Hummingbirds in the Rain Forest - To bring some joy to Solly Mack and others

[Mira]

Since Solly Mack is going through a tough time, and loves birds, I put this together for her and all of you.
It’s July where I am, in Monteverde Costa Rica, and it is cool and rainy - you may want to google it and find out a bit about the incredible variety of flora and fauna here.

A local man showing me a humming bird nest


Hummers at the feeder


A huge one…


A few close-ups






finally he got sick of me! What’ya looking’ at?

Here is a link to a little video I made - hope you like it - my first published video ever

tried the video - and it did not play - maybe not done processing. Don't have enough internet to try again.

[Solly Mack]

1. That's a BIG hummingbird! He's beautiful!

They all are!

Enjoyed the video.

Love the close ups...very good!!

I like how the one is giving you the look. lol

Thank you, Mira!!!

[ohheckyeah]

3. How are you doing, Solly Mack? n/t

[Solly Mack]

5. I'm OK. Got an update posted in the cancer group.

Mainly just reactions to the treatments but I'm still going (and going and going and going)

[ohheckyeah]

6. I'm so sorry you're having reactions to the treatments but

I'm glad you are still going.

[ohheckyeah]

2. The video works for me and it's a great

video. The pictures are wonderful - hummingbirds can be difficult to photograph. The colors of the hummers are beautiful.

Thanks for sharing.

[NV Whino]

4. Wow, great shots!

Love 'em all, but that big guy is fabulous.

[locks]

7. So beautiful! Thanks!

I had the good luck to go on an elderhostel tour in Costa Rica and Panama a few years back. We stayed in a mountain town southwest of San Jose where literally hundreds of hummers and probably 20 species could be seen in the garden outside our window. Every size and color. We had seen so many rare birds on the trip but not the Resplendent Quetzal. On our last day the guide took us back into the forest and there he was! What a joy! Hope you will be able to see resplendent Costa Rica one day, Solly Mack.

[mnhtnbb]

8. Great shots!

Love the expression of the hummer looking at you!

Thanks for posting them.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. Thank you for these wonderful pictures, my dear Mira! And the video works great...

What gorgeous birds they are!

I feel as though I'm right there alongside you...

Thanks for sharing them!

[joanbarnes]

10. Got buzzed by a hummingbird once, magical experience!

[littlemissmartypants]

11. I am getting up to go fill my feeders now.

Thanks so much for the post. These creatures are delightful. All the best to you.

[dhill926]

12. stunning.....

thanks for these...

[proReality]

13. Absolutely gorgeous!

Thanks for posting these!!!

[ReRe]

14. Thank you for this...

... and of course, best wishes to Solly. This is like a mini-vacation! I'm going to go listen to some pan flutes now...

[Historic NY]

15. I haven't spotted any by my house but I know they are there for the tasty treats....

A friend told me today she had one having a field day on the tiny little knats that come out when it cools down.

[Dustlawyer]

16. Brought tears to my eyes because Humming birds always remind me of my dad.

He had congestive heart failure for years and used to sit on the porch of my parents country home an hour North of Houston and watch them at his multiple feeders.

He was really bummed when he was too sick to go to the public library. We were sitting on the porch one day watching about 200 Humming birds filling up in preparation of crossing the Gulf of Mexico when he stated that he wished he knew whether to keep the feeders out for the old and sick birds who couldn't make the journey, or would it cause healthy birds to stay around the food source and not migrate, possibly freezing to death in the Winter. I walked inside and got on his computer and came back out about 20 minutes later. I answered his question and told him he could leave them out because the healthy birds would still go, but he would have to keep fresh food out all winter as the other birds would have nothing else. Additionally, I registered him with the Texas Department of Wildlife as a volunteer to report the numbers of birds and different types of Humming birds he saw along with print outs of several articles about the birds.

He had always resisted learning how to use the computer and internets, but was surprised that I was able to get all of that info so fast. He said, "You got all of that from the computer that fast? He got up and said, "Come show me how to use that thing!" About a week later I start getting emails from him. Shortly after that he starts sending me jokes from a group that called themselves the "Loopers." They were old classmates from his college days in engineering school. One had been an engineer with NASA that designed the link up tube when the Americans and Soviets hook their crafts' together. Another, he said was the smartest man he ever met who was the great grandson of Henry Lucas who first discovered oil in Texas at Spindletop in 1901, (my dad was no slouch in the brain department himself)! That oil discovery founded what eventually became Mobil Oil and Texaco. He had the best time and was no longer bored. When he finally passed I received a call from a very proper, elegant sounding British woman who said that Mr. Lucas wanted to know if it was ok to make a donation in my father's name to the American Heart Association (I had sent an email to the Loopers telling them of my dad's passing and in leu of flowers they could make a donation to the Association instead). I replied "absolutely!, may I ask how much" knowing immediately who he was. She replied, "ONE-HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S."

Now I always by Lucas oil products and cheer every race team sponsored by Lucas Oil and always thank every Humming bird I see for giving my dad something he could do to be entertained while he was alone at home everyday until my mom returned home from work! Time to buy a new feeder!

Thanks Mira and best of luck!

[Mira]

17. Your post is bringing tears to my eyes

Thank you for it!

[Solly Mack]

18. ((Dustlawyer))

Thank you for sharing about your Dad.

[Celebration]

19. Love these

Hummingbirds are fun to capture. The video is a bonus.

Very cool to dedicate the thread to Solly Mack.

[phylny]

20. Thank you for sharing this.

I love hummingbirds and have three feeders on our property - one on the dock, one on the back deck, one on the front porch. I wish I had the opportunity to see more than one feeding at a time. Our hummers seem to be too pugnacious for that