Last of the Summer Hummingbirds

I opened the door this morning and a breeze of cooler air greeted me! It finally feels like fall. It has been a very hot summer; the cooler temps will be a welcome relief. With the approach of fall, also comes a quiet sadness...the hummingbirds have headed south!

Over the Labor Day Weekend, we packed our bags and headed to Missouri and Arkansas. Before leaving I filled the hummingbird feeders to full capacity. I knew they had started swarming and it would not be long before they left. 

 

We had a wonderful visit with our children and grandchildren!

   

Arriving Home

When we arrived back home, all the feeders were bone dry! I quickly refilled them but only a few have darted in and out this week. Their long journey south has begun!
I will miss these small little hummingbirds...  

Western Kentucky has the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds Archilochus colubris.  They are about 3-3 l/2 inches or (7.5-9 cm). The male is a tiny green bird with black throat patch that reflects bright ruby red in the sun. All summer I tried to get a good photo of the male, but unfortunately I only ended up with a few blurry ones.

The female is the same as the male, only lacking the throat patch. The female seem to be more plentiful at the feeder.

the smallest bird in the state of Kentucky

 they eat nectar and insects

 this small bird is able to hover, fly up and down, and backward

 they do not sing, but have a chatter or buzz that I love to hear as they fight for the feeder or sit in the trees

 the wings create the humming noise we hear...flapping 50 to 60 times per second or sometimes even faster when chasing each other

 weight: 2-3 grams, heartbeat: 1,260 times a minute

Journal Entry 2011

 Thanks for all the enjoyment you gave this summer! Safe flight as you migrate to the southern states, Mexico and Central America.

Juliet