My little hummer

Yesterday I caught this little guy drinking the nectar from my planter flowers. (You can click to enlarge to see his pretty little backside.) Last year I put out a hummingbird feeder, but I found that the hummingbirds much preferred my flowers, so I planted these to capture their interest. This is the first one I've seen here this season, because the first flowers have just bloomed.

Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback about your dealings with the wild creatures that inhabit your back yards and sometimes your gardens. I feel much more serene and better able to handle the ups and downs of my front porch critters. I would much rather have them around than not; they are very engaging and, yes, I can even appreciate the House Sparrows now and then.

This is an excellent year for goldfinches. I saw this purple finch alight on the thistle sock with them. The male goldfinch at the top is looking at the other finch as if to say, "hey, this is my territory!" The male goldfinches have that black mark on their heads, and the females are not as brightly colored. The one in the middle right is a female. But they are all so pretty!

And just as I was writing this post, the hummingbird came over to my flower pot, so I crept outside hoping I might be able to get a good shot in the low light. As I was adjusting my camera, the hummer flew right up to my face, mere inches away, as if to take a good look at me! It was thrilling. But I was unable to get another good picture, so these will have to do for now.
:-)