thought I would pick up a lot of new birds for my life list moving back here but alas only a few. And the lack of LBJ's is also surprising to me.
But then again birds are on the decline and habitat loss is the main source of that.
They fly up here to North America and fly back down to Central and South America to find they don't have a home anymore. Ahhhh progress.
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Posts: 645 | From: Tellico Plains, TN | Registered: Aug 2004
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NVWalt
Does not claim to be overly bright!
Member # 375
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posted July 31, 2021 11:22 AM
Sure it isn't a Hummingbird Moth??? they are gotchas. Hmm gotta wait to post this LOL
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Support Communism and help destroy the United States of America ! VOTE DEMOCRAT. "In the end, they aren't coming after me. They are coming after you!" D.Trump
Posts: 645 | From: Tellico Plains, TN | Registered: Aug 2004
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted July 31, 2021 12:58 PM
Yeah, Walt. The interesting thing is that the only Hummer east of the Mississippi is the Ruby Throated and they fly non stop across the Gulf of Mexico twice a year. Amazing!
The Ruby Throated and the "Black Chinned" could be considered like subspecies of the same bird. Just about everything about them, physical and their habits are virtually identical. Exactly WHY you only have one Hummer in the eastern US? Beats me? But, what the heck! It's a beauty!
My two species; Allen's and Black throated. The Allen's tend to bully the Black Throated. If I had to name a third visiter to my feeders, it would be the Western Oriole. But, rare.
Good Hunting. El Bee
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31511 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted August 01, 2021 04:40 AM
I get Ori6oles all the time when the feeders are up. I looked up bumble bee hummers and that's what I got. They come from Mexico and in the U.S. prefer mountain forests that explains why they are here. they are the smallest in the U.S. the Bee hummer being the smallest in the world.
[ August 01, 2021, 04:42 AM: Message edited by: Paul Melching ]
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted August 13, 2021 08:59 AM
Put up one of the feeders and no bees. I think the drought was bringing them ! The bigger birds ran the bumble off he was gone about four or five days but he is back and they all seem to be getting along he does not go by the feeder but stays on the Zinnias. Most of the crew is gone but I have a few pair to watch. We have had a good monsoon so far its still going off and on !
[ August 13, 2021, 09:02 AM: Message edited by: Paul Melching ]
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Kokopelli
SENIOR DISCOUNT & Dispenser of Sage Advice
Member # 633
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posted August 13, 2021 01:33 PM
Paul;
I've got some 'bee proof' feeders that are about the size of a saucer and about an inch & a half deep that seem to work well.
Plus the orioles can still get their sugar fix.
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Posts: 7602 | From: Under a wandering star | Registered: Apr 2005
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted August 13, 2021 02:05 PM
I've never had a bee problem. Ants are a major problem but there are solutions and they work. One is a cup of water above the feeder wire and you have to keep it filled because evaporation is quick.
But, the best is to grease the wire, Ants apparently cannot crawl through grease, the regular automotive kind for greasing zirts, etc. I wouldn't use bacon grease, for example. That might even be an attractant?
The bee preventions I've seen involves little grid pattern plastic ball on the tube type feeders. I know, not much help? First thing I'd do is relocate the feeder.
Good hunting. El Bee
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31511 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted August 14, 2021 05:37 AM
The rain has solved the bee problem ! We were in the worst drought I have seen , and that is what was bringing the bees. Feeder has been up for a week or more and not one bee!
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted August 14, 2021 08:52 AM
That's genius! I'd have never thought of it?
Good hunting. El Bee
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31511 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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