Hummingbirds In Our Yard
Posted by terrepruitt on June 25, 2009
I love to watch our hummingbirds. I have always wanted to try to film them. I know it is almost impossible given our equipment and our yard, but I thought I would try. Yes, I know I posted hummingbird pictures on my last “whatever” Thursday, but remember, my blog, my rules—and a lot of people seemed to enjoy the hummingbirds–maybe it was the tongue.
I think this is getting to be their kind of weather. I am going to warn you, you will probably see a lot of them on my blog—hopefully you’ll come back. They are so entertaining. And as I always say since we are in San Jose we have them for a long period of time. It just works out that way with our wonderful weather.
So I was outside for about an hour and a half. I shot about 100 videos. Most of them were just a few seconds long because that is how fast the hummingbirds are. A lot of them are clear, a lot of them are not. Our camera auto focuses and it has a difficult time with moving feeders.
My goal was to post a short video of a hummingbird flying and maybe feeding. Well, just as it was getting too dark to film—and the shots started getting grainy—I got this really long sequence of birds eating, flying, fighting, and just all around being the entertaining birds that they are. So I apologize that it is over 5 minutes long. Also, I apologize because I am talking throughout the video, but they actually smack each other. And they do it audibly. You might not be able to hear it on the video but I could hear it. And they would do it right over my head!
At one point, around 3.28 you’ll hear “wrrrrr” that is a bird flying over me and the microphone.
This entry was posted on June 25, 2009 at 10:27 pm and is filed under Birds. Tagged: hummingbird feeder, Hummingbird tongue, hummingbird video, Hummingbirds, hummingbirds eating, hummingbirds feeding, hummingbirds fighting, hummingbirds flying, San Jose, San Jose Workout. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
4 Responses to “Hummingbirds In Our Yard”
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Jill Campana said
I’ve actually worn something bright pink or bright red outside and had hummingbirds come right down and land on my shoulder — not for long mind you, but they love those bright colors.
The males are the ones who fight — just like the yellow and purple finches we have — there is a “pecking” order for birds at our feeders. They’re not being polite (at least I don’t think so), they will fight one another for position and whoever loses has to wait. Gee, just like when I was growing up!!!
Love your ability to capture such beautiful videos and pictures of nature. Thanks for sharing!
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terrepruitt said
Oh my! I would have died if one landed on me. I have one video where I am saying, “Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!” because there is one IN MY FACE, but landing on me . . . . oooooooooohhhh, how cool is that?!?! My hubby has been hit by one. He said he was walking and it was flying and it flew directly into his chest, then backed up and “chittered at him”. I am sure it was giving him a piece of its mind. Even though they are small they are fiesty!
Thank you so much for looking at my video. And thanks for commenting.
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Jill Campana said
I love “chittered at him”!!! He/she was probably saying “why don’t you watch where you’re going you big lug!!! (not that your husband is a big lug mind you).
That’s what they do…they chitter!!! It’s such a sweet sound…and they make an awful lots of noise when they do “fly bys”. I always think it’s some big bumble bee or something at first!
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terrepruitt said
Oh our hummingbirds chitter at us all the time. They also fly up to the screendoor and get within inches of our cat and “chitter” at her. They are so fiesty and talkative. That is exactly what I think that bird was saying! (And I know you weren’t calling him a big lug, but I am sure the bird was.)
In my video it sounds like I am saying something but it is the bird flying by and they are so loud. I so wish I could capture more of that because the “whir” of their speeding little wings is amazingly loud!
I love, love, love, love our hummingbirds. They make me happy and bring me hours of entertainment!
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