When a hummingbird flies at your face...

[Shyloh Robinson]

Do you flinch?

The hummingbirds have been abundant at my feeder lately. I like to sit close by and watch as they come in for some sweet nectar. Funny, I always thought sweet nectar was beer; for me it is. But since I poured all the beer out and filled the feeder with real nectar, it's actually being used by hummingbirds.

Quite often the hummingbirds will fly directly at my face and circle around my head before going anywhere near the feeder. I attempt to remain as still as I can, but always get the feeling I'm about to lose an eye. The 6" views are spectacular. Close enough to make me look through the wrong end of my bins! Magnificent creatures.

Great front porch birding,

Shyloh
SaltyBirds

[Stephanie Greenwood]

Haha I do the same thing. And they do fly in my face, even if I'm on my back porch and not by my feeder!

The other day I was straightening out my feeder and as I had it in my hand, a female black-chinned came in. I held still and she fed from it. I could feel the displacement of air from her wings, she was that close. Literally eating out of my hand!

Sent from my iPhone

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[B.G. Sloan]

I spent a couple of weeks once in a Colorado cabin between Leadville and Aspen. Lots of hummers. When I went on hikes I wore one of my kids' camoflauge hats. But instead of the usual greens and browns, the camo pattern went from bright red to light pink...looked very floral. Had lots of hummers check out the hat, flying within inches of my face. I half expected them to try to find nectar in my ear. Pretty cool!

 

Bernie Sloan

[Brian]

I worked for a few summers on Mt. Timpanogos and spent a lot of time
sitting behind a spotting scope observing mountain goats. While
intently concentrating on the view ahead I was often startled by near
miss bombardments of hummingbirds investigating my head. It got so bad
I had to stop wearing a certain red hat. Apparently I was mistaken for
a large paintbrush flower. I'd have to say I almost always flinched.

Brian

[Tim Avery]

That's funny, reminds me of when I first got into birding and being in
the Uinta's in the fall wearing a red baseball cap with yellow stars
on it. I couldn't take a walk through the Ponderosa's without a
hummingbird coming in to inspect me. They were sure those stars had
nectar!

Good Birding
Tim

[kak...@comcast.net]

A friend has told us of a time, at the behest of a native elder from the Souix nation (I think I got the tribal part right) that she painted her lips with bright red lipstick, filled her mouth with apple juice and was able to entice a hummer to feed.   She (more eloquently than I) describes the sensation of the hummer wings in the air near her face.  Never tried it myself, but this would be the season.

---

From: "Tim Avery" <western...@gmail.com>
To: bdmax...@gmail.com
Cc: ub...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 3:24:31 PM
Subject: Re: [UBIRD] When a hummingbird flies at your face...

[Robert Mortensen]

A few years ago while birding in Arizona, I was mostly concealed in the bush when an Anna's Hummingbird darted toward my face. Its head and gorget with blazing electric pink it appeared to want to attack me. I wanted to duck, but courage and curiosity overcame instinct. It hovered there in front of me, seeming to stare me in the eye...evaluating my soul for an eternal second and then so gently alight on the brim of my hat. There it remained until I finally released my breath and it seem to be carried away by it. It was one of those special bonding with nature moments I will never forget.

Happy Birding!

- Robert

[salty...@gmail.com]

Cool stories everone-

Since I'm already wearing the red lipstick, I can't wait to try this for myself - haha! I fear with red lipstick I'd be more likened to a 'Sue' than a 'Sioux'. That said, my toenails are currently painted hot pink. I reckon that has more to do with the aforementioned beer and several days spent camping this month. I do however, (if you'll pardon the plug) use Stephanie G.'s amazing Bubble & Bee lip balm. It's the best. Go to Harmon's and get some. Seriously. Your sunny outdoor bird chasing lips will thank you.

When I was a kid, my pops would sit outside the feeders and us kids would be elated when a hummingbird would come in and perch on his hand. I don't own any red hats or lipstick, but I'll be attempting to mouth feed a hummer with some sugar water this evening. I'll let you know how it goes.

Enjoy your enjoys,

Shyloh

On , kak...@comcast.net wrote:
> A friend has told us of a time, at the behest of a native elder from the Souix nation (I think I got the tribal part right) that she painted her lips with bright red lipstick, filled her mouth with apple juice and was able to entice a hummer to feed.   She (more eloquently than I) describes the sensation of the hummer wings in the air near her face.  Never tried it myself, but this would be the season.
>

> ou