new hummingbird feeders

Hummingbird feeders are some of the worst ripoffs of consumer goods. Most are very poorly design and made. The prices for one of this cheap plastic thing that cost may be $0.30 sold for 50 folds. I never want to pay over $5 each. The secret is to way for autumn when the stores are making room for Christmas merchandise.

babies

There are two bird nests that I know of in my garden. One is the robin on the plum tree, and the other is the common sparrow in a fern. I have been monitoring the progress of both. Both had 3 eggs.

bee hummingbird

According to wikipedia, bee hummingbird is the world's smallest bird.

love is in the air

We have been having the nicest weather in January here in Oregon for what I can remember. There have been week-long stretches of mild and dry days and unusual warm nights which is very atypical of the Pacific Northwest.

crows harass and chase away hawk

I was out walking today and I captured this video. There were a colony of crows on a nearby tree making quite a commotion. On the top of a nearby sequoia tree and I spotted a large hawk sitting on top.

a robin family

It all started in mid March. There is this robin keep flying into the clerestory windows of my living room. I was very puzzled with its strange behavior.

luckiest birdies - a near disaster

Of all the trees on my property I treasure this very old plum tree the most. It gives me the protection from the sun from sun rise to late afternoon. I built a raised deck around its trunk to take advantage of the shade offered by its canopy.

hummingbird slo mot - part 2

I posted a short clip of hummingbird slow motion video a few days ago. Today I have a chance to capture a few longer clips.

home made hummingbird feeder

To say that I am less than impressed with hummingbird feeders sold on the market is an understatement. Similarly is my dim view on most pet and garden products in general. Most of these feeders sold here are cheap craps made in PROC and sold at inflated price of 10x to 50x of whole sale prices. Hummingbird feeders on the market are the most gaudy and cheaply made products that you can waste your money on. Don't get me started about the red dyed nectar.

hummingbird slo mot

It was frigid outside this morning and I went to check to see if the hummingbird feeders need topping up. In very cold days the hummingbirds often will fly up to drink from the feeder while I am still holding it. I thought I could use this opportunity to capture a slow motion video with the iPhone's 120 FPS (4x overcrank in motion picture jargon) video capability.

update: the original video was rendered sub-optimally for Youtube, i rendered this new one 

It is just a very short clip that is rendered to 1/4 speed of real time. Love to see how she can stop and reverse on a dime. Yes, it is a girl anna's hummingbird! You can hear the hum from the wing beat as well as the chirp she made.

hawk on my fence

I cannot believe what I just saw. A small hawk was perching on my fence right by my outdoor kitchen. I have seen hawks in my neighborhood but it is always far away. I kept my distance and only sneak closer behind something when her head turned away least I scare her away. She was stalking something in my neighbor's yard. Then she flew down into the yard.

Unfortunately my Canon 7D is dead.

signs of spring - part 2

Ever since the buds on the plum tree emerged I have been checking them daily full of anticipation of the arriving spring. We have a few days of dry spell though the temperature has just turned colder again and there are days of winds and drizzles.