Hummingbird Magnets

Nancy and I like to sit on the porch to watch the birds and listen to their sounds. We don't put up bird feeders, but we plant lots of wildflowers and certain other flowers that attract the little masters of flight. Finches, catbirds, waxwings and other birds like to nest in the tight foliage of the arborvitaes and yews.
Below is the view from our chairs. About twenty feet away are wild columbines blooming on the left, and near the center are tiger lilies, which will not bloom until summer. Hummingbirds love them both.

In the close-up above, the columbine blossoms appear delicious, 

and in the photo below a hummingbird begins to sample them all.

We had been treated to his visits nearly every evening since the columbines started blooming, 

but this is the first time we had the camera along.

The hummingbird actually seemed to hit every blossom!

Gusts of wind actually gave the little guy a hard time and he had to leave his business of sampling and turn into the wind to stay in control. It didn't delay him more than a few seconds, though, and he returned to his rounds.

After a few minutes of work, he rested briefly on wire cages that we had put up to support top-heavy peonies, day lilies, and white lilies when they bloom in summer. The hard-working master of flight seems to think we put the cages there just for him. I'm glad he takes advantage of the spot to rest.

Then he goes back to work.

After a few more minutes of work, he leaves and as he flies away, another hummingbird flies in to take his place. Is this his mate? The color seemed a bit different, but this one did not stay long and they didn't stop to talk to each other when they passed. Maybe they were married.

Photographs by my dear wife Nancy Fredrickson