Hummingbird Madness

I recently switched the formula that I use in my hummingbird feeder and have seen a huge change in visits. I was originally buying some premade formula that you mix with water. And I would get about a bird a day. The sightings were rare. Now I started using the much cheaper sugar and water mixture and suddenly it is madness out there. (1 part sugar for 4 parts water, boil water, melt sugar in water, cool and serve.) 

Not only do I get a huge number of birds each day I have several that are fighting over the feeder. There is a male and female that compete for food on an hourly basis. The female, being the slightly bigger bird, tends to win. This is her below. Males have a touch of red at the throat, thus the name ruby-throated hummingbirds. 

So yesterday I had the camera set up to grab some photos which weren't working really well. Weird but those birds move pretty fast. So I decided to see about getting some video instead. While I watched through the camera, the female came and started drinking. She was looking around really nervously when a male swoops in and scares her off the feeder. The two fly off fighting and the female came back seconds later. Don't let those tiny frames fool you, these birds are vicious. I was lucky to be able to catch video of the whole thing. Watch how nervous the female is, then check that quick blur in front of the camera. That's the male. I have to use video more often. It makes up for bad camera skills.