Costa’s and Finches keep my Las Vegas feeder going – but no very busy

                Here at my feeder in Las Vegas NV nothing would be going on if it weren’t for the Costa’s hummingbird and the House finches. Between the two, they keep my focus on the feeder, camera at the ready.

                The Finches are beginning to show signs of flocking. While most will stay with me all winter, some will move on, traveling in mixed flocks made up of American Goldfinches, Lesser Goldfinches and House finches. Because of this flocking instinct my feeder is visited not by one or two finches but by five together. Sometimes they try to get to the watering holes all at the same time. Other times they wait for their turns. I never know what will happen next.

One finch on the feeder, two waiting in line

                The Costa’s hummingbird is the tamest bird I have ever seen. He stays around the feeder, perching quietly. He doesn’t care if I open the door. It doesn’t bother him if the dogs run out, or the cat stands and watches him. All that gets him moving is another hummer trying to get a drink from his feeder, or if a juicy insect flies by.

                While hummingbirds require nectar or sweet water to provide them with concentrated calories, it isn’t enough for them to live on. Like people, a diet of carbs does not let them thrive. They need the protein and fats in insects. So when they aren’t drinking sweet water, nectar or chasing away intruders they spend their time looking for insects. Sometimes they find them on a leaf, which is why you’ll see them hovering over a green bush with no flowers, other times they catch them out of the air.

Drinking sweet water

                I was able to photograph the Costa’s sitting at the feeder drinking, and then moving to a perch where he could watch for insects. Since I have numerous potted plants on my patio it attracts numerous insects. He flew in under the patio roof to garner some insects. I almost got a picture of him hovering there except my camera wouldn’t focus in quick enough to catch him in the act. Maybe next time.

Watching from a convenient perch

I had the same problem trying to get a picture of him scratching himself. I would snap the picture just as he was raising his leg to scratch his neck only to find that the picture I got was right after he finished, but before he had a chance to straighten out his feathers. Maybe next time.

Through scratching, but no time to tidy up

                I keep wondering when he will leave me. I looked at the Peterson's Field Guide to Birds app on my iPad. His wintering range starts just south of Las Vegas in southern California and Arizona, except for one small section in southern Nevada, which includes Las Vegas. Maybe he won’t be leaving me at all!