The Traveling Wheelchair

Hummingbirds
Informative Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous_Hummingbird
My Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdX-8uxN6lo

While I was relaxing on my deck with my mom and friends today we saw two beautiful Hummingbirds land on on my Hummingbird feeder.  I was delighted to see these amazing little birds are back for the summer! If you enlarge this picture by clicking on it you will see the little Hummingbird drinking nectar from my feeder with me sitting right in front of it. I guess this little bird likes me :-)

Hummingbirds in my area are Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. The male is metallic green above and whitish below, with an iridescent ruby-red throat; the female is dull-colored. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds fly to Mexico or Central America to spend the winter and typically arrive back in New England in April or May. They sure are smart to escape our cold New England weather!!

Hummingbirds are amazingly beautiful tiny, fast flying birds. They are the world’s smallest bird; they can fly forward, shift sideways and stop in mid-air. A Hummingbird consumes half its weight in nectar a day; Hummingbirds cannot smell; they locate their food by sight; the bright colors, especially red attracts them to flowers and feeders; a Hummingbird weighs less than a nickel and is only about 3 ½ inches from tip of bill to tip of tail; Hummingbirds can fly up to speeds of 60 miles per hour in the air as they feed in flight; their wing beats up to 78 times per second.

If you place a feeder near some flowers on your deck or near your window, they are very accessible to see close up while seated in your wheelchair. Hummingbirds get the energy they need to maintain their metabolism from flower nectar and the sugar water they find at feeders. You can easily make your own nectar with white sugar and water for your feeder. They are not afraid and will even drink it with you sitting close by as you saw in the photo of me and the Hummingbird above.

Hopy you enjoy my video and pictures below of my beautiful female and male Hummingbird at my feeder.

Best Wishes!

Kenny

 
  Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird on my deck

  
  Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird on my deck