I've been trying to get photos from the dining window daily, thankfully this morning
I was just in time, and a camera was within my grasp!
She has been visiting for a week now, one lone female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird.
Only the male has the brilliant throat patch that reflects ruby red in the sunlight.
No other bird is as tiny, just 3" long, weighing in at 2-3 grams.
Able to hover and fly up and down, it is the only bird to fly backward.
They do not sing but will chatter or buzz to communicate.
The wings create a humming sound, flapping 50-60 times per second,
even faster during chasing flights.
The heart of this minuscule bird beats at an incredible 1,260 times a minute,
and it breathes 250 times a minute.
The Ruby-Throated is the only hummingbird that breeds in the eastern USA.
They range from southern Canada in Summer to Panama in Winter.
The female builds a cup-shaped nest constructed of plant material
and spider webs, gluing bits of lichen on the outside for camouflage.
She has 1-2 broods a year, laying 2 tiny white unmarked eggs.
She also incubates for 12-14 days, then feeds her young for another
14-18 days.
So what the heck are those colorful males doing during all that time. . . . . . . guess
we all know!
Hummingbirds are attracted to red tubular-shaped flowers for their diet of nectar
and insects. I, like most people, help out a bit by hanging a feeder on my
porch each Summer. I have very few flowers blooming right now.
Meanwhile, the garden struggles along through the heat of Summer - but each day
brings tiny miracles if you take time and look carefully.
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