Standing Guard

A source of great entertainment for the past couple of weeks has been our mostly-dead Japanese maple tree. For whatever reason, it has less than 1/3 of its leaves. This, however, has turned out to be a good thing. With the branches exposed, it provides perfect viewing of our hummingbirds. Make that hummingbird, singular.

We have one very territorial hummingbird who thinks he owns the feeder. He (she?) stands guard in the branches just above and swoops down to attack any other hummingbird who wants to eat. He won't let another hummingbird even sit in "his" tree. The other day, I saw him scare off a finch who tried to land in the branches.

Don't worry, we have another feeder just a few yards away and Mr. Bossy doesn't seem to care about that one so at least the other hummingbirds - there are at least three of them - can eat.

I guess I can't really be sure these are all the same bird, but if not, there are several who think they own the place.

Do hummingbirds have eyelashes? It looks like it in this photo!

Either he's dancing or shaking off the rain. ;) (I'm not sure why the funky coloring on this one.)

He looks pretty regal, don't you think?