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Published: 2012-07-25 01:05:56 +0000 UTC; Views: 745; Favourites: 33; Downloads: 20
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Description
Getting closer to catching our summer bully! This little rufous hummingbird tries very hard to drive the two dozen Anna hummingbirds away from both feeders...ends up flying circles as the others seem to laugh at him
More hummingbirds here:[link]
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Comments: 44
Beautiful colours and lighting, great shot.
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these Rufus are pass through visitors so don't ever get quite as comfortable with me as the local Anna's that stay year round...but I love them! Β They even sound different
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Interesting to know.
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I love it when you get one oddball out of the bunch.
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normally the rufous are only here for a few days early and late summer - on their way to somewhere else, I guess. So he really stands out! We had a black chinned pair last summer - haven't seen them again this year, sadly. They must have gone back up the mountain where they normally are and we only got them last year due to really late snow further up...
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I've seen a few black chinned hummers around here; they're gorgeous!
We get rufous hummers here from late spring to late summer, so a few months, then they leave before winter. They love the massive garden we have.
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It would be fun to have more varieties but I think the anna's are more cooperative within their own species - lots of bickering but so far no "this is mine and NO body else can drink here" 
A massive garden would be loved 
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Lol. I've actually never seen a rufous get super territorial... Maybe a few males fighting over females, but generally, they are okay drinking with other hummers around.
Our garden is about 6800 sq feet, and ~7000 sq feet counting our produce trees (apples, pears, plums and a cherry).
We have a ton of deer around where we live, but we have 9 foot fencing flanking our entire garden and back yard that they can't jump, but have regular 4 foot fencing around most everything else.
And haha, that must be funny to watch. I'm sure the deer are frustrated because we either have a wall of flowers on the fence line, or nothing. All the produce of the garden is on the inside of the fence line and they can't reach it.
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gorgeous shot, beautiful focus. those little guys can be a terror, for sure.
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Thanks!! I love their sound
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Nice. I have not seen a hummingbird in my area in over three years...
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I wonder why they've quit coming through...you have (usually) plenty of flowers to entice them
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I'm getting jealous!! All my hummers have been driven off by two Rufous terrorists!
Walt
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how many feeders do you have? we've got the two and with only one rufous he doesn't seem to be able to dominate both...maybe you can put a feeder way in the back that the others can go to...
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I have one, up front, with an owner and two in the back about 40 feet apart. Presently, all three have rather aggressive Rufous owners. I'd get them and take them for a ride, but they'd be home before I was! They won't pose for pictures either. I should be getting the south bounders by the end of August through November and then it's north again in mid February! I need a break from hummingbirds anyway.
Walt
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I guess I'm glad we've got mostly Anna's then
I was thinking about taking a break but I better not do it right now - I'm pretty much the sole source of food around here with everything being so dry...I might take the feeders down early next spring 
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Sorry for the delay, I'm not being a snob!!! The last couple of weeks I've increased the intensity of my workouts and have paid the price by being tired. I find I have little time for photos or DA during the summer. I'm down to two birds, both Rufous, who refuse to cooperate. They'll leave in early September and will start getting the transients coming south. At the end of the month I go to 50:50 sugar water to attract the most birds. I never stop feeding as we have about 6-10 permanent residents to feed... and they are fun to watch! I hope all is well with you guys!
Walt
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I'd never think of you as being one! I know life gets in the way of dA
I wish I was down to two birds 
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These little birds are very independent. If you take down the feeders they quickly find another place to feed. The only time they are dependent is if one gets confused and decides to stay the winter. He will need your feeder. You're just handy for them and there isn't much work involved for them; they'll eat pine sap if they have to!
Walt
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I had no idea they'd eat pine sap! But I guess it makes sense...I'll continue through the winter for sure as we have a half dozen or so that do stay around all year...
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Here, they know they can count on the feeder. If they want to dine out, there's the hummingbird garden at the park down the street. I'm starting to get a few more birds already.
Walt
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LOL, "Hmmmm, where should we eat tonight, honey? The Park or Walt's?" "The portions are tiny at the garden but we've got to put up with the flashing lights at Walt's..."
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Looks like he really gets involved in his feeding; looks like pollen on his head!
Walt
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I love his startled 0.0 look
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Yea its a good one
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I haven't seen him in the last few days...maybe the anna's finally got tired of being bullied
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Ours are still hanging around -- Ruby Throats -- beating each other up over who gets to use a feeder and when. Have three feeders out; have to refill every couple of days; lots of nectar being drunk!
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I know about the nectar consumption
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Ours don't swarm the feeders; they actually run each other away from the feeders; why we only hang out single position feeders. Neat the way they behave differently!
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Have you tried a larger seating ones? I've been thinking about this and wonder, it may be the differences between types but with more seats more birds show up and the harder the "boss" has to work and then with multiple feeders (out of sight of each other) the boss can't watch both at the same time so while he's busy at one, birds can feed at the other
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Yes, have tried the multi seated feeders but to no avail; only one Hummer will come in at the time to feed. We do have several feeders out; one of which is out of sight of the other two.
Have recently learned that if we leave the feeders out, we'll get different varieties through out the year.
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You're in Florida so you might even get some of the more tropical visitors! With more choices to eat, you've got flowers all year long
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Do you feed year round?
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I do, but the amount I make drops drastically during the winter when my hoard drops to about a half dozen... in the dead of winter, we're low enough that we don't get snow, the feeders will last about a week instead of a day like now
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