We’re up to somewhere between a dozen and 15 hummingbirds at the feeders now. I’m not sure whether our resident hummers are still here, but the rest are certainly in migration from up north and are gathering energy for their trip farther south and soon thereafter across the Gulf of Mexico. The birds are starting to share the feeders more and more, mostly because there are so many hummers now that individuals don’t really have a chance to defend their territory.

I know I have taken (and shared) lots of hummingbird pictures in the past, but it’s hard not to — the birds beckon me with their spirited antics, and I enjoy sitting out there absorbing their happy, frenzied presence. But if I find myself outside without my camera, I long for it, so mostly I just bring it along and try to get a great shot. Then, of course, I feel obligated to share.

Most of the time I use my zoom lens with hummingbirds, because it enables me to get shots like this lucky tongue image.

I also can capture pollen on a hummingbird’s bill. If you ever wondered whether a hummingbird is an effective pollinator, there’s proof.

With the zoom, I can also get close enough to get feather details on the little birds and yet not disturb them.

The downside to the zoom is that it gets tougher to capture the interaction between birds (when they really get their speed going). But it’s doable.

Today, however, brought a most enjoyable experience, all thanks to an annoying tilt of the shepherd’s hook holding two of our feeders. I couldn’t resist trying to fix it during a momentary lull in hummingbird activity. I had scarcely put my hand on the shepherd’s hook when suddenly I was surrounded by fast-moving, buzzing hummingbirds. There I was, inches from two feeders, and birds were swarming me. At first they circled me, periodically hovering in front of my face to see whether I was friend or foe, and since I didn’t move a muscle (other than to softly talk to them), they decided I was friend, or at least safe enough. Just inches from my face, they sat, drank, hovered, checked me out, drank some more, and even had their usual feisty spats. The breeze from their wings felt great upon my skin, and it was impressive how much air movement there was.

During another lull of activity, I quickly went inside to grab a regular lens, hoping to get a picture (the zoom wouldn’t have worked that close to my subjects). But I soon learned that while the hummingbirds did not mind me, they were less fond of my camera. Perhaps the lens looked like a large gaping mouth. Whichever feeder my face was near, the birds sat and drank without concern. Whichever feeder my camera faced, the birds were hesitant to linger at the feeder, and only a couple did fly-by drinking. Needless to say, it was a challenge to actually take a picture with a hummingbird in it, but I managed a couple. The above is my favorite.

Of course, once I realized how unperturbed the hummingbirds were by my presence, I encouraged my family to experience the thrill of being so close to the zooming birds. I can report that the hummingbirds did not mind Nolan’s small point-and-shoot camera. I think the “big lens = big mouth” theory might be close to the truth.

If you have visiting hummingbirds, especially in large numbers, I highly recommend you give it a try. Perhaps you’ll get to experience those lovely hummingbird breezes on your skin, too.

September is one of my favorite months, for the hummingbirds are moving through Texas in large numbers at this time, and it means my garden is busy with little bird antics left and right (and up and down).

The sounds of the feisty little birds draw me outside. The hummingbirds are usually so focused on defense and territoriality and getting nectar that they hardly noticed the humans taking pictures, dogs running amok, and thunder or other noises in the background. Such was this evening’s setting. Occasionally hummingbirds will settle down and share a feeder. In fact, as more hummers appear during migration, they will share more and more, as the need to build up energy stores for long-distance travel becomes more pressing. During migration season, the vast majority of the hummingbirds I see in my Austin garden are Ruby-throats. The males have the iridescent gorget, which seems truly vibrant when the light is just right (but otherwise it looks dark).

Because the male’s gorget often appears dark, Ruby-throats are often confused with Black-chinned hummers. But take a look at how this male’s feathers light up with just a slight change to its body position. The color you see is actually a function of feather structure and the refraction of light at particular angles and is not a result of pigmentation.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this hummingbird, almost hidden among the leaves, is remarkably big, given the pomegranate nearby as a size comparison. That’s actually a small pomegranate (the big pomegranates have weighed their respective branches down much closer to the ground, and no hummingbirds ever hang out down there).

Aside from the feeders, our backyard trees are territorial zones for many of the hummingbirds, who stake claim not just to particular trees but to very specific branches on said trees. The bird above was the only one using that spot on the Pomegranate — he drove away any other hummer that came too close. Likewise, the Mexican Redbuds were claimed by a few hummingbirds, likely because they were close to three feeders. The nearby Oak trees offered higher vantage points, so some hummingbirds used those instead.

Of course, native plants offer the best nectar of all, but I always put out feeders during migration because it can be hit or miss whether any of my natives are blooming in the hot Texas summer. Often, I’m relying on my trusty Flame Acanthus to be in bloom while summer is still blazing. Indeed, my Flame Acanthus is blooming right now, but I’m cheating and showing a picture I took last year. And actually, fyi, I keep feeders up year round, though perhaps not as many in the winter. You never know when a slowpoke hummingbird will desperately be seeking food sources in the cold.

If you have feeders, be sure to use a ratio of 1 part Table Sugar to 4 parts water — don’t add coloring.

And always keep your feeders clean! Replace the sugar-water every 2-3 days to prevent fermentation, and use that opportunity to scrub out the feeders thoroughly. I use vinegar to clean mine (and small brushes). Don’t let any black yucky stuff build up in those nooks and crannies!

For those of you up north who are saying a seasonal goodbye to hummingbirds, thank you for taking good care of them. They’ll be back in the spring to say hello before you know it!