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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

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  1. M

    Hornets

    I once heard that late in the summer season wao after anything that's sweet. Before they have been supplied with sugar from the larvae (the young wasps I mean, I am not familiar with the english terms here) they care for which excrete some sweet fluids - maybe like aphids do. But late in season...
  2. M

    Another mystery for you

    I will for sure not defend red #40, but to get the facts right: I actually looked it up on google.de, and what I found is that it is known as E129 in Europe (Allurarot AC in Germany), and it is allowed as a substitute to a number of foods in the EU like sweets, drinks, some meat products...
  3. M

    Another mystery for you

    Coming back to the question of colour loss: I would consider a change in pH (alkaline/acidic feature) in your solution. I do not know exactly for red 40, but organic dyes often depend on pH for their colour, especially if they are charged (a salt). There is a threshold level for that, so the...
  4. M

    Online retailers of hummingbird feeders

    Have you checked nurseries and garden centers? They often do carry bird feeding supplies. Also, try "hummzinger" and "online" in google. Prices vary from retailer to retailer, you might get a good deal, even if shipping is not for free. Good luck!
  5. M

    Do hummingbirds migrate with geese?

    Hi Cakes, As has been said before, a myth. The females build nests only for laying eggs and raising the chicks. They are tiny, tiny nests build of plant fibres, small feathers etc. woven together with spider webs. It is common understanding today that you will not be able to keep a...
  6. M

    where did she go???

    This is about exactly what had happened below our bedroom window last year in June. We had watched her building the nest, laying two eggs, and on June 17th the young hatched, but after that we did not see much feeding going on. There is one well documented feeding event (camcorder) from June...
  7. M

    Local Hummer feeding on exotic plant (pict and text)

    Around here, the local Anna's hummingbirds love the eucalyptus trees while they are blooming in winter. They (the trees) come from australia and the flowers are not tubular shaped and sometimes even not red but white, but the hummers find them anyway... I have also seen hummingbirds lick nectar...
  8. M

    True or not?

    Perhaps I should have stated more clearly that I am only referring to Anna's hummingbirds, it's probably different for every species. A quote from Howell's "Hummingbirds of North America" about Anna's: "Population and range have expanded greatly in historic times, attributed to widespread...
  9. M

    True or not?

    Ooooops... However, I still have questions. I totally agree on the topic of shelter, but still I do not experience many hummingbirds in the surrounding county or state parks while they seem to be everywhere in the city. Why? Is it because the habitat in these parks is also not very appealing to...
  10. M

    True or not?

    Sorry about the stupid question, but what is "Tiger Woods"? A gardening company?
  11. M

    True or not?

    Hmmm, this was just a guess (!) from the facts that 1. there are lots of hummingbirds around in this definetly urban environment Bay Area and 2. it looks like their range extended with urbanization. It might have been a little fast due also to the wish it might be that way ;). Of course the...
  12. M

    True or not?

    Thanks for all your replies! After reading them and scanning through the kindly mentioned links, I got the expression that even if what I have read seems a bit exaggerated, it also seems to be true that Anna's were able to extend their range greatly after introduction of feeders and landscaping...
  13. M

    Somewhere I Got Idea this Does Not Happen

    Do you think this might be species specific? I also tend to think that the females of our Anna's do not defend the feeder, at least not that much; if someone defends it, it is usually a male - as far as I can tell. And on the rare occasions when there are two there at the same time, at least one...
  14. M

    True or not?

    Quite a while ago in a bookstore I read in a book that Anna's Hummingbirds did not arrive in the Bay Area/Silicon Valley (or was it even California?) before the 1950s. It would make sense if you consider that their main nectar source here are garden or other landscaping flowers and eucalyptus...
  15. M

    Waxwings

    I do not know about San Diego area, but Cedar Waxwings definetly show up here in the Bay Area each winter. Have been observing flocks from our apartment just across the street for several weeks now.
  16. M

    Perching on my bicycle...

    Housefinch, Thank you very much for your kind reply. I definetly agree that (humming)birds are often hard to catch in a picture. But this guy was sitting there for quite a long time, only his head was moving continuously. I took about 60 pictures, and I thought I did download them all. But...
  17. M

    Perching on my bicycle...

    Yesterday the current owner of our balcony (and the feeder on there) perched on the basket of my bicycle for at least 15 minutes. I know it sounds silly, but somehow I was really proud... It was pouring quite heavily here yesterday, so probably he (a gorgeous adult male Anna's) was looking for a...
  18. M

    Fat hummers

    Just an (perhaps crazy?) idea, maybe it was a female carrying an almost mature egg? Since it has been reported that nesting season for Anna's can start as soon as october, this might perhaps be the answer? It would also explain why you haven't seen this "fat bird" again...
  19. A real beauty...

    A real beauty...

    Immature male White-eared Hummingbird
    • MBP
    • Media item
    • basilinna leucotis
    • Comments: 3
    • Category: North America
  20. M

    Why a hummingbird section, I wonder?

    Just like the previous posters, I cannot give you the exact answer, just estimate: They are different enough to justify a separate section, and as KCFoggin and DavidP already said, hummingbird fanatics do not necessarily have to be interested in other birds as well. It is much easier to watch...
  21. M

    Somewhere I Got Idea this Does Not Happen

    Great images, zerb21! :clap: I really like those action shots, they are so hard to get!
  22. M

    Embedded Ads . . .

    Please stay! This part of the forum is so much more alive now! Although I really have difficulties to keep up with reading :D
  23. M

    If you feed them . . .

    LOL, I guess that still will not work back home in Europe... I do agree with the others, I am jealous!!!
  24. M

    Hummer With White Spot on Top of Head

    Do hummingbirds not have a rather dark skin? Then this bright spot cannot be bald.
  25. M

    Comment by 'MBP' in media 'Spin Dry'

    LOL! Looks like a drill!
    • MBP
    • Gallery comment
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