Ruby-throated hummingbirds

I just set up the hummingbird feeder late this morning after its summer hiatus.

We've had lots of hummers in the mountains over summer, visiting the masses of Lobelia cardinalis, Salvia guaranitica, Lonicera sempervirens, and Impatiens capensis, but didn't have a feeder set up (the one I bought early in the summer dripped and I thought I'd just rely on flowers).

The feeder in the Piedmont hangs from the edge of the porch and has been a favorite of hummingbirds over the years. There's a large oak nearby, perfect for perching and snagging insects.

So I was delighted to see a female hummingbird discover the feeder within half an hour--we were eating lunch on the porch, and although she was initially concerned by our presence (not to mention Woody, who was snoozing by the porch table), she proceeded to visit over a number of minutes.

Hopefully, we'll have more visitors, too.  A post from September of last year reflected on several whizzing around.

What fun!

A female visiting the same feeder several years ago

It was fun to re-read some of the posts that I've made in the past about ruby-throated hummingbirds -- they're such a great part of summer and fall.