Hummer Activity Still Hot in Southern California..

Deborah, a customer from southern California shared the wonderful summary of the hummer activity in her yard that follows. Imagine, year round birds along with the beaches and mountains too. It's on days like this that I seriously imagine being somewhere else, with hummers, for the winter...

After I sent out a volume of Hummer News today, I enjoyed the following exchange with Deborah:

Deborah:
Hi,

I love my hummingbirds, this is my first season with them. They are still around here, visit everyday and are so much fun to watch. I have 5 feeder stations. I started with four feeders, and had to add one to the back, as I have a very aggressive territorial male that I call "Buger" as he is a little buger! I have had to add plants (camouflage) around the feeders to give others a chance to feed. I have another male called "Flash" who flashes by and gets Buger to chase him. As Buger chases Flash, two females come in, Agent B and Agent C and they get their share. I know each female as Agent B hovers and never sits to eat, and Agent C will sit and eat. Then I have another female called "Crash" and you can guess why...one day she crashed into the window, but was fine and flew away. The one feeder in the back by my kitchen window seems to be for one lone female (who looks pregnant) whose name is "Sugar"...I watch them every day. The same routine goes on every day. Buger stands ground and watches every one of HIS feeders, sits on a tree branch in the back next to the porch and he starts his day at sun up and ends at sun down.....I have to laugh when Agents A & B come in and sneak their food. I wonder if Flash...knows this or is setting this up for them???

so goes my first season with my hummers.......

jam:
Deborah - What a great description of your birds!! You had me laughing out loud and I can tell you really spend some time studying and learning about the unique behavior of your local population. That alpha-male behavior is one of the difficult things to deal with sometimes, but you did just the right thing by having feeders placed so there is no line of sight from one to the other. I know exactly what you mean by the females or juveniles rushing in whenever a bully male departs. I have four areas, all out of sight of each other. Sometimes it seems they go in circles, following the dominant male as he makes his rounds to protect his turf.

Your summary is so interesting and detailed, I'd love to share it at the blog - Very warmest regards!  cheers, jam

Deborah:
I am glad you enjoyed it. I will keep you informed of these hummers. Please feel free to share.

Also to share, after a month or so of these hummers coming around, I was sitting on my front porch and my neighbor came over to see what I was doing, as I was telling her about my hummers.....I was explaining "Buger" to her, I pointed him out on his tree limb then he literally snuck up from behind us and hovered in her face, I think he was checking her out as this is HIS territory, all she could say is "Oh my gosh!", then while explaining, "FLASH"....Flash flew by in a FLASH! It was funny watching her face....and I warned her that Agent B and Agent C would soon sneak in between the porch rails and here they came, it was great watching her face as this all happened while I was telling her about the hummers...these birds are so much fun, they come on the porch even if I am out on the porch.

And I look forward to Buger everyday when I get home from work, it's the first thing I ask my husband...."Is Buger around?"

jam:
That's really great stuff and I really appreciate your sharing your careful observations...