Hummingbirds at flowers and feeders in Las Vegas NV – and others that aren’t hummers

                It’s not just the feeders that attract the birds to my yard, although that is the big draw.

Feeding at the feeder

Once they are here they also like to avail themselves of the flowers. Even though the lantana has tiny flowers, they must be sweet, since the hummingbirds frequent them for nectar.

Feeding on nectar of the lantana

It isn’t just the hummers though.

                Today I was watching a sulphur butterfly take advantage of this nectar as well. This was the first butterfly that I have been able to photograph since moving to Las Vegas. In Idaho I had pictures of 23 species, but mornings and evenings there were cool. This meant butterflies were slow in their movements. In the morning they rested with their wings open to absorb the warmth of the sun. Here in Las Vegas NV it isn’t cool anytime during the day in the summer. I see the butterflies, but they are flitting around so fast I can hardly identify them, to say nothing of photographing them. But today was different.

A Clouded Sulphur sips nectar

The sweet nectar of the lantana flowers held my butterfly captive long enough for me to get several pictures.

                The sweet water in the feeders attract more than hummingbirds and finches. The Scott’s Oriole is not a seed eater. It relies on insects, fruit and nectar. Of course feeders are ideal, if he can get his bill into the slot. One of my feeders is missing its bee guard, making on opening big enough for the oriole to reach the sweet water. Another is a drip type, which means that birds other than hummingbirds can get to the sweet water that has collected along the sides. There are sweet water feeders designed just for orioles, but I don’t have enough of that species to bother with putting yet another feeder out.

                The first time the Scott’s Oriole came to visit he was here for two days and then disappeared. I saw him briefly several weeks later. This last week he has definitely moved into the neighborhood. Every morning he comes for a drink. I can’t miss him because he always announces his presence with his very loud squawks. As soon as hear that, I am ready with the camera. The problem is the lighting is not the best at the feeder he prefers.

The Scott's Oriole before the dogs startled him

This morning the dogs startled him, since they had to go out to see the source of the sound. He flew off the west side feeder and onto the south side feeder, where the light was perfect.

Immature male Scott's Oriole at the south side feeder in early morning light

The only problem was I had to take the picture through the mini-blinds, since there was no way of opening them and still getting the photo.

                Yet another bird has come to the feeder recently, but not for sweet water. The tiny Verdin feeds strictly on insects and spiders that it gleans off  the surface of leaves. At my feeder this little immature grey bird was all over the feeder.

The tiny Verdin looks for insects on the feeder

He wasn’t interested in the sweet water at all. What he was after was the insects that were attracted to the feeder. I don’t know if the sweet residue was attracting this six legged creature, or the color of the feeder, since gnats like bright colors. Whatever, the Verdin was having a great time picking them off.

                I keep my ears open, my eyes focused and my camera handy waiting for what happens next at my feeders in Las Vegas NV.