Wednesday 4 July 2012

we've got hummers!

That's right...  the hummers have arrived!  Oh I'm so excited.

For those of you who aren't cats or gardeners, hummers are what I call, hummingbirds.  They're one of my favourite kinds of birds, too.  I don't chase 'em or catch 'em or anything naughty like that.  They're just fun to watch.  Really, really fun.

I would have included a picture of a hummer in my post today but let's face it...  that would require the peep to be a fairly decent photographer and, I'm afraid, that she isn't.  I mean, she can barely get me to cooperate with her picture taking endeavours and I'm a well behaved cooperative cat so...  how on earth is she gonna get a picture of a hummer?  It's a question that must be asked although I've already hinted at the answer...  she isn't!

The reason hummers are such fun to watch is that they can zip here and zip there and zip just about everywhere.  I live kind of near an air force base and sometimes, there are jet planes that fly overhead.  The fighter kind of jets you see on the television and movies.  Those fighter jets are a lot like hummers, I think.  They can zip and zap all sorts of places as well.  The biggest difference I can tell is that the planes are way up in the sky and never zip around in my garden.  The peep says this is a good thing but I wouldn't mind getting a closer look at one of those mechanical hummers.  Maybe someday I'll get the peep to take me over to that air force base to check 'em out.  On the other hand, that would likely involve a car ride and I am not a fan of car rides so...  scratch that idea.  I'll just watch my non-mechanical hummers.  They zip around in my garden all the time.  No car ride necessary.

As far as I can tell, when a hummer finds food, he or she stops imitating a fighter jet and turns into a helicopter mimic.  He hovers there by the flowers and eats and eats and eats 'til he can eat no more, I think.  He just gobbles up all that sweet nectar from his favourite flowers and whatnot.  On the other hand, if the hummers hover, maybe they're mimicking UFOs and not helicopters.  Hmmm...  I'll have a think and get back to you on that one.

I should tell you that, in order to have hummingbirds visit your garden, you have to grow something they like.  Now, the peep is not too great with the picture taking - I believe I already mentioned that - but, I have to admit, she does grow one of my hummer friends' favourite flowers...  HONEYSUCKLE!  And the honeysuckles are in full bloom right now so my hummers are having an all-you-can-eat buffet...  whatever that is.

In my garden, the peep grows two kinds of honeysuckles for my hummers and me.  I'm including a picture of one but for some reason, the peep didn't take a picture of the other.  Don't know why.  Oh, yes I do...  I believe I told you 'bout her incompetence with the camera?  MOUSES!  I have got to do something 'bout that peep!  Anywho...  the picture she did take for me is kind of pretty, I think.  What you probably can't see in the picture is that they smell absolutely delicious.  Peep says they smell like orange blossoms but I'm not sure if I believe her or not.  I know what an orange smells like and it's not anything like that.  I would know 'cause I'm a cat and cats don't like oranges but I quite enjoy the smell of the honeysuckle.  So does my brother Seville, as you can probably tell from the pictures.

One other thing 'bout hummers is that, if you're not careful, they'll zing ya!  They never zing me 'cause I'm their friend and all but I've seem 'em zing the peep.  Sometimes, they'll be zipping around the garden so fast they can't keep track of where they're going or something - I guess - and they practically dive bomb the peep.  That's one of the funniest sights to see.  Afterwards, the peep does a little dance or something.  At least I think she's dancing.  It involves some ducking and spinning and her arms flailing around in the air and whatnot.  I've seen other peeps dance on the television and I have to say, she doesn't really dance like they do but...  well...  I just don't know how else to describe it.  Peeps do such odd things, you know.  Hard to keep track, quite honestly.  I'm sure you all know what I mean.


So anywho...  if you wanna have some fun in your garden, plant some honeysuckle and invite the hummers over for a meal or two.  They'll entertain you for hours on end.  And when you're done watching the hummers, you can watch your peeps do their little hummer-zinging dance.  You'll trip over your tail from laughing so hard watching that one.  I can promise you that!


35 comments:

  1. We have hummers too. Momma makes their nectar and cooks it, cools it and puts it out for them. We've been buzzed too thru the years. Takes you by surprise because you are never expecting it.

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  2. We love the hummers too! This year, though, we haven't seen a lot of them. Probably because our mom doesn't fill the feeder often enough! And our neighbor has several feeders and we think all the hummers are going there to eat.

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  3. Our Mom loves to watch hummers too. They do dash around like a wild child.It would be really hard to get a picture of them since they are so quick. Hope you have a great day.

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  4. Hi there :)
    I don´t think it helps to plant a Honeysuckle here , because we don´t have Hummers in Sweden.
    That´s a shame :(
    I think I would have LOVED to watch them zip and zap and watch my humans do the little hummer singing dance :)

    P.S I have a blogaward for you to get at my blog.

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  5. Having hummers close enough to watch is definitely one of the great treats of life! You guys are lucky to have such entertainment!

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  6. We have some wild honeysuckle in the brambles but the heat has about wiped it all out. Jen is keeping her deck flowers watered in case the hummers are still around.... but we haven't seen any here *sigh*

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  7. We haz thoze same birdies! They iz vurry bold an they izn't askarded of anycat maybe cuz they iz on teh other side of teh catio. I just want to play with them iz that asking to much? I duzn't think so!

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  8. We wish we had hummers here...... But we loved reading your description! Enjoy.

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  9. We have a few hummers, though I rarely see them. I put out a feeder and also have bee balm nearby for them. We lubs them!

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  10. I love hummers too! You're lucky to have them! Have you ever seen the hummingbird moth? They are the strangest looking insect and I have mistaken them for the bird.

    Thank you for the 4th of July greetings! Sending warm wishes!

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  11. Oh, dear! I don't think they planted those in our flowerbeds. So I don't think we have hummers. Darn. Tell your mom to study hard and learn how to take hummer pictures so you can share.

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  12. lucky thats what you are,we don't have them here to cold!lol Speedy

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  13. I rarely get to see hummers, being an indoor kitty - they don't usually get close enough to the windows! It's very special when they do!

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  14. Mommy says she's only seen a hummer ONCE in her entire life and that was when she was a kid. Apparently she thought it was a bee and almost wanted to whap it when she took a closer look and realized it was a hummer. We'll check and see if we can plant honeysuckles here coz WE wanna see some hummers! They sure sound like lots of fun...especially the part where they divebomb the peeps!

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  15. In Sweden there´s no hummers, but we wish we had. We just enjoy ordinary bird and sometimes we catch one. Take care.Nosbuff

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  16. Now, see, I am an indoor-only Boy, so I'll nefur have the chance, but I think those little things look DELICIOUS--kind of like the Human bite-size Snicker's bars. Those plump little bellies, their delicate little wings. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I can just about taste one now.

    Lucky for them I am captive here.

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  17. What a great post. We love hummers here too, althought we only have 2 that come back every year. They are so very fun to watch cuz they are zipping around so fast.

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  18. I think even if I planted honeysuckle, the hummers wouldn't visit as we don't get them in the UK. Love the aircraft analogy :) They could almost be like big insects if they zap the peeps!!! Great post xx

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  19. we have fed hummers for over 15 years. When Dad and Mom lived in So Calif, they had about 7 different varities. Now in Nor Calif we have mostly one, Anna's. Hope your 4th is quiet Nerissa

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  20. I would love to get some hummingbird feeders so forth. Love your honeysuckle pics btw, my fave plant.

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  21. Yum! We'd love some hummers.

    To look at of course. Not to eat. no not, ever :-)

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  22. Sounds like a lot of fun to watch... enjoy the show!

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  23. Great story!
    We has humming birds too. Me caught one once, but Daddy saw and made me let it goes. Does yous like honeysuckle too! Me likes it more than Nip!
    Great story
    Nellie

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    1. You like honeysuckle better than nip? WOW! I like it too but nip is my favourite. I think the peep might prefer the honeysuckle though. For nip like effects, she goes to the human nip store... purrs

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  24. How great to have hummingbirds in your garden! We have hummers in the area, but Mom doesn't grow much of what they like.

    Herman

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  25. Hi Nerissa! Nice shots of Seville enjoying the honeysuckle - we love hummers at our house too but since the honeysuckle we have is at the bottom of the yard, we don't get to watch them drinking that nectar...intead Mom planted lots of red flowers on our deck and the hummers LOVE the color RED so that's where I get to see them most. They sure can buzz FAST - I love how they can do that helicopter thing in mid-air. They're very talented!

    Kitty hugs, Sammy

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  26. We don't have hummers here, although Mommie has some of the plants they are supposed to like. I don't know if it is because of the heat or how close we are to a big city.

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  27. I think I have only seen one hummer since I have been here, but I will keep looking!

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  28. at first I thought you meant the HUMMER vehicle...lol....I was like "how in the heck does someone love a HUMMER that much!!" lol.....there is yet another definition for "hummer" which is not fit to print in a "family blog"...that being said, I love "hummers" too (and honeysuckles!! I think I used to eat them as a kid! I am NOT kidding!!). We used to have "hummers" fly into our hanging plants last year! They are soooooo busy and sooooooooo cute! Have a great day!

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  29. Not too long ago, our backyard was bird paradise. Mama put birdfeeders and bird bath. Then the feral community took over the entire neighborhood, including our backyard. The birds are long gone and the birdbath is now drinking fountain for cats. Mama misses the birds.

    Emma and Buster

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  30. We love the hummers too. We long since stopped tryin ta catch them, they are just way too fast. We love it when TBT takes fresh feeders outside. Sometimes the hummers come by when he is holding them!

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  31. You're so lucky to have hummers! We've only seen a couple of them in real life, because there's not much of interest to them in our tiny garden, and the mom doesn't put a feeder out. We'll have to live vicariously through you!

    Thanks for the purrs for Nicki's dental; we're hoping all goes well.

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  32. Hey, Nerissa! Come by Caturday because we is FINALLY posting about the nice awardie you gived me!!

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  33. Nerissa, you have a garden I should be visiting, and those birds, yammi;-))
    Hugs from Pernille

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  34. Your garden sounds catastic! We live in da desert so those purrty flowers that your hummers like probably won't grow here. We get to watch lots of other birds through our windows. We don't get to go outside. You are purry lucky to enjoy the outside.

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I love hearin' from my pals. I really, REALLY do. PURRS.