You may not realize it, but that backyard hummingbird feeder filled with sugar water is a natural experiment in fermentation—yeast settle in and turn some of the sugar into alcohol. The same is true of nectar-filled flowers, which are an ideal gathering place for yeast—a type of fungus—and for bacteria that metabolize sugar and produce […]
Tag: Anna’s Hummingbird
Spring is for the Birds and Birders!
As days get longer and temperatures begin to climb, birds and birders are anxiously waiting for that annual bliss that comes with the change in seasons. Yes—you know what I am talking about: Spring Migration. While some species are already on the move, we’re waiting for that burst of northward movement from the bulk of […]
How the world’s smallest birds survive the winter
As the smallest birds on Earth, hummingbirds may seem frail—so it’s not surprising Donovan Nixon asked Weird Animal Question of the Week how they cope with winter. Turns out these airborne jewels are as tough as diamonds. In cold weather, hummingbird bodies enter into an “energy-conservation mode called torpor,” according to Oregon State ecologist Adam […]
My Favorite Bird Photos of 2013
At the end of each year I like to go back and look at the bird photographs I have taken and choose the ones I like the best for a “favorite bird photo” post. I try to pick at least one photograph from each month however some months were photographically prolific, others not so much. […]
Anna’s Hummingbirds at the Waterfall: Birds Can’t Resist Moving Water
If you want to attract birds to your yard you need three main attributes, food, shelter and water. For most song birds, a water source is essential for both drinking and bathing, and if you have a choice, running water is your best bet. Birds can’t resist moving water, as demonstrated by the Anna’s Hummingbirds […]
Summer Scenes of Critters at the Pond
A couple of weeks ago I kept hearing a simple, three pitched call from the yard. I went out to investigate and it was the Black-headed Grosbeak fledgling calling to be fed. Click on photos for full sized images. It was a familiar song but I hadn’t heard it since last year and it is […]
A Female Anna’s Hummingbird Exploring Peruvian Lilies
We have six large hummingbird feeders surrounding our house in Northern California but we also have several flower beds and native plants that the hummingbirds enjoy. As I sat on my back porch last weekend, contemplating mowing the native grasses surrounding the house and having some breakfast and my morning coffee, the hummers were all […]
Anna’s Hummingbird – Claypte anna
The Anna’s is one of the four different Hummingbird Species found along the Pacific coast of North America. Two species: the Anna’s Hummingbird, and the Costa’s Hummingbird are the only two in the genus Calye. This genus is the “helmeted” hummingbirds, so named because their crown and gorget (chin feathers) form an iridescent ‘helmet’. In […]