First Hummingbird Visitor of 2019

Yay! They've finally arrived. I've had my feeder out for weeks. And I had begun to think they weren't returning this year. But, as you see, they're back!

It is Saturday. Early this morning I thought I caught a peek of one flying away from the feeder. Usually when I think I see one it'll come right back if I hold still and be quiet. But it didn't return while I was watching.

Disappointment.

I took the feeder down, rinsed it out, and put fresh sugar water in it. I rehung it even though by now I was feeling very pessimistic. After all, I had put my feeder out during the last days of March - when the migration map showed that the hummingbirds were approaching. I was so excited about their arrival that I wrote about it here. 

Then nothing.

For over a month. Nothing.

I went about my business, puttering around on a lazy Saturday. 

Just a few minutes ago, while I was sitting on the couch crocheting Jenny Hats, I saw movement.  

There he/she was!  He/she took a drink then perched on the hanger. Watching me watch him/her.  The birds are always backlit. And I shoot photos through the screen. It is very hard to see what color they are. Unfortunately, if I don't keep the screen door closed my crazy cat goes out to the balcony and plans to catch the birds. You can see it in her eyes and in the twitch of her tail.

Maybe this year, I'll get better photos.  Until then... here are my photos of him/her perched there for about 10 minutes... letting my snap photos from this side of the patio door.

photo while seated on the couch ... through the screen

standing up and a bit closer to the door.. and
he/she is just watching me. Must be a bird from last
year who is comfortable with me.

He/she stayed there as I moved around, peeking
between the blinds!  Still can't get a good color
photo of the bird, but I could see a small white stripe
at the end of the tailfeathers.

Because of the white tail tips,and lack of other vibrant coloring (as far as I can see) I think this is the female of the Ruby-throated pair that visited me last year. Woohoo! Welcome back.

Related Links:

Ruby-throated hummgbird identification - AllAboutBirds.org

My first Hummingbird visitors of 2015. 

My review of the movie Super Hummingbirds by Nature. I love this documentary. The video recordings of a variety of hummingbirds is amazing. 

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