This was so wonderful! I witness this every day here in Austin. I keep the feeders fresh and full always, but especially now that they are about to embark on their trek. I'm always a little sad when they are here one day and gone the next in October. But then when the first one comes back in March, hover ing around where the cleaned and put away feeder used to be, I am always so amazed!! How did they come back from their long journey in the Spring and hone in on where the feeder was last summer. Just amazing. So I scramble to mix up a batch of nectar and get the feeders out of storage for another season of delight!!
The hummers have one of the most amazing memories in the animal kingdom. They can remember every flower they've visited--including the ones on their migration route! Not much of a surprise then that they would remember where your feeders are. I enjoyed hearing about your spring reunions with them, Maureen.
I've never thought of my narratives as poetic, Ryan, but I get it, why you would say that. I craft them carefully, and it's a pleasure to hear that you appreciate the effort.
You're right, Durok. Getting the new footage was an undertaking. Fortunately, I've done several other hummingbird movies, so I used quite a few clips that I hd taken seven or eight years ago.Anyway it's nice to hear that the footage grabbed you. I happily accepted the heat for the privilege of filming these rascals.
I debated whether to go with the sounds or to use the music you hear at the end, Angie. That music just seemed so appropriate for the hummingbird fights that I was tempted, but I knew that people would like to hear the birds humming and chittering. Their sounds are soft but all the more beguiling for that.
I value your compliment coming, as it does, from the person who inspired me to buy a camera that does super slomo. I love using that camera. I'm also filming bees in super slomo, as well as with the macro lens you recommended. I'll be doing a movie about how bees fly. Anyway, thanks for commenting.
Thank you Jo! I am always fascinated by these tiny birds every time I see one! Even more so after hearing your informative video about them! Sending much love to you and many blessings.
Oh man, I love to hear that praise, Gary. Because I worked harder on this movie than on most that I make, and it matters to me if people love it. But my other reason for loving the praise is that I can picture you enjoying one of those shots showing the hummer's wing movement or the closeup of one stabbing another from behind.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME : Your video is a masterpiece. It really is. I just began feeding these little ones in June. They are always surprising me with their speed, intelligence, and personalities. Hummingbirds are incredibly smart! Anyway, I am learning so much from you, and I can’t thank you enough for sharing what you know and also for sharing your beautiful videos.
@@lajesq176 Well, I do it because it's fun work to create a movie and then on top of that I get a kick--gotta be honest--out of hearing that the film's a masterpiece. Thank you. A big part of the appeal of this hobby is that I'm immersed in natural beauty, first when I film and then as I edit. That was so true of the hummingbirds. I'm addicted to watching them move. In one shot showing a pair of them doing aerial threat display over Jewel Weed, the one on the right seems to float/dart at the same time. And then there's their chittering. You gotta love the little scamps. But you already know that.
I find all birds fascinating, but hummingbirds especially so. Their sheer velocity makes them harder to observe so thank you for slowing them down and educating us. This footage is absolutely amazing, Jo. I've learned so much from you. I look forward to every post and enjoy browsing and watching the archives. Many thanks for all the work you do to bring us such fun, fascinating, and informative videos.
It's a treat to hear that you look forward to every post and like to browse through my old videos. Thanks for telling me, kimtisha. Like you, I'm learning with every video I make. I started this hobby almost ten years ago, and as far as I'm concerned, it only took me 'til I was 71 to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.
adorable little birds, their ability to stabilize themselves in flight is unprecidented. its amazing how many of them come out of the woodwork when you put a feeder out for them, without the feeder you rarely see them. theyre just too small!
I agree about how the feeders draw them out. I like the combo of feeders and flowers that appeal to them. Seeing them feed on an Eastern Blazing Star or on Jewel Weed will lift your spirits.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I'm thinking; 'dudes!! That's a huge feeder! Enough for everybody! Can't we all just get along!' They're like; 'every other humming bird must die!!!'
@@michaelpcoffee every other hummingbird must die - or at least get out of my way. But then again, who are we to criticize? Have you noticed how people drive?
This turned out absolutely fantastic! Your commentary always tickles me. I like how you put it together, another fantastic video to watch and share. Thanks Joe, it is always a pleasure having you here.
I absolutely love your Shakespearean presentations. Thank you 😊! We love watching them in action here in Castle Rock, CO. Of the four stations (16 feeders in total) I set up for them, my favorite place is the garden because they often come close to colliding with my face as I water my vegetables and their flowers.
These little sprites are so beautiful & then to learn things about them I never knew is a treat! Love your humor & wit & can tell u take true pleasure in telling the stories about all the beautiful creatures in the world ❤ ty mam!
Thanks. She makes the best videos. I’m honored to have her here to enjoy my fun and playful charm. Heck, with as many as I have, there may be more than one charm fluttering about the ranch.
Thanks for telling me, Sarah, not only that you love my videos but especially that they inspired you to plant natives. I worked harder on those two movies about native plants than on anything else I've done because I believe that putting in native plants is so important. You got to see quite a few of those native plants in action in this video too. That purple flower, the Eastern Blazing Star, is one of my favorites.
Thank you. I never thought of myself as poetic--I just like to play with language--but you're the second person who has said that about this video. So, two observations: Maybe playing with language is at the heart of poetry, and anyway hummingbirds are such poetry in motion that they bring the poet out in me. By the way, a week from Friday I'll post a movie about what makes hummingbirds iridescent--hope you'll check that one out. Now I'm going to look at the script to see if it's poetic.
How fascinating.. I learned as usual.. and enjoyed your awesome commentary… I only have two of them hummers.. and they fight .. a lot.. which makes the indoor cat crazy.. lol.. thanks hun.. love your channel
I always enjoy hearing from you, Yvonne. As an "owner"? of a housecat, I can picture the scene. While I gave this movie one last go through before posting it to UA-cam, my cat sat on my lap, spellbound by the action. Thanks for letting me know how much you love this channel.
I just got home from a trip to a mountain inn that featured eight feeders and dozens of hummingbirds. I saw their tail flares and thought, "Who could explain that to me? Jo could!"
Well, happy I could help,Wren. (Is Wren Your first name or is it a screen name?) Mind if I ask what mountains you were in where you saw so many different species? Southeast Arizona maybe? Four years ago we visited a place called Santa Rita Lodge, but that was in the fall. I was told that if I came in the spring, I could get that many hummingbird species there.
The slow-motion wing shots are SO COOL! I'm sure you sifted through a lot of slow-motion footage to get these shots, but they help visualize how fast they move. One thing that struck me from this is the 1200 hertz heartbeat. Represented as sound, it's a high-pitched tone about 3/4 of the way to the high end of piano. And that's what you would hear if you had a tiny stethoscope. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
@@BioBush Yes, the point is the same, and I"m glad you described it for me. That's what I suspected, what made me describe the heartbeat as a vibration. If I had known what you're saying, I'd have used it. How do you happen to know that?
Last night I was recalling your comment that the slomo footage helped you visualize how fast the hummers move. Yes. I was so mesmerized by it that sifting through hours of the footage was sometimes a bit tedious, I'll grant you, but it was also a treat for the eye. And that's true of much of what I do. This hobby immerses me in natural beauty. My eyes feasted on all the native flowers and the slomo flight of bees in the movie I just posted about why bees bumble around.
Thanks for the generous compliment, Virginia. Gathering the info for this movie was a challenge, and shooting the film was fun. I like to know that other people are enjoying it.
I'm happy to hear from you, Dolores, because this movie is special to me. I had to travel several hours to get the footage and I had to dig hard for accurate info about their fighting. But the chance to film those fights in super slomo, what fun!! So thanks for telling me you enjoyed it. As for how I'm doing, yes, great. (Well, for 81, anyway.)
Pardon me for being so slow responding. I don’t want to neglect anyone who loves my videos! I am especially fond of this one, because I worked hard to gather all the info in it, and even had to drive a couple of hours to a spot where there were enough of them for me to get the constant fighting footage. I was sort of sad when the movie went up and I had no more reason to be filming them.
I think of myself as the wonky face type among the emoticons rather than the broad laugh with tears running down the face emoticon. Your “semi sarcastic“ characterization is pretty much on the mark. And it’s nice to hear from someone who gets that kind of humor. Thanks for telling me.
Great video as always. I am very glad I finally found your channel. Here in the Puget Sound area, the Anna’s Hummingbird are now resident year round. We have gotten warm enough and now have enough feeders and year round flowers that they no longer fly south. We have a cedar tree with a hummingbird nest in it. We can watch the hummingbirds defend the feeder from our kitchen window. When we change the feeder out they fly around us from the back door to the feeder as if to say thank you. The only other bird I have seen, and photographed, hovering are Belted Kingfishers. I have observed a bald eagle soar in place but it wasn’t a hover. The headwind was about 20 knots so it was just using amazing flight controls to “hover” while it waited for a sea lion to come out of the water and attempt to steal the food the sea lion had just caught. The sea lion did not give up his snack.
I am glad you finally found my channel too, Jeff. And welcome. I got the Anna’s hummingbird clip in this movie when I visited my sister in Oakland last February. They get them year-round too, but of course they are further south. That’s an interesting story about the eagle, and the sea lion, would have been fun to watch. I’ve seen kestrels hover, but just for a few seconds. And I’ve filmed ospreys that appeared to hover, but like the eagle, they were just using the wind to their advantage.
@@wildlifenatureconservation9379 So, to return to your original comment, wouldn't Central Park have hummingbirds? Of course, even if it does, that doesn't make it easy for you to see them. All I have to do is look out the kitchen window at a feeder.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I go to Central Park all the time and there’s actually a video on my channel with some birds species you can find in Central Park . I have seen a hummingbird only once in the city and that was long time ago. New York City is not an easy place for birds and possibly the worst place in the history of the universe when it comes to migrating species, billions of birds die in here every year do to collisions with glass skyscrapers that blend with their surroundings, warblers being the species most affected. Last spring I’ve picked three warbler myself. One B&W warbler that collapsed in the middle of 42 street and I had to stop the traffic but it was late. I buried the B&W warbler in a park nearby , then, two yellow warblers that I’ve also buried close to the place I’ve found them. Under NO circumstances I would ever leave any of these migrating birds to be run over by a car, to be left to rot in the middle of the streets of to be disposed in a trash can. I always return them to the earth. There are my little birds. Those glass skyscrapers should be replaced with structures that look like giant trees.(my idea)
Dear Jo, Your videos are fantastic and look professional! Thanks so much for sharing! I had been feeding Hummers for years, but not so much in the last few, just due to other things in my life taking up time. I wanted to make an important "note" for your readers regarding Hummingbird "feeding solutions"; just in case some may not be aware. Hope you don't mind! Many bird experts over the last several years, including the Audubon Society, have been "discouraging" people to use the "pre-mixed red coloured feeding solution" that you buy at the store. The reason is that they believe that the "red dye chemical harms/damages the kidneys" of the hummers. (As we all know these days, many nutritionists warn against some dyes in human and pet foods as well.) When I started feeding Hummers, decades ago, there weren't even any pre-packaged Hummer food sold at stores; but, the simple feeding solution recipes have always been around for as long as the Hummer feeders have been. But, some of the scientific concerns againt using the red colored pre-packaged food, came about a couple of years after it showed up on the market...So, something amiss was observed in the Hummers after that time period. Anyway, the "safest food solution" for feeding the Hummers is the simple "sugar/water solution" recommended by the Audubon Society. Every Hummer enthusiast can just search the web for it! I know it's a "bit inconvenient", but "more safe" for the Hummers! And "safe" is better than " sorry"! One thing I don't understand is "why" the companies making the red dye solutions, just "don't include the red dye coloring"?! It is "totally unnecessary"! Especially these days, when 99% of Hummer feeders have red or yellow colors on the feeders that will attract the hummers (and other birds sometimes)! Small red ribbons on the feeders, or Hummer "attracting flowers/hanging flowerpots", will accomplish the same job, easily! Thanks again for your great videos of this extraordinary tiny bird that so many of us humans have come to love and be mesmerized by!! Best wishes in your nature endeavors! 🌺
Thanks for the generous praise, hippieKat. I never tire of looking for excuses to film hummingbirds. You might want to take a look at the one I just posted about how flamboyant they are. Next spring, my husband and I will visit Southeast Arizona, which gets exotic hummingbird species not seen elsewhere in the States. I'll use the footage I get there along with some I have from Trinidad and Costa Rica to illustrate a script about what creates hummingbird iridescence. Thanks for what I didn't take time to do: caution people against using premixed hummingbird food. I should also note that the proportions should be four parts water to one part sugar. Any higher amount of sugar stresses the liver of the hummingbirds. Some places advise more sugar, and that is absolutely wrong. Thanks for commenting. I appreciate it, and I enjoyed it.
Do you mean the orange trumpets? That's Jewelweed. It's an invasive native plant that loves woods, and we have it all over the woods behind our house. I agree. It is beautiful.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOMEYes, that's it! Thank you! I saw this once on a walk and loved it. Looks like it's native where I live so I'll be trying some out!
@@chelseas2884 The hummingbirds are all over it in late August, early September. We love it, but be warned: it is invasive! If you're okay with that, then go for it and enjoy.
Well, that, but I’ve seen them “fight” for various reasons. I’ve seen a female wait on a feeder minutes without feeding until a male could see and chase her. Or a male, successful at protecting a feeder, then hide behind leaves until he could surprise another who thought it had been left unguarded. There seems to mostly be enjoyment in their skirmishes, and some few exceptions.
I can't disagree with you. I haven't seen a female wait without feeding until she's chased, but I've certainly seen a dominant male go to a nearby tree and sit, then attack whoever shows up at the feeder. Maybe they're like my cat, who doesn't go outside to actually hunt but who definitely wants us to play with her by twitching string that she can pounce on. Both the hummers and house cats relish the clash.
There was a Russian Bug Scientist, Andrew something, that hypothesized that bugs like the bee & beetle do not use their wings for aerodynamic flight, rather they use it for levitation via frequency. Like as it using their wings to cause that frequency in spacial vibration, cause them to levitate. Just thought you would like to know
Is this the other comment you said you had left? I did a movie two or three years ago about how bees fly. What I learned was that their wings go back-and-forth in figure eights more than 200× a second, which creates mini hurricanes that lift them up. But riding atop Katrina makes for bumbling flight- though three other factors also contribute to their bumbling flight. I made one bonehead error in that script about them turning their heads. I forgot that of course they can’t turn their heads: they have exoskeletons. But other than that mistake, the movie has a lot of interesting info on the topic you wrote about, and it seems to me that the two sources agree about bee and beetle flight.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Great of you to reply. Yes, this is my original comment. I have to type in code or in multiple entries in order to not get them X'ed; my apologies.
This was so wonderful! I witness this every day here in Austin. I keep the feeders fresh and full always, but especially now that they are about to embark on their trek. I'm always a little sad when they are here one day and gone the next in October. But then when the first one comes back in March, hover ing around where the cleaned and put away feeder used to be, I am always so amazed!! How did they come back from their long journey in the Spring and hone in on where the feeder was last summer. Just amazing. So I scramble to mix up a batch of nectar and get the feeders out of storage for another season of delight!!
The hummers have one of the most amazing memories in the animal kingdom. They can remember every flower they've visited--including the ones on their migration route! Not much of a surprise then that they would remember where your feeders are. I enjoyed hearing about your spring reunions with them, Maureen.
We love your videos and your poetic delivery is a delight. Thank you :)
I've never thought of my narratives as poetic, Ryan, but I get it, why you would say that. I craft them carefully, and it's a pleasure to hear that you appreciate the effort.
Amazing filming skills, can’t wait to watch another movie!
You are a SUPERB narrator, ms. I absolutely LOVE your footage as well as your input.
Isn’t she amazing? Educational, funny, and just a pleasure to listen to.
Your commentary is delightful as usual!
Thanks, Zsa Zsa, and especially for the "as usual" part.
Great camera work Jo, must have taken a month of patience, especially in Midwest heat lately. Fantastic presentation as always.
You're right, Durok. Getting the new footage was an undertaking. Fortunately, I've done several other hummingbird movies, so I used quite a few clips that I hd taken seven or eight years ago.Anyway it's nice to hear that the footage grabbed you. I happily accepted the heat for the privilege of filming these rascals.
Delightful, as usual! Thanks for the background sounds, too!
I debated whether to go with the sounds or to use the music you hear at the end, Angie. That music just seemed so appropriate for the hummingbird fights that I was tempted, but I knew that people would like to hear the birds humming and chittering. Their sounds are soft but all the more beguiling for that.
Great video!
Thank you for sharing.
Great video Jo! Great camera work and nice slow motion!
I value your compliment coming, as it does, from the person who inspired me to buy a camera that does super slomo. I love using that camera. I'm also filming bees in super slomo, as well as with the macro lens you recommended. I'll be doing a movie about how bees fly. Anyway, thanks for commenting.
Jo -
You should have a documentary on PBS. Love your videos 💖💖💖
Absolutely agree.
Thank you Jo! I am always fascinated by these tiny birds every time I see one! Even more so after hearing your informative video about them! Sending much love to you and many blessings.
I get a kick out of learning new stuff and passing it along, so it's nice to hear from someone who learned and liked it.
Wonderful photography and delightful narration. Thanks!
I appreciate the compliment, Edie. Thanks for commenting.
Beautiful from commentary to the footage thanks ❤😊😊
Thank you. I love to hear it.
Excellent video, Mrs. Alwood!
Hi, Brandon. Glad to hear you liked it.
Absolutely brilliant Jo...incredible photography ....thank you
Oh man, I love to hear that praise, Gary. Because I worked harder on this movie than on most that I make, and it matters to me if people love it. But my other reason for loving the praise is that I can picture you enjoying one of those shots showing the hummer's wing movement or the closeup of one stabbing another from behind.
Your narration was as beautiful as the video. Thank you.
And thank you for telling me so. I wanted to do these tiny titans justice.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME : Your video is a masterpiece. It really is. I just began feeding these little ones in June. They are always surprising me with their speed, intelligence, and personalities. Hummingbirds are incredibly smart! Anyway, I am learning so much from you, and I can’t thank you enough for sharing what you know and also for sharing your beautiful videos.
@@lajesq176 Well, I do it because it's fun work to create a movie and then on top of that I get a kick--gotta be honest--out of hearing that the film's a masterpiece. Thank you. A big part of the appeal of this hobby is that I'm immersed in natural beauty, first when I film and then as I edit. That was so true of the hummingbirds. I'm addicted to watching them move. In one shot showing a pair of them doing aerial threat display over Jewel Weed, the one on the right seems to float/dart at the same time. And then there's their chittering. You gotta love the little scamps. But you already know that.
Awesome!
Thank you for sharing💖💖🐦🐦🥰🥰
I find all birds fascinating, but hummingbirds especially so. Their sheer velocity makes them harder to observe so thank you for slowing them down and educating us. This footage is absolutely amazing, Jo. I've learned so much from you. I look forward to every post and enjoy browsing and watching the archives. Many thanks for all the work you do to bring us such fun, fascinating, and informative videos.
It's a treat to hear that you look forward to every post and like to browse through my old videos. Thanks for telling me, kimtisha. Like you, I'm learning with every video I make. I started this hobby almost ten years ago, and as far as I'm concerned, it only took me 'til I was 71 to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.
It was wonderful to learn more about the little fighters at our feeders . 😉🥰
Hi, Pamela. That's how I felt about making this movie. I learned a lot.
adorable little birds, their ability to stabilize themselves in flight is unprecidented. its amazing how many of them come out of the woodwork when you put a feeder out for them, without the feeder you rarely see them. theyre just too small!
I agree about how the feeders draw them out. I like the combo of feeders and flowers that appeal to them. Seeing them feed on an Eastern Blazing Star or on Jewel Weed will lift your spirits.
Those little jokers are surprisingly savage!
Yep. Fun, isn’t it?
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME
I'm thinking; 'dudes!! That's a huge feeder! Enough for everybody! Can't we all just get along!'
They're like; 'every other humming bird must die!!!'
@@michaelpcoffee every other hummingbird must die - or at least get out of my way. But then again, who are we to criticize? Have you noticed how people drive?
What a fantastic video!! Thank you for sharing! The narration was perfect as always! Blessings!
Oh, it's a treat to hear from someone who appreciated everything I put into this vid. It was an awful lot of work--and I loved it.
This turned out absolutely fantastic! Your commentary always tickles me.
I like how you put it together, another fantastic video to watch and share.
Thanks Joe, it is always a pleasure having you here.
I absolutely love your Shakespearean presentations. Thank you 😊! We love watching them in action here in Castle Rock, CO. Of the four stations (16 feeders in total) I set up for them, my favorite place is the garden because they often come close to colliding with my face as I water my vegetables and their flowers.
Great Video Jo!!!
Thanks, Donna--wanted to do these tiny titans justice!
Great video jo! I recently started feeling hummingbird and hearing they’re wings buzz has been a real treat
That buzzing sound in the ears, I agree that it's one of the sweetest sounds in nature.
These little sprites are so beautiful & then to learn things about them I never knew is a treat! Love your humor & wit & can tell u take true pleasure in telling the stories about all the beautiful creatures in the world ❤ ty mam!
thanks for the video and thanks rebecca!
My pleasure. And I'll be sure that Rebecca sees your comment.
Thanks. She makes the best videos. I’m honored to have her here to enjoy my fun and playful charm. Heck, with as many as I have, there may be more than one charm fluttering about the ranch.
I really love your videos. It's inspired me to plant native plants in my yard. Thank you for your content! ❤️
Thanks for telling me, Sarah, not only that you love my videos but especially that they inspired you to plant natives. I worked harder on those two movies about native plants than on anything else I've done because I believe that putting in native plants is so important. You got to see quite a few of those native plants in action in this video too. That purple flower, the Eastern Blazing Star, is one of my favorites.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Your plants and flowers are truly beautiful ❤️
@@stepford702 They are lovely, and my husband gets every bit of the credit. I just get to enjoy them. My kind of deal.
Your poetic narration is just as interesting as the visuals!
Thank you. I never thought of myself as poetic--I just like to play with language--but you're the second person who has said that about this video. So, two observations: Maybe playing with language is at the heart of poetry, and anyway hummingbirds are such poetry in motion that they bring the poet out in me. By the way, a week from Friday I'll post a movie about what makes hummingbirds iridescent--hope you'll check that one out. Now I'm going to look at the script to see if it's poetic.
How fascinating.. I learned as usual.. and enjoyed your awesome commentary… I only have two of them hummers.. and they fight .. a lot.. which makes the indoor cat crazy.. lol.. thanks hun.. love your channel
I always enjoy hearing from you, Yvonne. As an "owner"? of a housecat, I can picture the scene. While I gave this movie one last go through before posting it to UA-cam, my cat sat on my lap, spellbound by the action.
Thanks for letting me know how much you love this channel.
I love these angels. Thank you for making this video.
You're welcome. I love these angels too--and love the fact that they're also little devils.
Thank you again Jo Atwood!...so very much!
“…presumptuous little twit?” I love it!!!
Hello how are you doing,
where are you from?
Lovely video and thanks for narrating the story, Jo🤗
My pleasure, Navneet. It's nice to hear that you appreciated the movie.
I just got home from a trip to a mountain inn that featured eight feeders and dozens of hummingbirds. I saw their tail flares and thought, "Who could explain that to me? Jo could!"
Well, happy I could help,Wren. (Is Wren Your first name or is it a screen name?) Mind if I ask what mountains you were in where you saw so many different species? Southeast Arizona maybe? Four years ago we visited a place called Santa Rita Lodge, but that was in the fall. I was told that if I came in the spring, I could get that many hummingbird species there.
They sure are are amazing little birds! Tiny winged warriors.
"Winged warriors"--well said!
The slow-motion wing shots are SO COOL! I'm sure you sifted through a lot of slow-motion footage to get these shots, but they help visualize how fast they move. One thing that struck me from this is the 1200 hertz heartbeat. Represented as sound, it's a high-pitched tone about 3/4 of the way to the high end of piano. And that's what you would hear if you had a tiny stethoscope. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Correction - it's 1200 beats per MINUTE, which is still a respectable middle of the piano tone!
@@BioBush Yes, the point is the same, and I"m glad you described it for me. That's what I suspected, what made me describe the heartbeat as a vibration. If I had known what you're saying, I'd have used it. How do you happen to know that?
Last night I was recalling your comment that the slomo footage helped you visualize how fast the hummers move. Yes. I was so mesmerized by it that sifting through hours of the footage was sometimes a bit tedious, I'll grant you, but it was also a treat for the eye. And that's true of much of what I do. This hobby immerses me in natural beauty. My eyes feasted on all the native flowers and the slomo flight of bees in the movie I just posted about why bees bumble around.
Wonderful footage and info. Thank you!
Thank you. It was a lot of work to dig that information up, but it was interesting to learn and fun to pass it on.
Super nice video and narration!
Thanks for the generous compliment, Virginia. Gathering the info for this movie was a challenge, and shooting the film was fun. I like to know that other people are enjoying it.
Excellent video, Jo! I hope you are doing great!
I'm happy to hear from you, Dolores, because this movie is special to me. I had to travel several hours to get the footage and I had to dig hard for accurate info about their fighting. But the chance to film those fights in super slomo, what fun!! So thanks for telling me you enjoyed it. As for how I'm doing, yes, great. (Well, for 81, anyway.)
I just found your channel and love it!!! Thank you for these videos
Pardon me for being so slow responding. I don’t want to neglect anyone who loves my videos! I am especially fond of this one, because I worked hard to gather all the info in it, and even had to drive a couple of hours to a spot where there were enough of them for me to get the constant fighting footage. I was sort of sad when the movie went up and I had no more reason to be filming them.
Just stumbled across this brilliant video. Truly enjoyed your semi- sarcastic narration!
I think of myself as the wonky face type among the emoticons rather than the broad laugh with tears running down the face emoticon. Your “semi sarcastic“ characterization is pretty much on the mark. And it’s nice to hear from someone who gets that kind of humor. Thanks for telling me.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME thanks for the video!
Well…this video grabbed my cat’s attention!❤
Great video as always. I am very glad I finally found your channel.
Here in the Puget Sound area, the Anna’s Hummingbird are now resident year round. We have gotten warm enough and now have enough feeders and year round flowers that they no longer fly south. We have a cedar tree with a hummingbird nest in it. We can watch the hummingbirds defend the feeder from our kitchen window. When we change the feeder out they fly around us from the back door to the feeder as if to say thank you.
The only other bird I have seen, and photographed, hovering are Belted Kingfishers. I have observed a bald eagle soar in place but it wasn’t a hover. The headwind was about 20 knots so it was just using amazing flight controls to “hover” while it waited for a sea lion to come out of the water and attempt to steal the food the sea lion had just caught. The sea lion did not give up his snack.
I am glad you finally found my channel too, Jeff. And welcome. I got the Anna’s hummingbird clip in this movie when I visited my sister in Oakland last February. They get them year-round too, but of course they are further south.
That’s an interesting story about the eagle, and the sea lion, would have been fun to watch. I’ve seen kestrels hover, but just for a few seconds. And I’ve filmed ospreys that appeared to hover, but like the eagle, they were just using the wind to their advantage.
Very well spoken video
Thank you, Brad. That's one of my goals.
nice
glad you liked it
Beautiful video. Unfortunately hummingbirds don’t occur in here, this place is too congested and not very welcoming for some species.
I don't know where you are, but I doubt if it's a place I'd want to live. Those hummingbirds are too much fun to do without. 😏
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Hi Jo. Big fan of yours from NYC!
Love hearing from any fan! Thanks for commenting.
@@wildlifenatureconservation9379 So, to return to your original comment, wouldn't Central Park have hummingbirds? Of course, even if it does, that doesn't make it easy for you to see them. All I have to do is look out the kitchen window at a feeder.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I go to Central Park all the time and there’s actually a video on my channel with some birds species you can find in Central Park . I have seen a hummingbird only once in the city and that was long time ago. New York City is not an easy place for birds and possibly the worst place in the history of the universe when it comes to migrating species, billions of birds die in here every year do to collisions with glass skyscrapers that blend with their surroundings, warblers being the species most affected. Last spring I’ve picked three warbler myself. One B&W warbler that collapsed in the middle of 42 street and I had to stop the traffic but it was late. I buried the B&W warbler in a park nearby , then, two yellow warblers that I’ve also buried close to the place I’ve found them. Under NO circumstances I would ever leave any of these migrating birds to be run over by a car, to be left to rot in the middle of the streets of to be disposed in a trash can. I always return them to the earth. There are my little birds. Those glass skyscrapers should be replaced with structures that look like giant trees.(my idea)
Dear Jo,
Your videos are fantastic and look professional! Thanks so much for sharing! I had been feeding Hummers for years, but not so much in the last few, just due to other things in my life taking up time. I wanted to make an important "note" for your readers regarding Hummingbird "feeding solutions"; just in case some may not be aware. Hope you don't mind!
Many bird experts over the last several years, including the Audubon Society, have been "discouraging" people to use the "pre-mixed red coloured feeding solution" that you buy at the store. The reason is that they believe that the "red dye chemical harms/damages the kidneys" of the hummers. (As we all know these days, many nutritionists warn against some dyes in human and pet foods as well.)
When I started feeding Hummers, decades ago, there weren't even any pre-packaged Hummer food sold at stores; but, the simple feeding solution recipes have always been around for as long as the Hummer feeders have been. But, some of the scientific concerns againt using the red colored pre-packaged food, came about a couple of years after it showed up on the market...So, something amiss was observed in the Hummers after that time period.
Anyway, the "safest food solution" for feeding the Hummers is the simple "sugar/water solution" recommended by the Audubon Society. Every Hummer enthusiast can just search the web for it! I know it's a "bit inconvenient", but "more safe" for the Hummers! And "safe" is better than " sorry"!
One thing I don't understand is "why" the companies making the red dye solutions, just "don't include the red dye coloring"?! It is "totally unnecessary"! Especially these days, when 99% of Hummer feeders have red or yellow colors on the feeders that will attract the hummers (and other birds sometimes)! Small red ribbons on the feeders, or Hummer "attracting flowers/hanging flowerpots", will accomplish the same job, easily!
Thanks again for your great videos of this extraordinary tiny bird that so many of us humans have come to love and be mesmerized by!! Best wishes in your nature endeavors! 🌺
Thanks for the generous praise, hippieKat. I never tire of looking for excuses to film hummingbirds. You might want to take a look at the one I just posted about how flamboyant they are. Next spring, my husband and I will visit Southeast Arizona, which gets exotic hummingbird species not seen elsewhere in the States. I'll use the footage I get there along with some I have from Trinidad and Costa Rica to illustrate a script about what creates hummingbird iridescence.
Thanks for what I didn't take time to do: caution people against using premixed hummingbird food. I should also note that the proportions should be four parts water to one part sugar. Any higher amount of sugar stresses the liver of the hummingbirds. Some places advise more sugar, and that is absolutely wrong.
Thanks for commenting. I appreciate it, and I enjoyed it.
at 7:00 and after, that is a very pretty patch of Jewel Weed. Mine are all just orange and not as fiery-looking.
Brilliant.
Thank you, Marian. I put my heart into this one.
What is the plant at 0:55? Lovely video!
Do you mean the orange trumpets? That's Jewelweed. It's an invasive native plant that loves woods, and we have it all over the woods behind our house. I agree. It is beautiful.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOMEYes, that's it! Thank you! I saw this once on a walk and loved it. Looks like it's native where I live so I'll be trying some out!
@@chelseas2884 The hummingbirds are all over it in late August, early September. We love it, but be warned: it is invasive! If you're okay with that, then go for it and enjoy.
In order to gather nectar, its wings also need to flap that way in order to not blow the flowers away from itself while feeding.
Interesting! Thanks for pointing that out to me.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I think it makes sense. Love the videos.
@@TomAHawk-lb8wk Yeah, I thought so, too. (And thanks for the compliment.)
Well, that, but I’ve seen them “fight” for various reasons. I’ve seen a female wait on a feeder minutes without feeding until a male could see and chase her. Or a male, successful at protecting a feeder, then hide behind leaves until he could surprise another who thought it had been left unguarded. There seems to mostly be enjoyment in their skirmishes, and some few exceptions.
I can't disagree with you. I haven't seen a female wait without feeding until she's chased, but I've certainly seen a dominant male go to a nearby tree and sit, then attack whoever shows up at the feeder. Maybe they're like my cat, who doesn't go outside to actually hunt but who definitely wants us to play with her by twitching string that she can pounce on. Both the hummers and house cats relish the clash.
There was a Russian Bug Scientist, Andrew something, that hypothesized that bugs like the bee & beetle do not use their wings for aerodynamic flight, rather they use it for levitation via frequency.
Like as it using their wings to cause that frequency in spacial vibration, cause them to levitate.
Just thought you would like to know
Is this the other comment you said you had left? I did a movie two or three years ago about how bees fly. What I learned was that their wings go back-and-forth in figure eights more than 200× a second, which creates mini hurricanes that lift them up. But riding atop Katrina makes for bumbling flight- though three other factors also contribute to their bumbling flight. I made one bonehead error in that script about them turning their heads. I forgot that of course they can’t turn their heads: they have exoskeletons. But other than that mistake, the movie has a lot of interesting info on the topic you wrote about, and it seems to me that the two sources agree about bee and beetle flight.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Great of you to reply.
Yes, this is my original comment.
I have to type in code or in multiple entries in order to not get them X'ed; my apologies.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I will watch your movie, hope fully this weekend after my rat race life takes a break.
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I was way off on that Scientists name, it's:
@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Viktor
I dug it
What more could I ask? Thanks for telling me.
I made 1 coms b4 this 1, if its missing, u know y.
Actually, if a previous comment is missing, I have no idea why. But whatever you have to say about this movie, I’d be interested to hear it.
promosm
Thanks, Ervin.