I’ve
been watching this particular Anna’s male hummingbird for the last month or so.
How did I know it was the same one without banding it? I was watching his
behavior, which was different from all the other hummingbirds at my feeder.
The
first time I saw him at the feeder I had a heads up that he was a newcomer.
Why? Because he was feeding at the saucer feeder that no other bird ever feeds
at. I keep it up only because the finches like to sit on it and drink water from
the ant moat. In the summer the Costa’s hummingbird likes to perch on it and
watch ‘his’ feeder as he preens and scratches. This bird was actually feeding. From
that I assumed that he was not only new to the yard, but was used to feeding at
a saucer feeder somewhere else.
That
was the only time I saw him at that feeder, when he discovered the other feeder
he, too, was converted to it and never went back to the first one. But he still acts
differently. Instead of comfortably perching to take a long drink of sweet water
he hovers at the feeder. I know when he is feeding because all the while he hovers there he constantly ‘clicks.’ The ‘click’ is loud enough I can hear it even
with the door closed.
I know that this is a nervous bird. As in interloper who doesn’t ‘own’ the feeder
so he is ready to flee at the first sign of the Costa’s owner. And flee he
often does with the Costa’s male right behind him.
I thought
taking his picture would be no problem since I knew each time he came due to
the ‘clicking.’ Wrong, I waited and waited. Each time I grabbed the camera and
was ready for action, he was gone. I tried keeping the camera close at hand,
but then he didn’t show up. So I waited patiently for the right time.
 |
| The sun shining on the feeder reflects red onto the chest of the hovering Anna's male hummingbird as he feeds. |
Finally
on February 3, 2014 at 3:29 pm I got my picture. The winter sun was coming in
at an angle, shining on the feeder. The Anna’s hummingbird came to the right
side and I was watching the flash of color on his gorget, but then he flew off
before the camera was ready. When he came back, as he frequently does, he was on
the left side of the feeder. At this point I didn’t care, I was able to snap
two pictures of him feeding before he left again. Finally I had my picture of
my flying feeder, my male Anna’s hummingbird.
