They're Baaack!

Here it is the third week in March, and our Hummingbirds have come home!  Well, probably not all of them - but they are beginning their migration north and we couldn't be happier!  These are our only pets, well almost only - there are these guys that take delight in walking up and scaring the socks off me.

That's him, hiding behing the dog's ear, over on the rock!  Yep, they get me everytime I walk outside.  Everyone knows if they hear me scream it's just only of my little friends sneaking up on me - guess I'd better stop that in case there's a real emergency! 

These are the ones I'm so happy to see!  This is a male youngling or a female because of the lack of color and small size.  This is the first one I could catch on camera this morning!   We saw a feeder on the neighbor's tree last week, but, we were expecting a freeze last weekend, which we did get, and I don't want to find my pet's "feet up" below the feeder!  We aren't expecting any more freezing weather this season, after all, it is almost the first of April!

So, yesterday afternoon, we decided to just put up two cups to see if they were really around - we didn't see one bird yesterday!  But this morning, my Sweetie yelled to me, "Our birds are back!"  I got the camera ready so I'd catch them when they came in.  Those little guys are fast! 

Here's another species, a male, and he does look like a mature bird.  Look at the black around his throat!  He could actually be a "Black-Chinned" Hummingbird.

This one could be an "Anna's or Allen's Female" as they are near the coast all year - and come inland during the warmer periods.  It is early for the females.  Or if it is a migrating bird, maybe ?? 

See the one sitting in the bushes!  Find the knot in the wooden fence and go straight down to the top of the bush - see her!!  Wish I was better at identifying - this does look to be an Allen's Female!! 

 This looks to be another "Black Chinned" bird, and this one is a mature male.  See on the side of his neck how pretty his purple iridescence is?!  SEE??  Sweet!!

Later in the afternoon came an "Anna's" mature male. Look at this color!!   Look at the beautiful head and neck and the ROSE iridescence of this bird's head and neck - and the one above, with just the spot on his neck, is purple.  I hope you can see them clearly enough!

While they are migrating and just checking out territories they still share the nectar.  Once the nests are built and eggs are laid, they can try to keep others away.  Kind of hard when there are hundreds visiting our yard though!

Oh,  guess who else came to breakfast?  No, not that cat!  An Oriole!  I saw just one last year that was the brightest yellow, and then this morning.  It looked around a bit, then left after about 5 minutes.  Every time I lifted the camera, it would turn it's back to me, camera down, turned back around.  After a few minutes of this I lost my patience, so you'll just have to take me at my word on that visitor!

Tomorrow is Friday, so I wish you all a blessed weekend!
Donna