Hummingbird Saturday

There are still lots of hummingbirds out and about.

When not at the feeders, they are close by 'guarding'.

The Rufous have a lovely mix of white, brown gray, and green. 

In morning light the colors are more muted.

I still seem to have mostly Rufous in the back and Anna's in the front.

Here's a rare sight - two Rufous at a feeder. 

This is far more usual - two Rufous fighting at the feeder!

I love how the tail feathers are splayed when they do battle.

While standing guard over the mudroom flowerbed, this Rufous nonetheless presented a more serene facade.

See the tiny dot of ruby feathers at the throat?

Amazingly some of these little birds migrate clear from northern Alaska to Mexico and back again.  I read that when they come north in the spring they fly along the west coast to get the earliest of spring flowers while they travel. Then in the fall, they head south along the edge of the Rocky Mountains where the alpine wildflowers provide them with nectar for their journey southward.

One year ago today I posted a recap on our highly successful campaign to raise money for the the UK charity, Tearfund.