Hummingbird Days!

Some days are hummingbird days!  These are days when activity at the nectar feeders so captivates our attention that we don't want to miss anything.  Watching is irresistible. Nothing else gets done!

Ruby-throat approaching Royal Catchfly            Photo by Vickie Henderson

Today was one of those days for me!  Yesterday, I brought home a new native plant species hummingbirds love--Royal Catchfly (Silene regia).  A native prairie plant, it gets its name from glands that secrete a sticky enzyme that attracts and captures insects. Though the plant is related to carnivorous plants, it does not benefit nutritionally from the insects.

Hummer and Royal Catchfly                

The new flower species was only one change that attracted my attention and the hummers.  I added a new feeder.  The two males guarding the four feeders I had out were chasing all the juveniles away. No sooner would an approaching juvenile escape one male, than it would be intercepted by the second. Not nice--but typical hummingbird behavior.    

A juvenile male waiting to approach a feeder.

I added the new feeder around the corner near a small garden.  Wthin minutes of hanging it, Wow! Juveniles! Sometimes two or three arriving at the same time, reacting to each other with tails flared, face-offs and chirps. Very shortly, however, another male showed up.  A beautiful male, breath-taking to see at such close range. I was sitting only a few feet from the feeder.

The male, pictured above, was showing some molting, replacing old feathers with new ones, his feathers getting ready for fall migration.

The tenacity of one of the juveniles was surprising  He did not want to give up his feeder and challenged the male repeatedly.  In the image below, the male is watching the juvenile and balancing to face him as he hovers and threatens.

When the juvenile landed on the feeder after the male departed, the male was quickly on him displaying shuttle dives, short repetitive U-shaped dives, coming very close to the juvenile at its lowest point.  I have seen this display during courtship but never before witnessed it during aggression at the feeder.  Serious stuff. So far, warnings, but getting close to the real thing.

To my relief, the juvenile retreated to the garden and perched on the plant stake supporting the catchfly. For a while, he sat very still, looking like one of the leaves, blending in with the foliage. The male went about his business and the confrontation ended.

Male juvenile, above, hiding in the catchfly, showing developing red gorget feathers as he looks up. Every day of their fast-paced lives holds a survival story!

Juvenile Ruby-throat with Coneflowers     Watercolor by Vickie Henderson

This is the height of hummingbird season, the best time to see and enjoy them. The first juveniles are out of the nest, second nesting has begun, and northern hummingbirds have already begun migration.

For an extra treat this season, join us at the Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival at Ijams Nature Center, in Knoxville, TN, on August 20th to celebrate these magnificent birds!  More information is found in the link below.

Links and resources:

Photo credits:  All the photos in this blog post were taken by Vickie Henderson

Ijams Nature Center website with festival information
Wonder of Hummingbird Festival 

Links for hummingbirds in art:
Hummingbird art at Vickie Henderson Art
Hummingbird posts at Vickie's Sketchhbook
Sketching hummingbirds in flight
Hummingbird Studies in watercolor

Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival Holds Outstanding Event!

Ruby-throated Hummingbird migration is in full swing in Tennessee making this an exciting time of year for hummingbird lovers!  

The male Ruby-throated Hummingbird shown above is molting feathers, meaning the old worn ones are falling out and being replaced with new ones.  Tiny white tubules, that become the feather's shaft, hold the feathers as they grow.  Molting during migration is a sign of health, according to Master Bander, Mark Armstrong.  It means the hummingbird has enough energy reserves, or fat stored, for both migration and healthy growth.

Photo credit:  Jody Stone

On Saturday, Aug 22nd, the Knoxville Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society and Ijams Nature Center hosted their fifth annual Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival in Knoxville and the crowd of people attending were enthusiastic and eager to enjoy the many nature activities offered by the festival.

Photo credit:  Tom Howe

Organized by talented KTOS member, Billie Cantwell, the event attracted more than 1300 visitors who enjoyed hummingbird banding, nature walks, wildlife demonstrations, expert speakers, food and arts and crafts vendors and exciting children's activities!

Photo credit:  Susan Baumgardner

The popular highlight of the event is the hummingbird banding demonstrations offered by Mark Armstrong, Master Bander of hummingbirds and songbirds.

Photo credit:  Jody Stone.   Mark Armstrong examines a hummingbird.

Below, volunteer Andy Troutman removes a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird from one of the bander's traps.  Hummingbirds enter the trap to access the feeder and a door is lowered with an attached line.  

Photo credit:  Susan Baumgardner.  

Once removed from the trap, the hummer is placed in a mesh bag and transported to the bander.

Photo credit:  Jody Stone  

Photo credit:  Susan Baumgardner.

Mark first checks the hummers legs to be sure there is no current band.  He then secures a numbered band around its leg and examines the hummer for age, sex and health.  Measurements are recorded for the tail and beak and the belly is checked for fat to help determine overall health. If the individual is a juvenile male, he also records the number of red feathers on the throat.

Photo credit:  Jody Stone.

Above, Mark Armstrong attaches a numbered band to a hummingbird's leg.  The small stocking covers the hummers head and helps to keep it calm.  Watch the video below to see banding in progress.

 

Video credit:  Jody Stone

Photo credit:  Susan Baumgarder.

Above, Patty Ford gives visitors a close look at a hummingbird before release and below, she gently places a hummingbird in a child's hand for the release.    

Photo credit:  Jody Stone.

The banding station banded 28 hummingbirds and had one male re-capture that was originally banded at the festival three years ago.  The average life-span of a male hummingbird is 1.4 years and the oldest recorded male hummingbird was five years old.  Our re-captured bird is doing well!

I was introduced to hummingbird banding in 2009 at the first banding demonstration held at Ijams Nature Center, sponsored by KTOS, and it has been exciting to watch this event expand and attract the large crowds attending today.  

Photo credit:  Warren Hamlin.  

Above left, my exhibit table at the festival and (right) Stephen Lyn Bales, author, artist and naturalist discussing his natural history books.

             "Hummingbird and Million Bells" -- watercolor by Vickie Henderson

Links and Resources:

2014 Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival

2013 Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival

2009 Hummingbird Banding

Tennessee Wildside video of 2013 festival

Knoxville Chapter of Tennessee Ornithological Society (KTOS)

Ijams Nature Center

A Tiny Hummingbird and a Great Big Trailer!

It was so much fun to see this brand new shiny Conestoga Trailer with my hummingbird image featured on its tail! 

Photo credit:  Melissa Carter

Conestoga has been putting wildlife images on the tails of its trailers for sometime now, featuring both birds and mammals.  You can see some of these images at their gallery featuring their "trailer tails".

One of my birding friends, Wallace Coffey of Bristol, TN, happened to see a trailer with three juvenile owls on the back.  He was so impressed, he asked the driver how the birds happened to be there.  The driver was very cordial and said he was asked about the wildlife art frequently.  He said the owner of the company was a conscientious conservationist and very environment-minded. Wallace, in turn, sent me an email, "Wouldn't it be fun to see a tiny hummingbird featured on the back of one of those big trailers?"  I thought it was a great idea, too!

This week it happened.  The hummingbird image was added to Conestoga's newest trailer by Creative Edge Graphics.  I went to see it yesterday and was wowed. It is stunning! Shiny and beautiful with red lettering matching the red Cardinal Flower visited by a tiny juvenile hummingbird.  This is what drivers on the road will see when they happen to be behind this trailer--a hummingbird traveling all over the country to remind everyone to take care of our environment!

As if hummingbirds visiting our feeders and flowers isn't enough, the timing of this trailer release just adds more excitement as we look forward to our upcoming hummingbird festival.

The Wonder of Hummingbird Festival takes place in Knoxville, Tennessee, at Ijams Nature Center on Saturday, August 22nd.  If you have not already done so, mark your calendar!  The festival features hummingbird banding, expert speakers, nature walks, wildlife demonstrations, and vendors selling food and drinks, native plants and arts and crafts.

                                                                                   Photo credit:  Jody Stone

I will be there with a table of my art.  Come by and say, hello!  Last year one group of hummingbird enthusiasts from Indiana planned their trip to the Smoky Mountains so they could also take in the festival.  Visit this link to see some of last year's festival fun:  Wonder of Hummingbirds.

To see more images of this hummingbird, visit:  Hummingbirds and Pollen

Also visit Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival at East Tennessee River Valley Geotourism

Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival Features Banding!

One of the central attractions of the Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival each year is the hummingbird banding demonstrations given by Mark Armstrong, Master Bander of hummingbirds and songbirds.  

Small groups make it easier for everyone to hear the bander and see the banding process.  While visitors wait their turn, Oliver Lang, above, talks with visitors about hummers and banding.   In another area, Mike Nelson describes the life of hummingbirds and how they are captured for banding. In the images below, Mike shows a tiny hummingbird nest to visitors from Indiana.

Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell

Hummingbirds are captured in wire traps that surround the feeder.  The traps have a door that lifts open.  Hummingbirds seeking nectar will go inside the trap to drink and the door, connected to a long fishing line, can be lowered once the hummer is inside.

Hummingbirds are attracted to nectar feeders and flowers.  A large stand of Jewel Weed was present near the hummingbird banding area.

Photo credit:  Jody Stone               Jewel Weed is a favorite nectar blossom for hummingbirds

Hummingbirds that are captured in the traps are removed and carefully placed in a mesh bag to hold them until the bander is ready to process them.  Hummingbirds, like other birds, feed more actively in the early morning hours.

Photo credit:  Jody Stone

Master banders undergo many hours of training and receive a special certification that allows them to capture and band birds.  Data collected is reported to the Bird Banding Laboratory in Bethesda, Maryland, and contributes to scientific knowledge about bird populations and migration patterns.

Before he removes the hummer from the bag. Mark explains what he is going to do and how the band fits on the hummingbird's leg. 

He first checks to see if the hummingbird wears a band. Below, he uses a blunt darning needle as a tool to lift the hummers tiny foot and check its legs.

When no band is present, Mark places a new band on the hummer's leg with a special number series that will identify the bird if re-captured.  

The band is closed around the leg with a special set of banding plyers.

Below, you can see the band and its tiny numbers.  If Mark captures a hummer that is already wearing a band, he records the band number and checks his records to see if the band number is one of his.  This year at the hummingbird festival, he re-captured one of the hummingbirds that he banded at last year's festival, giving him an opportunity to check its health.  Hummingbirds are known to be very loyal to their feeding territories and can often be found in that territory on the same days each year.

Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

Above and below, Mark examines a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird using magnifying glasses. With a digital instrument, he measures the length of the beak.

Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

Males, females and juveniles range in the length of their beaks, with the males generally having shorter beaks.

Above, Mark uses a magnifying loop to examine a juvenile's beak for grooving to help age the bird. Juvenile bills are still growing and have grooves while adults have no grooving

When the examination is complete, Mark shows visitors the banded hummer.  Janie Kading (left) assists him during banding.

Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

When banding is complete, an assistant allows a young visitor to release the bird. The sensation of a hummer's wings fluttering in the hand as it buzzes away is delightful to all ages!

Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

Watch for next years festival date on this blog's side bar.  I will post it where you see the current year's date as soon as the 2015 date is decided!

Visit all the posts on this year's festival by clicking the link:  Wonder of Hummingbirds--2014

Wonder of Hummingbird festival on Facebook
Wonder of Hummingbird Festival Blog
Wonder of Hummingbird Festival_2013
Wonder of Hummingbird Festival 2013 on Tennessee Wildside
KTOS on Facebook
Hummingbird Banding Demonstration 2009
Mark Armstrong, Master Bander
Knoxville Chapter of Tennessee Ornithological Society
Ijams Nature Center

Festival Exhibits--Arts, Crafts, Plants, Food and Fun!

This is the second in a series of posts on the Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival held in Knoxville, Tennessee at Ijams Nature Center and co-sponsored by the Knoxville Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society and Ijams Nature Center on August 23rd. (You will find the first post here).

At the center of the day's activities were hummingbirds, the star and inspiration for the festival.  Hummingbird banding was one of the main attractions and was demonstrated by Mark Armstrong, Master Bander of hummingbirds and song birds.

Photo credit:  Jody Stone

While people waited their turn to view the banding table, there were plenty of other activities to entertain and educate--presentations on wildlife and hummingbird gardening,  naturalist-led bird and nature walks, wildlife demonstrations, and exhibits with arts and crafts, and of course, food and drinks.

Above and below, author, illustrator and naturalist, Stephen Lyn Bales sketches at his exhibit table.  Lyn also gave a presentation on his book, Ghost Birds, Jim Tanner and His Quest for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, 1935-1941.

And here I am, above, exhibiting art and talking with visitors!  It is always a fun surprise to meet some of the people I know from facebook, blogging and through my website! Thank you all for saying, hello!  Photo credit:  Jody Stone--creator of  the facebook community page, "Hummingbird Love"

 Agri-Feed, above and below.

Photo credit:  Jody Stone

A group of friends who traveled from Indiana planned their visit with each other around the Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival!  We also had visitors from New Jersey and Alabama who met up for a visit to the Smoky Mountains and timed their visit so they could attend the festival!     Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson 

Mike Nelson shows our Indiana friends a tiny hummingbird nest on a twig, above.  Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell

Above, two of our hard-working KTOS volunteers, Linda Denton and Michael Plaster, providing information to visitors and selling festival t-shirts and the Discover Birds Activity Books. Festival proceeds benefit Ijams Nature Center and KTOS.  Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

 Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

 Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

 Tennessee Naturescapes                          Photo Credit:  Karen Wilkinson

Orchids, Cati and Tropical Plants         Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson  

 Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

 Did I mention that there was great food?!                       Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

 Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

 Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

 KTOS volunteers, David Johnson, Mariam Fitzgerald, Harold Howell and Jeanne Alexander   Photo credit:  Karen Wilkinson

Next: Hummingbird banding!

Visit all the posts on this year's festival by clicking the link:  Wonder of Hummingbirds--2014

Wonder of Hummingbird festival on Facebook
Wonder of Hummingbird Festival Blog
Stephen Lyn Bales
Wonder of Hummingbird Festival_2013
Wonder of Hummingbird Festival 2013 on Tennessee Wildside
KTOS on Facebook
Hummingbird Banding Demonstration 2009
Mark Armstrong, Master Bander
Knoxville Chapter of Tennessee Ornithological Society
Ijams Nature Center