Hummer News – Vol. 5 – December 2009
With 2010 just around the corner, I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you for contributing to the success of my first year undertaking a hummingbird feeder enterprise online. I also want to wish you a healthy, Happy and Peaceful New Year! Another strong hope is that the coming year will help all of us get through the very difficult economic times we have all faced.
Do you still have hummers where you are?
I continue to be interested to hear from you about specific locations that still have hummers now, late in December. So, if you have a minute and are willing to drop a line, I would very much appreciate hearing from you. I am also, of course, always very interested to hear any feedback regarding the performance of or your experience with the Hummer Photo Feeder ™
Our blog awaits and welcomes you…
Please visit your blog Hummingbird Haven and better yet, please jump in. I do expect to add a couple of entries in the near future. If you’ve lost the email inviting you to be a fully enabled post author, just drop me an email and I will send a new one. Just reply to that invitation and join the fun. Find the blog here: http://hummerhaven.blogspot.com/
Happy Hummers and a Bright New Year until the next time…
Hummer Foto Feeder™
All Products are Here
2009-12-29
Our Resident Artist - Phyllis
Hummer Wing Motion in Flight - Superb Video
I received the link for this excellent short video that is able to slow the motion of wing flaps right down. Thanks to my friends Dale and Charlie for this one!
http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/time-warp-hummingbird-in-high-speed.html
http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/time-warp-hummingbird-in-high-speed.html
2009-11-01
Sometimes it's not easy to attract hummers...
I was very impressed to hear about the efforts of one of my customers in working to attract her hummers to a feeder on the balcony of her townhouse. After rules kept her from hanging her traditional hummingbird feeder, she ordered a Hummer Foto Feeder™ to attach to the balcony window. However getting the birds to notice the feeder in that recessed location was not exactly straight forward. After exchanging some emails with tips, I was very happy to recently receive the following email and photos, which I am posting here with permission...
"I finally write you with good news about the hummers!!! After being unsuccessful getting any hummers to come to the feeder for months (tried everything) I finally have a neighborhood of hummers hanging out on my balcony! (I could no longer hang my feeder on my balcony- so I had attached the feeder on my balcony glass door- but to no avail. ) I had seen a couple of hummers so I knew they were there. I had even tied bright red ribbons to my ficus tree (as well as getting a red geranium plant by the edge of the balcony) to lead the way. They had approached the ribbon bunch but left when they realized it was an imposter. SO! I had to get creative. I wrapped the end of the copper wire of your feeder to a branch on my ficus tree and made sure the feeder was adorned with the ribbon bunch they seemed to like as well. I put it on a branch higher up and away from my balcony. It worked!! The hummers started to come. I then figured out a way to hang my large hummer feeder from the inside of my balcony railing so one of the main feeders is right out in the open. It's like my place is a hummer restaurant now! In Los Angeles, it seems the hummers are still out (it's even been really warm here lately like summer- crazy weather). I can hear them twittering all the time and they are constantly approaching my feeders. I know there are different birds from the amazing variety of colors and markings. I have to take a picture for you when I get a chance. I have been having to fill up your feeder every day now!!! My cats are very excited- such good viewing!
Anyways- I am so happy to finally be able to see these beautiful birds!
Thanks for all of your support!"
following are pictures taken on this unique set-up:
2009-10-28
Hummer News – Vol. 4 – October 2009
As Halloween approaches, all the hummers have been gone here in Massachusetts for at least a couple weeks now. So, I’ve recently thoroughly cleaned all my feeders and tubes with my 10% bleach solution. Everything is nice and clean, ready for next spring, but I would strongly recommend that you use some gloves when you do yours – I didn’t and after a week of using a good hand lotion, the dry skin on my fingers is finally starting to get back o normal. The foliage is beautiful, but I miss the hummers and it seems like such a long time until spring right now…
Do you still have hummers where you are?
I know anecdotally that some of you have hummers all year round. But I would be very interested to hear from you about specific locations that still have hummers now, late in October, or who know they will have them all year. So, if you have a minute and are willing to drop a line, I would very much appreciate hearing from you. I am also, of course, always very interested to hear any feedback regarding the performance of or your experience with the Hummer Photo Feeder ™
eBay’s difficult new policies, new 100% guaranteed satisfaction and feedback
If any of you are small scale eBay sellers like I am, you already know that starting this month eBay changed its policies regarding “Top Rated Seller” and certain listing options that used to be open to help smaller crafter/sellers add critical online visibility. Now, it requires huge dollar sales per month – for me it would mean selling over 100 feeders every month – a very unlikely occurrence. The listing options that have been removed used to allow me to pay some fees and get elevated placement when customers searched for hummingbird feeders and products, as well as add a color stripe that helped my listings stand out.
The result was immediate and difficult. I went from selling a feeder just about every other day, to virtually no sales at all. I know the season was drawing to an end in many places, but it was like someone just turned off the faucet. Folks who were already “Top Sellers” now have all the advantages and I am trying to figure out some ways to deal with the changes.
To help stand out a bit when folks finally get to see my listings, in addition to free shipping, total customer support, Hummer Haven Blog and the best products I can provide, I have added a 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy to all my current feeder listings. If anyone is unhappy with their purchase for any reason at all, I will refund every cent they paid and cover all return shipping costs. Since that is true for new customers, I want to offer all of you the same protection. If you have had any problem at all with my products, it is critical that I know about it so I can address the issues in the products, as well as make you completely happy
As always, but now even more important than before, feedback is critical to small sellers like me. So, I wanted to take a moment to talk about that. First, if you HAVE NOT received feedback from me, it is only because I have not received feedback from you. Until I receive feedback from a customer, I do not know whether they are completely happy or if there are issues that need to be resolved. If you are someone that has not left feedback until now and it is because you are unhappy for any reason at all, I hope you will take advantage of my 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy, no matter when you bought a feeder from me. However, if you have been happy with your purchase, I hope you will consider taking a moment or two to leave 5-star positive feedback, as it is the lifeblood of any seller. I also hope you will recommend my feeders and supplies to others you know who might be interested.
Finally, if you are a small seller who is facing the same dilemma with the new policies and have figured out other approaches, I would be very happy to hear from you about them. I am trying an eBay advertising scheme that will present my listing at the BOTTOM of search lists as a “sponsored product” on which buyers can click to find my product. I pay only when someone clicks. In about two weeks, the ads have been presented about 4,000 times, resulting in only about 30 clicks and no sales so far.
Our blog awaits and welcomes you…
Please visit your blog Hummingbird Haven and better yet, please jump in. If you’ve lost the email inviting you to be a fully enabled post author, just drop me an email and I will send a new one. Just reply to that invitation and join the fun. Find the blog here: http://hummerhaven.blogspot.com/
Happy Hummers and Halloween until the next time…
Do you still have hummers where you are?
I know anecdotally that some of you have hummers all year round. But I would be very interested to hear from you about specific locations that still have hummers now, late in October, or who know they will have them all year. So, if you have a minute and are willing to drop a line, I would very much appreciate hearing from you. I am also, of course, always very interested to hear any feedback regarding the performance of or your experience with the Hummer Photo Feeder ™
eBay’s difficult new policies, new 100% guaranteed satisfaction and feedback
If any of you are small scale eBay sellers like I am, you already know that starting this month eBay changed its policies regarding “Top Rated Seller” and certain listing options that used to be open to help smaller crafter/sellers add critical online visibility. Now, it requires huge dollar sales per month – for me it would mean selling over 100 feeders every month – a very unlikely occurrence. The listing options that have been removed used to allow me to pay some fees and get elevated placement when customers searched for hummingbird feeders and products, as well as add a color stripe that helped my listings stand out.
The result was immediate and difficult. I went from selling a feeder just about every other day, to virtually no sales at all. I know the season was drawing to an end in many places, but it was like someone just turned off the faucet. Folks who were already “Top Sellers” now have all the advantages and I am trying to figure out some ways to deal with the changes.
To help stand out a bit when folks finally get to see my listings, in addition to free shipping, total customer support, Hummer Haven Blog and the best products I can provide, I have added a 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy to all my current feeder listings. If anyone is unhappy with their purchase for any reason at all, I will refund every cent they paid and cover all return shipping costs. Since that is true for new customers, I want to offer all of you the same protection. If you have had any problem at all with my products, it is critical that I know about it so I can address the issues in the products, as well as make you completely happy
As always, but now even more important than before, feedback is critical to small sellers like me. So, I wanted to take a moment to talk about that. First, if you HAVE NOT received feedback from me, it is only because I have not received feedback from you. Until I receive feedback from a customer, I do not know whether they are completely happy or if there are issues that need to be resolved. If you are someone that has not left feedback until now and it is because you are unhappy for any reason at all, I hope you will take advantage of my 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy, no matter when you bought a feeder from me. However, if you have been happy with your purchase, I hope you will consider taking a moment or two to leave 5-star positive feedback, as it is the lifeblood of any seller. I also hope you will recommend my feeders and supplies to others you know who might be interested.
Finally, if you are a small seller who is facing the same dilemma with the new policies and have figured out other approaches, I would be very happy to hear from you about them. I am trying an eBay advertising scheme that will present my listing at the BOTTOM of search lists as a “sponsored product” on which buyers can click to find my product. I pay only when someone clicks. In about two weeks, the ads have been presented about 4,000 times, resulting in only about 30 clicks and no sales so far.
Our blog awaits and welcomes you…
Please visit your blog Hummingbird Haven and better yet, please jump in. If you’ve lost the email inviting you to be a fully enabled post author, just drop me an email and I will send a new one. Just reply to that invitation and join the fun. Find the blog here: http://hummerhaven.blogspot.com/
Happy Hummers and Halloween until the next time…
2009-09-20
Unbelievable rescue of baby hummingbird from a storm damaged tree
This has to be seen to be believed...really wonderful story!
http://multimedia.boston.com/m/25907844/mi-family-helps-hummingbird-care-for-baby-after-storm.htm?q=hummingbird
http://multimedia.boston.com/m/25907844/mi-family-helps-hummingbird-care-for-baby-after-storm.htm?q=hummingbird
2009-08-31
This is truly amazing!!
A lady found a hummingbird nest and got pictures all the way from the egg to leaving the nest.
Keep in mind the egg is smaller then a Tic Tac and a quarter fits the opening of the nest.
Be sure to click on NEXT PAGE at the bottom of each page; there are about 5 pages in all, so enjoy and please share with others.
The Web Site is http://community-2.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM/
Keep in mind the egg is smaller then a Tic Tac and a quarter fits the opening of the nest.
Be sure to click on NEXT PAGE at the bottom of each page; there are about 5 pages in all, so enjoy and please share with others.
The Web Site is http://community-2.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM/
2009-08-30
Welcome to Hummingbird Haven!
This space has been created for you to have a friendly and easy place to share your experiences observing and photographing hummingbirds, as well as learn what others are experiencing. For those of you that are users of the Hummer Foto Feeder™ or other hummingbird products that I sell on eBay and elsewhere, I truly hope you will share your good and bad experiences so that I can work to make these products the very best they can be. I sincerely encourage you to post comments, stories, questions, photos and videos.
I do not consider myself to be any kind of expert relative to hummers and actually came to my intense and passionate interest only over the past five years or so. However, by simply communicating over that time with so many other folks who love their hummers, I have picked up a great deal of useful information and some cautions that I want to share with you to enhance your pursuit of these wonderful and intriguing creatures.
In the Native American Medicine Wheel Horoscope, the hummingbird represents "Joy." As far as I am concerned, they seem to have gotten that exactly right and my stongest hope for this space is that it will enable us all to have the opportunity to share that joy with each other.
Please feel welcome and free to jump in, make a contribution and come back soon!
Thank you for visiting...
I do not consider myself to be any kind of expert relative to hummers and actually came to my intense and passionate interest only over the past five years or so. However, by simply communicating over that time with so many other folks who love their hummers, I have picked up a great deal of useful information and some cautions that I want to share with you to enhance your pursuit of these wonderful and intriguing creatures.
In the Native American Medicine Wheel Horoscope, the hummingbird represents "Joy." As far as I am concerned, they seem to have gotten that exactly right and my stongest hope for this space is that it will enable us all to have the opportunity to share that joy with each other.
Please feel welcome and free to jump in, make a contribution and come back soon!
Thank you for visiting...
Updated Posting Editor
If you have already posted before, you will note some differences in the editor now. I updated to the blog site's new and improved version. Hope you will try it out. I we start having any problems with it, I can change back later...
2009-08-28
"Beta Testing" Foto Feeder Prototype
Here are two shots during early field testing of a prototype of the Hummer Foto Feeder™ design at my parents' house…
Wind Chime Tube Feeder
Just wanted to show another way to use your tube feeders that Jam has on his e-bay site, I wired one to a wind chime I have on my patio and the hummers love it, they can sit on copper wire above the feeder and keep other hummers away, it is so much fun to watch them. Hope you will try this also.
2009-08-24
Male Ruby Throat on Hummer Foto Feeder™
Our shy Male Ruby Throat making a rare full daylight appearance at one of our kitchen Hummer Foto Feeder™ Male Ruby Throat at the Roseburg Nectar Feeder™
A particularly feisty male Ruby Throat surveying "his domain"
The Very First Roseburg Nectar Feeder™
Just wanted to show you a four tube feeder that I bought from jam, my humming birds love it, they are always fighting over it.
2009-08-22
Perching female Ruby Throated Hummingbird visit
while most of us think of hummers hovering somewhere all the time, they actually perch a great deal between and during feeding visits. This nectar tube had just been filled and you can see the air bubble forming in place of the nectar she is consuming.
Three visits by female Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Look closely and you will see the hummer's tongue lapping up the nectar at a very high speed
Male Ruby Throated Hummingbird in pre-dawn visit
This uncharacteristically furtive male Ruby Throated was very difficult to capture because he preferred the very early pre-sunrise hours for his visits, accounting for the darkness of the video
Mature female Ruby Throated Hummingbird visit
here again, you get a good close-up og her tongue whipping back and forth...
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