These two beautiful little wisps of life have made me realize, I complain far too much about the cold. lol It's just amazing what birds accomplish. Thank you for posting yet another informative and entertaining video. 👍✌️
Haha! I know what you mean. It makes me feel pretty guilty when I'm out there with them and I'm struggling to keep warm while they are just zooming back and forth. Little miracles of life. I'm glad you enjoyed the video, thanks a lot for the pleasant comment.
But maybe the birds’ songs are actually complaints about the cold weather. All dsy long they might be saying back and forth, “I’m cold.” … “Me too.” …. “I’m cold.” … “Me too.”
@@ludlowworthington697 Funny. It would be a hilarious movie if they come up with a machine that would translate what animals are saying, and the sweet little bird is cursing like a drunk sailor about how cold it is. "Hey, I'm freezing my F*&^%$ ass off in this M@#$$$# F&^%% god-forsaken S%3 hole of a country... "
Watching the Anna's hummingbird slowly move north on Vancouver Island has been fascinating. The map shown is slightly out of date because we're seeing Anna's commonly overwintering on all parts of the island now and they are even being seen nesting at all times of the year. I've been feeding them for a few years now in central Vancouver Island.
Same here in Utah, I was just out on a January hike in southern Utah and there where anna’s and costa’s hummingbirds EVERYWHERE flying throughout the live oaks. I have seen reports of them in northern Utah in winter on iNaturalist as well.
Thank you Leslie for this extremely informative, and awesome video...as always! In the last couple of years, I have spent a lot of time feeding, getting to know, and loving birds on my property. I consider it one of the biggest gifts of my life. Birds give us their heart...and they take ours! ❤️❤️
Fascinating and informative. Enjoyed learning about these tiny birds. Especially fascinated to learn of the social nature of kinglets and that they communicate with one another and huddle together, and that they put on weight so rapidly in the day.
Thank you so much. I am so happy that you enjoyed the part about the Kinglets social nature; always communicating to one another. Beautiful little creatures.
Wonderful video. I agree the Kinglet is very like our Goldcrest here in the UK. (sound as well). Saw a Hummer half way up a Volcano in Chile with snow about. Amazed me! There have been Goldcrest families nesting in a Fir tree near me for over 50 yrs, staying all year. Regards, John.
Insects are an important part of a hummingbird's diet. Catching insects provide protein for the hummers all through the year (when available) with insects in their diet consisting of for more than 50%. Flowers with high nectar content is crucially important too, but many will not be in bloom during winter, thus the importance of clean feeders and some help with keeping them from freezing or taking them in a night and bringing them out in the early morning. Salvia, Porterweed, and Cuphea are great examples of plants that are high in nectar content. Lovely video with great photography of the birds and landscape shots. Well done.
Thank you so much for providing this information on hummingbirds and their diet. It's always great to learn more from people with first hand experience.
I started feeding hummingbirds in winter almost 23 years ago when they TOLD me they weren’t going anywhere! I’d been ‘advised’ to take my feeders down or the birds wouldn’t migrate but I was violently scolded (by hummingbirds) until I put the feeders back up! I use a 3-1 sugar mixture in winter, and rotate two feeders, keeping the extra in my fridge. On mornings when the feeder is frozen, I swap them out, putting the frozen one in the fridge to thaw. The sugar would mold or go cloudy if I left it out on the counter! I use white sugar & dissolve it in water vs cooking. I find the dissolved sugar lasts longer than the cooked. I also prefer a feeder with a perch, so they can rest. Good luck & happy feeding!
Thank you for this post! I live in an urban area; I've got Anna's Hummingbirds browsing my bare, leafless oak tree outside, and it's super cold. I've been flummoxed, trying to figure out how they're alive & kicking!
Tough decision on the the True Winter Survivor. I learned a lot from your video. The Golden-crowned Kinglet has fascinating food searching habits and that's impressive that they do not cache food like Black-capped Chickadees. The metabolism and biology of the Anna's Hummingbird is simply amazing though! I'm calling a tie - both impressive birds. Great video as always - thanks for sharing and happy birding. :)
I like your decision. I think those two birds are just phenomenal in each of their own right. Thanks for the pleasant comment and for weighing in your own thoughts.
Great video! I've heard of hummingbirds that brave the winter if food is readily available- I've always removed my feeders in October to prevent the incentive. I'd be a nervous wreck if I had a hummingbird in sub freezing conditions. 👀
Wow inch worms for the kinglets fantastic ! Blue gum trees in B.C wow so interesting. TYVM Lesley amazing video , exceptional narration and explanations. I think they are both exceptional. But the Anna's just amaze me.
Thank you, Leslie. This was fascinating. I've only seen a Golden-Crowned Kinglet a few times in Virginia. In the Shenandoah Valley. I've seen them at my parents feeders. Only one at a time, though. I've always wanted to see the Ruby-Crowned kinglet, but I have not. I had no idea that they used torpor or that they survived in such cold climates. I have a friend in BC who has had feeders out in the early part of the year for the Hummingbirds, but he believes they migrate. He lives back in the mountains, so perhaps they don't stay in that part of British Columbia. I always believed they migrate. The Scouts show up here around the end of March. And I have seen Ruby - Throated Hummingbirds stay here as late as the 1st over Nov. In mild Autumns. I always believe they catch a hurricane headwind to help them make it farther south. One year I saw a Hummingbird at my sunflower seed feeder on Oct the 11th about 12 yrs ago. I was shocked and I ran to get the feeders I had put away for Winter and hurriedly made sugar water and cooled it. I watched all afternoon staring at that feeder and I felt to miserable. I now leave my feeders up until the first week of November. We were always told to take them down around Sept 16 or so to get them to move on. Well, I wonder how many birds who are stranglers around in little valleys and other areas up north, came south to find nothing. I always plant flowers for them, but unfortunately, I'm not well and I have hideous, ignorant neighbors who destroy my flowering Vines. It's so upsetting. But I feed the birds year around and I have many species. Anyway, thank you for sharing your little bird friends and bird information. 🌹
Thank you for sharing all that great information and for being so kind to the birds. :) I would have done the same thing as you if I saw a hummingbird at my yard that late into autumn.
Those stats on hummingbird torpor are mind blowing. Imagining the little fella having to emerge from torpor reminds me of starting the old cars of the 1980s in winter. Gonna be a haaaaaaaard start!
My hummingbird feeders and camera have taught me, that Anna's Hummingbirds can overwinter in Oregon, even further east than the map shows. We also have Ruby-crowned Kinglet overwintering too.
Having hummingbirds all year round would be amazing! We get Rubies here from mid-May to early September. May can be cold with temperatures below 0°C overnight. I mix their nectar a bit sweeter in May. Closer to 3:1 water:sugar ratio rather than the usual 4:1. As it gets warmer, I gradually lessen the sugar a bit until the 4:1. Just a reminder to use regular white sugar. Don't use organic white sugar, it is too high in iron.
Great video as always. We have at least 2 Anna's Hummingbird nests in our yard. One pair love our cedar tree. They were staying here even before we put out hummingbird feeders. I have seen Golden-crowned Kinglets in the woods and have struggled to get a picture of them. Now I know why, they just don't sit still.
Interesting I have been caring for my bird friends for many years. Late this fall in Mi. I went out back to take my dog for her daily run. As I was walking through the pines I noticed a little tiny bird laying prostrate in the pine needles. I picked her up and I had never seen this little bird here in S.W. Mi. The bird was obviously near death just a tiny light in her eyes. I quickly took her in and the first thing I do on a window hit or anything is give a few drops of sugar water. She kinda moved a little. Unfortunately she didn't make it. I at first thought it was a male as it had a yellow crown. It was a Yellow Crown Kinglet. I did have better luck with one of my flock of House Finches. A couple of Finches showed signs of bird flu. Kinda sad because others in the flock seem to ostracize the sick birds from the flock. One sick male kept coming back alone to my cleaned feeder. One day I was able to open my window and he was almost blind so I was able to reach out a snatch him up. Again the sugar water drops and that perked him up. I then cleaned up his crusted eyes with regular eye drops and Q tip. I kept him in a cage for a few hrs and he perked up, so I let him go. Not sure but I think he came back. I think so because he always fed on the window side looking in. I have Anna's Hummers every year but never ever in winter. Couple things that amaze me is when they get here they come and hover in my window when I'm eating and say "We're here put up the feeders". And they also hover in the window and tell me when the nectar needs changing. One thing puzzles me about the Anna's is at the end of summer about a month before heading south they start chasing each other around the feeders and beyond. Puzzles me because geez in just a short time they gotta fly 1k-2k miles south for winter. Makes no sense wasting all that energy chasing each other when they gotta make that long trek. Maybe theyre just getting in shape..anybody know? Sorry so long here, love your posts Leslie. Next time I'll write about the family of 5 Crows I've befriended.
Yes I do! Our little UK birds seem to be finding food in our small garden as well as making the most of the sunflower seeds we put out for them. They amaze me.
so happy to see a new video! i rewatch your videos so often, they’re very relaxing 💕 your videos inspire me so much to continue my birding journey, and help my little buddies in minnesota during the rough winter here
What a wonderful video! In September of last year, here in CT, USA, we had a rash of Ruby Crowned Kinglets for a few weeks during their migration, although it took me a little while to figure that out. On my daily hikes in the nature preserve behind my house, I kept noticing quite a few of what appeared to be small Vireos fluttering about. But they were like REALLY small, probably 3 to 4 inches tops. They were much smaller than any Vireo I'd ever seen, so I was quite flummoxed. And then one lucky day I happened to notice one adorable little guy singing from a low branch, and he had a small crimson red stripe of feathers on the top of his head, spiked up like a mohawk! When he was done singing, the red mohawk receded back into his head, and he flew off. After a bit of research I realized that they were actually Ruby Crowned Kinglets, and not tiny Vireos. Apparently their red crown stays hidden unless they are singing! They were only here for a few weeks, and I'm already looking forward to seeing them again next September. Thanks for another great video, Lesley!
I love that you saw all those adorable little Ruby crowned kinglets but didn't know for sure what they were. Too awesome about you getting that wonderful view of their striking flaming crest. Ruby-crowned kinglets are such little delights to watch. It's hard to believe a bird that small could even exist. That is correct, they erect those colorful head feathers when singing, but also when excited. Too cute. I loved reading your experience, and thank you for the kind comment on the video. :)
Nothing makes me happier than seeing these tiny insect eaters sliding through the spruces in winter, because I know that they've also been poring over every other apple tree and berry bush on the place! Which means Lots better fruit for me and everyone else next summer...😊
@@LesleytheBirdNerd - something that folks might want to know; having open sheds for machinery, wood, etc. helps these little critters find safe habitat for extreme weather, without feeling too confined for their liking. Very few of these wild birds would ever come into my dairy barn/hay loft, but they'll huddle right up into an open shed or sugarhouse,
Lesley---good job on repairing info on 2 birds I have never seen....beautiful little guys...we always feed our h/ummingbirds but as you know upstate NY we only get the Ruby...would love to see Annas.......I would imagine the nectar must freeze or do they have heaters....that Kinglet ia beauty also...hope all is well my friend God Bless
I love kinglets! Very feisty for such small birds! We have ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets here in the fall and winter (in Costal Southern NC). Golden-crowned kinglets love to stay at the top of the pine trees or in the spanish moss of the live oaks to forage.
Hello! My husband and I love your channel and watch each and every one of your videos, we are catching up on older ones and recently watched the one bout how you helped a Baltimore Oriole one winter. Thank you for that! We love our Orioles here every spring and summer in Connecticut! We want to purchase a camera for use whilst birding and would like to know what camera you use, if you are able and willing to share that. Thank you again for all the joy you bring to so many sentient beings, avian and human alike!
I am going to say both or any bird you see alive anywhere is a great survivalist, especially now the world is more polluted than it used to be. Great video. I enjoyed watching & learning about them. Thankyou. I did some videos myself on feeding birds. I cannot get them to feed out my hands like you do. But they do come much closer than they used to. I can get swans & ferrol pigeons & ducks & geese to feed out my hands in the park, but only if they are really hungry.
Anna's, hands down. We feed Anna's all winter up here on the north end of Vancouver Island. I believe more Robins are wintering here too. The Winter Wren is a very hardy individual also, and one of my faves.
We live in British Columbia and I am surprised how tough the little hummies are. And how they fight over the feeders, they do not share, no matter how miserable the weather. You would think when it is snowing and two of them find a feeder they would share it, but no. They chase each other away in huge acrobatics and their little snap snap sounds. You would think they want to conserve their energy, but they are too fierce! Also, they fluff up so much you would think it was a tiny chickadee!
I have a video of one taking a drink at the local library in Abbotsford, British Columbia during fall. The mild winters here probably make it easier for them. Please don't forget that feeder syrup must not be dyed!
For birders in the northern climates - one needs to think like Prepper Mors Kochanski and his painters mil plastic sheeting. Preppers can make a plastic tent (fully enclosed) next to a campfire - and the inside of that simple plastic layer allowing in infrared heat - and keeping it tropical if not a sauna inside - can do the same for tweeties. One can wrap a small bush with a drycleaning bag (or plastic stretch wrapping) over the top of the tree, but open at the bottom. Sunlight coming in creates infrared heat and warms the air inside, contained within the plastic. Or a plastic sheeting strung over a clothes line (and pinned down) between 2 bigger shrubs and having a south-facing front (with open and wind flow-protected east and west entrances) provides another secure location where rain, wind, snow, ice, are kept at bay (and go out and clean off the plastic in the mornings - keeping the plastic tenting clean, dry,, and warm for the critters). Install a feeder stand (and hummingbird feeder), suet block, very-finely ground pemmican meat fibers and lard, chopped up fruits, berries, and vegs, crushed grains and seeds, worms, mealworms, some brewer's yeast (Vit B energy complex), semi-dried, chopped up/crumbled herbs and grasses, and a warm watering basin, alongside another sand or dirt bathing basin, inside the bag or tenting, and this becomes a 10* solar motel-hotel restaurant-cafe-diner for the chirpers.
One can even backstop the inside of the north side of the plastic sheet tent with REFLECTIX (double mylar sided bubble wrap), providing an air convection current blockage, as well as further solar albedo bounce (visible sunlight and infrared heat) within the bag or tenting, having even greater daytime heating conditions. If one really gets industrial, then using RADIANT BARRIER - mylar layered cotton-fiber matting for the inside north side, and this creates an even more black/dark side, heat absorbing matting material (vs sunlight bounce), and great north side insulation - stopping heat loss air flow convection and conduction. If the tweeties want some fibers for a nest - then they can pick at the massive layer of fiber matting.
Oh how do you choose the winter warrior they both are in different ways. The Anna’s Hummingbird is fascinating story as it is adapting to live in the colder climate before our eyes 😊. I guess if you are feeding then keeping feeder from freezing is a must. Heated feeder might be a need
While I give props to both species, if forced to choose I must give the nod to the Golden-crowned Kinglet as it can survive without help from Homo sapiens. That being said I am amazed by Anna’s Hummingbird and it’s adaptability. Excellent video!
For the last four years I have been continuously stocking three nectar feeders for 15 to 20 Anna's Hummingbirds. Tonight, will be way below freezing so I have brought the feeders in the house and will take them back out at 6 AM. Some of these hummers are so used to me that they tolerate me about 18" away from them on the feeder. I live in Portland, Oregon.
I live on Vancouver Island. We keep a feeder going year round. On the occasional cold snaps I will rotate three feeders through the day. The last comes in after dark and first is out before first light. Our lodgepole pine hedge is a favorite roosting spot for our little flock.
That’s where I live and they are so special to see all winter long. We don’t get the snow and cold that other parts of Canada do though. It’s more a rainy climate here. If we do get wintry weather, it never lasts very long.
There both beautiful birds. Each have a uneak way to survive in winter. luv all birds. Hummingbirds my favourite. There both winner's in my book. from 🇬🇧👍👍 an old cockney gal
I saw two Golden Crowned Kinglets in South East Michigan on Easter Sunday. Go to church... in the wild. It was hard to keep them in the view of my binoculars... always on the move.
Love it!! I just met a golden crowned kinglet last year! They are so hang cute!! As far as hummingbirds we only have ruby throated hummingbirds here. Again an appreciated video thank you!
Lesley, I started feeding hummingbirds in winter almost 23 years ago when they TOLD me they weren’t going anywhere! I’d been ‘advised’ to take my feeders down or the birds wouldn’t migrate but I was violently scolded (by hummingbirds) until I put the feeders back up! I use a 3-1 sugar mixture in winter, and rotate two feeders, keeping the extra in my fridge. On mornings when the feeder is frozen, I swap them out, putting the frozen one in the fridge to thaw. The sugar would mold or go cloudy if I left it out on the counter! I use white sugar & dissolve it in water vs cooking. I find the dissolved sugar lasts longer than the cooked. I also prefer a feeder with a perch, so they can rest. Good luck & happy feeding!
Another great little winter bird is the American Bushtit, I run in to small little flocks of like 6 to 10 of them here in Seattle following each other from spot to spot looking for food, digging in the snow in winter and hopping around bushes. They are very active and adorable.
Thank you for all of your time and effort to educate your viewers. My sister gave me a beautiful hummingbird feeder for Christmas. I do have some hummingbirds that frequent my yard in warm months....is it wise to begin feeding them nectar? I have various trees and plants they enjoy already.
Looks like they both are survivors in their own way. Any time you can train humans to feed you, that might be a big plus or minus. Depending on how you look at it. 😊
Thank you for a very informative video. I’ve had a few Golden Crowned Kinglets here with me in Tennessee this winter. It’s nice to know more about them. Mine don’t have the super cold temperatures to deal with but they’ll have a long trip back to their breeding grounds. Amazing little birds.
These two beautiful little wisps of life have made me realize, I complain far too much about the cold. lol It's just amazing what birds accomplish. Thank you for posting yet another informative and entertaining video. 👍✌️
Haha! I know what you mean. It makes me feel pretty guilty when I'm out there with them and I'm struggling to keep warm while they are just zooming back and forth. Little miracles of life. I'm glad you enjoyed the video, thanks a lot for the pleasant comment.
But maybe the birds’ songs are actually complaints about the cold weather. All dsy long they might be saying back and forth, “I’m cold.” … “Me too.” …. “I’m cold.” … “Me too.”
Not just the cold but complaining about anything in general. 💕
Me, too.😪
@@ludlowworthington697 Funny. It would be a hilarious movie if they come up with a machine that would translate what animals are saying, and the sweet little bird is cursing like a drunk sailor about how cold it is. "Hey, I'm freezing my F*&^%$ ass off in this M@#$$$# F&^%% god-forsaken S%3 hole of a country... "
Watching the Anna's hummingbird slowly move north on Vancouver Island has been fascinating. The map shown is slightly out of date because we're seeing Anna's commonly overwintering on all parts of the island now and they are even being seen nesting at all times of the year. I've been feeding them for a few years now in central Vancouver Island.
Same here in Utah, I was just out on a January hike in southern Utah and there where anna’s and costa’s hummingbirds EVERYWHERE flying throughout the live oaks. I have seen reports of them in northern Utah in winter on iNaturalist as well.
Thank you Leslie for this extremely informative, and awesome video...as always! In the last couple of years, I have spent a lot of time feeding, getting to know, and loving birds on my property. I consider it one of the biggest gifts of my life. Birds give us their heart...and they take ours! ❤️❤️
You are very welcome! You said it too, "birds give us their heart, and they take ours" Love it!
Fascinating and informative. Enjoyed learning about these tiny birds. Especially fascinated to learn of the social nature of kinglets and that they communicate with one another and huddle together, and that they put on weight so rapidly in the day.
Thank you so much. I am so happy that you enjoyed the part about the Kinglets social nature; always communicating to one another. Beautiful little creatures.
It's so amazing how life always seems to find a way to survive.
Wonderful video. I agree the Kinglet is very like our Goldcrest here in the UK. (sound as well). Saw a Hummer half way up a Volcano in Chile with snow about. Amazed me! There have been Goldcrest families nesting in a Fir tree near me for over 50 yrs, staying all year. Regards, John.
HB’S are truly incredible survival artists,but I’m going with the Kinglet for the win on this one Nerd. Great stuff 👍😃✌️!
Insects are an important part of a hummingbird's diet. Catching insects provide protein for the hummers all through the year (when available) with insects in their diet consisting of for more than 50%. Flowers with high nectar content is crucially important too, but many will not be in bloom during winter, thus the importance of clean feeders and some help with keeping them from freezing or taking them in a night and bringing them out in the early morning. Salvia, Porterweed, and Cuphea are great examples of plants that are high in nectar content. Lovely video with great photography of the birds and landscape shots. Well done.
Thank you so much for providing this information on hummingbirds and their diet. It's always great to learn more from people with first hand experience.
I didn't even know that Hummingbirds stay during winter. I always thought they migrated south.
Hummingbirds do survive in extreme climates, torporing in the Andes mountains.
What a great lesson .. I had no idea that birds ran so "hot".. Thanks Leslie
Glad you enjoyed it! It's remarkable how birds operate :)
They’re both truly amazing little birds. I got a chill just watching them! Thank you again, for sharing another super informative video!!
Oh my gosh such an awesome video. Thank you Leslie
Thank you so much, Terri. :)
Either one should know that’s a “hard knock life.”💕Love videos like this.
Thanks Lesley!
I love your channel so much :)
It is stressful maintaining hummingbird feeders especially these last few years with the severe weather here in Oregon.
👍👍
Kinglet with it's punk rock featherhawk for the wing..er...win.
Thanks for watching! 🧡❤If you want more amazing birds here is a video on a few awesome owls! th-cam.com/video/VdECvrMQky/w-d-xo.html
Blows my mind how a hummingbird is able to survive winter
In south america there some hummingbirds at surprisingly high altitudes, I think I read they also use torpor
I had no idea that they can be around in the winter time with snow!
I started feeding hummingbirds in winter almost 23 years ago when they TOLD me they weren’t going anywhere! I’d been ‘advised’ to take my feeders down or the birds wouldn’t migrate but I was violently scolded (by hummingbirds) until I put the feeders back up!
I use a 3-1 sugar mixture in winter, and rotate two feeders, keeping the extra in my fridge. On mornings when the feeder is frozen, I swap them out, putting the frozen one in the fridge to thaw. The sugar would mold or go cloudy if I left it out on the counter!
I use white sugar & dissolve it in water vs cooking. I find the dissolved sugar lasts longer than the cooked. I also prefer a feeder with a perch, so they can rest.
Good luck & happy feeding!
@@GaiaCarney cool 😎pfp
@@GaiaCarney good luck
Wow…what a great video…informative and featuring two absolutely adorable birds!! They are both remarkable little beings!! Thanks, Lesley. 😊❤️
Thanks a bunch, Christine :) I agree, those two little birds are just incredible.
@@LesleytheBirdNerd ❤️❤️
yeah 😊new video
Thank you for this post! I live in an urban area; I've got Anna's Hummingbirds browsing my bare, leafless oak tree outside, and it's super cold. I've been flummoxed, trying to figure out how they're alive & kicking!
Awesome scenery, informative, and delivered in Lesley's soothing calm voice. Superb as usual!
I love my Anna's, and work hard to keep them fed all winter, but I think the kinglet wins the contest.
Although the beauty of the hummingbird feels serene, the Kinglet is my winter months royalty. Another great informative video!
Tough decision on the the True Winter Survivor. I learned a lot from your video. The Golden-crowned Kinglet has fascinating food searching habits and that's impressive that they do not cache food like Black-capped Chickadees. The metabolism and biology of the Anna's Hummingbird is simply amazing though! I'm calling a tie - both impressive birds. Great video as always - thanks for sharing and happy birding. :)
I like your decision. I think those two birds are just phenomenal in each of their own right. Thanks for the pleasant comment and for weighing in your own thoughts.
I agree, there's no way to choose between these two amazing birb friends.
Neil Barker - I agree, it’s a tie! That these tiny birds endure in such hostile conditions is amazing!
@@GaiaCarney I love your picture🥰
@@GaiaCarney how is it it a tie I'm confused 😕
Great video! I've heard of hummingbirds that brave the winter if food is readily available- I've always removed my feeders in October to prevent the incentive. I'd be a nervous wreck if I had a hummingbird in sub freezing conditions. 👀
Me too, Todd. Those poor little things are living on the razor's edge of existence under normal circumstances let alone in sub zero conditions
@@LesleytheBirdNerd Exactly- I remember your Baltimore Oriole. So stressful for everyone. 😔
I hope you're staying warm.
Wow inch worms for the kinglets fantastic ! Blue gum trees in B.C wow so interesting. TYVM Lesley amazing video , exceptional narration and explanations. I think they are both exceptional. But the Anna's just amaze me.
Sooo beautiful~💞
Thank you for sharing this video~🤗
I did not know there is a hummingbird that can survive winter. We learn something new everyday. I love this channel!
Thank you, Leslie.
This was fascinating.
I've only seen a Golden-Crowned Kinglet a few times in Virginia. In the Shenandoah Valley.
I've seen them at my parents feeders. Only one at a time, though.
I've always wanted to see the Ruby-Crowned kinglet, but I have not.
I had no idea that they used torpor or that they survived in such cold climates.
I have a friend in BC who has had feeders out in the early part of the year for the Hummingbirds, but he believes they migrate.
He lives back in the mountains, so perhaps they don't stay in that part of British Columbia. I always believed they migrate.
The Scouts show up here around the end of March. And I have seen Ruby - Throated Hummingbirds stay here as late as the 1st over Nov. In mild Autumns. I always believe they catch a hurricane headwind to help them make it farther south.
One year I saw a Hummingbird at my sunflower seed feeder on Oct the 11th about 12 yrs ago. I was shocked and I ran to get the feeders I had put away for Winter and hurriedly made sugar water and cooled it. I watched all afternoon staring at that feeder and I felt to miserable. I now leave my feeders up until the first week of November.
We were always told to take them down around Sept 16 or so to get them to move on.
Well, I wonder how many birds who are stranglers around in little valleys and other areas up north, came south to find nothing.
I always plant flowers for them, but unfortunately, I'm not well and I have hideous, ignorant neighbors who destroy my flowering Vines. It's so upsetting. But I feed the birds year around and I have many species.
Anyway, thank you for sharing your little bird friends and bird information. 🌹
Thank you for sharing all that great information and for being so kind to the birds. :) I would have done the same thing as you if I saw a hummingbird at my yard that late into autumn.
I'm the opposite haha, I see ruby crowned kinglets in my backyard in Utah daily but I'm yet to see a golden crowned kinglet
I love seeing golden-crowned kinglets every winter, but I didn't know any of this! Thanks so much for the education--I will appreciate them even more.
Those stats on hummingbird torpor are mind blowing. Imagining the little fella having to emerge from torpor reminds me of starting the old cars of the 1980s in winter. Gonna be a haaaaaaaard start!
Yeap! That's really true. I believe it takes hummingbirds a half hour to come to full capacity after waking up.
🥰🐦
My hummingbird feeders and camera have taught me, that Anna's Hummingbirds can overwinter in Oregon, even further east than the map shows. We also have Ruby-crowned Kinglet overwintering too.
Love both of the precious birds and your great information! Thank you Lesley ❤
Man incredible that these cute little fellas can survive up here, especially the hummingbird!
Thanks so much for sharing such an amazing video and the information is very valuable, I took many beautiful photos of the Kinglet on 2022 🐦👍🤗
Having hummingbirds all year round would be amazing! We get Rubies here from mid-May to early September. May can be cold with temperatures below 0°C overnight. I mix their nectar a bit sweeter in May. Closer to 3:1 water:sugar ratio rather than the usual 4:1. As it gets warmer, I gradually lessen the sugar a bit until the 4:1. Just a reminder to use regular white sugar. Don't use organic white sugar, it is too high in iron.
Thanks for giving both Fahrenheit and Celsius.🐦
Great video as always. We have at least 2 Anna's Hummingbird nests in our yard. One pair love our cedar tree. They were staying here even before we put out hummingbird feeders.
I have seen Golden-crowned Kinglets in the woods and have struggled to get a picture of them. Now I know why, they just don't sit still.
Interesting I have been caring for my bird friends for many years. Late this fall in Mi. I went out back to take my dog for her daily run. As I was walking through the pines I noticed a little tiny bird laying prostrate in the pine needles. I picked her up and I had never seen this little bird here in S.W. Mi. The bird was obviously near death just a tiny light in her eyes. I quickly took her in and the first thing I do on a window hit or anything is give a few drops of sugar water. She kinda moved a little. Unfortunately she didn't make it. I at first thought it was a male as it had a yellow crown. It was a Yellow Crown Kinglet.
I did have better luck with one of my flock of House Finches. A couple of Finches showed signs of bird flu. Kinda sad because others in the flock seem to ostracize the sick birds from the flock. One sick male kept coming back alone to my cleaned feeder. One day I was able to open my window and he was almost blind so I was able to reach out a snatch him up. Again the sugar water drops and that perked him up. I then cleaned up his crusted eyes with regular eye drops and Q tip. I kept him in a cage for a few hrs and he perked up, so I let him go. Not sure but I think he came back. I think so because he always fed on the window side looking in.
I have Anna's Hummers every year but never ever in winter. Couple things that amaze me is when they get here they come and hover in my window when I'm eating and say "We're here put up the feeders". And they also hover in the window and tell me when the nectar needs changing. One thing puzzles me about the Anna's is at the end of summer about a month before heading south they start chasing each other around the feeders and beyond. Puzzles me because geez in just a short time they gotta fly 1k-2k miles south for winter. Makes no sense wasting all that energy chasing each other when they gotta make that long trek. Maybe theyre just getting in shape..anybody know?
Sorry so long here, love your posts Leslie. Next time I'll write about the family of 5 Crows I've befriended.
Yes I do! Our little UK birds seem to be finding food in our small garden as well as making the most of the sunflower seeds we put out for them. They amaze me.
so happy to see a new video! i rewatch your videos so often, they’re very relaxing 💕 your videos inspire me so much to continue my birding journey, and help my little buddies in minnesota during the rough winter here
What a wonderful video! In September of last year, here in CT, USA, we had a rash of Ruby Crowned Kinglets for a few weeks during their migration, although it took me a little while to figure that out. On my daily hikes in the nature preserve behind my house, I kept noticing quite a few of what appeared to be small Vireos fluttering about. But they were like REALLY small, probably 3 to 4 inches tops. They were much smaller than any Vireo I'd ever seen, so I was quite flummoxed. And then one lucky day I happened to notice one adorable little guy singing from a low branch, and he had a small crimson red stripe of feathers on the top of his head, spiked up like a mohawk! When he was done singing, the red mohawk receded back into his head, and he flew off. After a bit of research I realized that they were actually Ruby Crowned Kinglets, and not tiny Vireos. Apparently their red crown stays hidden unless they are singing! They were only here for a few weeks, and I'm already looking forward to seeing them again next September. Thanks for another great video, Lesley!
I love that you saw all those adorable little Ruby crowned kinglets but didn't know for sure what they were. Too awesome about you getting that wonderful view of their striking flaming crest. Ruby-crowned kinglets are such little delights to watch. It's hard to believe a bird that small could even exist. That is correct, they erect those colorful head feathers when singing, but also when excited. Too cute. I loved reading your experience, and thank you for the kind comment on the video. :)
Loved this one, Lesley. Great information. I was especially interested in the Golden Crowned Kinglet since I know a few of them winter around here. :)
Nothing makes me happier than seeing these tiny insect eaters sliding through the spruces in winter, because I know that they've also been poring over every other apple tree and berry bush on the place! Which means Lots better fruit for me and everyone else next summer...😊
Exactly, wonderful little creatures to have around :)
@@LesleytheBirdNerd - something that folks might want to know; having open sheds for machinery, wood, etc. helps these little critters find safe habitat for extreme weather, without feeling too confined for their liking. Very few of these wild birds would ever come into my dairy barn/hay loft, but they'll huddle right up into an open shed or sugarhouse,
I was just commenting today that it amazes me how the little ones survive these northern winters!
Wow! Awesome timing :)
Lesley---good job on repairing info on 2 birds I have never seen....beautiful little guys...we always feed our h/ummingbirds but as you know upstate NY we only get the Ruby...would love to see Annas.......I would imagine the nectar must freeze or do they have heaters....that Kinglet ia beauty also...hope all is well my friend God Bless
learned a lot on this one. never seen kinglets at my suet feeder in golden bc. ??
I love kinglets! Very feisty for such small birds! We have ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets here in the fall and winter (in Costal Southern NC). Golden-crowned kinglets love to stay at the top of the pine trees or in the spanish moss of the live oaks to forage.
Living in Washington and we love our Anna's. They greet me in the mornings when I check the feeders, amazing birds
I say its a tie.. both are tough! Cool video!!!!
Awesome video work as always. Very helpful and enjoyable
Hello! My husband and I love your channel and watch each and every one of your videos, we are catching up on older ones and recently watched the one bout how you helped a Baltimore Oriole one winter. Thank you for that! We love our Orioles here every spring and summer in Connecticut! We want to purchase a camera for use whilst birding and would like to know what camera you use, if you are able and willing to share that. Thank you again for all the joy you bring to so many sentient beings, avian and human alike!
I am going to say both or any bird you see alive anywhere is a great survivalist, especially now the world is more polluted than it used to be. Great video. I enjoyed watching & learning about them. Thankyou. I did some videos myself on feeding birds. I cannot get them to feed out my hands like you do. But they do come much closer than they used to. I can get swans & ferrol pigeons & ducks & geese to feed out my hands in the park, but only if they are really hungry.
Anna's, hands down. We feed Anna's all winter up here on the north end of Vancouver Island. I believe more Robins are wintering here too. The Winter Wren is a very hardy individual also, and one of my faves.
We live in British Columbia and I am surprised how tough the little hummies are. And how they fight over the feeders, they do not share, no matter how miserable the weather. You would think when it is snowing and two of them find a feeder they would share it, but no. They chase each other away in huge acrobatics and their little snap snap sounds. You would think they want to conserve their energy, but they are too fierce!
Also, they fluff up so much you would think it was a tiny chickadee!
Wow, I did not know all that. Thank you for so much information. Please keep it up.
I have a video of one taking a drink at the local library in Abbotsford, British Columbia during fall. The mild winters here probably make it easier for them. Please don't forget that feeder syrup must not be dyed!
Wow!! Absolutely Amazing!! Thank you Leslie for sharing this beautiful and almost unbelievable video💕Prayers for each of these little🪶loves!!~*
You are so so so sweet, Cindy. I pray for the little birds all the time especially when we get a cold snap.
@@LesleytheBirdNerd ❤
Hummingbirds for me are tropical in its DNA for me so have to go with the hummer.
For birders in the northern climates - one needs to think like Prepper Mors Kochanski and his painters mil plastic sheeting. Preppers can make a plastic tent (fully enclosed) next to a campfire - and the inside of that simple plastic layer allowing in infrared heat - and keeping it tropical if not a sauna inside - can do the same for tweeties.
One can wrap a small bush with a drycleaning bag (or plastic stretch wrapping) over the top of the tree, but open at the bottom. Sunlight coming in creates infrared heat and warms the air inside, contained within the plastic. Or a plastic sheeting strung over a clothes line (and pinned down) between 2 bigger shrubs and having a south-facing front (with open and wind flow-protected east and west entrances) provides another secure location where rain, wind, snow, ice, are kept at bay (and go out and clean off the plastic in the mornings - keeping the plastic tenting clean, dry,, and warm for the critters). Install a feeder stand (and hummingbird feeder), suet block, very-finely ground pemmican meat fibers and lard, chopped up fruits, berries, and vegs, crushed grains and seeds, worms, mealworms, some brewer's yeast (Vit B energy complex), semi-dried, chopped up/crumbled herbs and grasses, and a warm watering basin, alongside another sand or dirt bathing basin, inside the bag or tenting, and this becomes a 10* solar motel-hotel restaurant-cafe-diner for the chirpers.
One can even backstop the inside of the north side of the plastic sheet tent with REFLECTIX (double mylar sided bubble wrap), providing an air convection current blockage, as well as further solar albedo bounce (visible sunlight and infrared heat) within the bag or tenting, having even greater daytime heating conditions. If one really gets industrial, then using RADIANT BARRIER - mylar layered cotton-fiber matting for the inside north side, and this creates an even more black/dark side, heat absorbing matting material (vs sunlight bounce), and great north side insulation - stopping heat loss air flow convection and conduction. If the tweeties want some fibers for a nest - then they can pick at the massive layer of fiber matting.
Amazing creatures. Speaking of champions, definitely not humans, who burn the planet to survive winter. :(
Oh how do you choose the winter warrior they both are in different ways. The Anna’s Hummingbird is fascinating story as it is adapting to live in the colder climate before our eyes 😊. I guess if you are feeding then keeping feeder from freezing is a must. Heated feeder might be a need
I totally agree!
While I give props to both species, if forced to choose I must give the nod to the Golden-crowned Kinglet as it can survive without help from Homo sapiens. That being said I am amazed by Anna’s Hummingbird and it’s adaptability.
Excellent video!
Wonderful video! Thank you so much for adding to my knowledge of both of these beautiful birds. Nanci in Northern Utah 0:02
For the last four years I have been continuously stocking three nectar feeders for 15 to 20 Anna's Hummingbirds. Tonight, will be way below freezing so I have brought the feeders in the house and will take them back out at 6 AM. Some of these hummers are so used to me that they tolerate me about 18" away from them on the feeder. I live in Portland, Oregon.
Love these little birdies!❤❤❤❤ My mom used rig up a covering and heat source for her humming bird feeder. So adorable!
Thanks for the lovely vid. 🐦❣️
You're welcome :)
My hummers go away at Denver Winter
Thanks for a very informative video.
I love the tiny but MIGHTY 😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍
I live on Vancouver Island. We keep a feeder going year round. On the occasional cold snaps I will rotate three feeders through the day. The last comes in after dark and first is out before first light. Our lodgepole pine hedge is a favorite roosting spot for our little flock.
It seems they’re doing a better job than me! Incredible creatures
I hear ya! I feel like a wimp, haha
I have year-round Annas and they are so fun to have around!
I never knew Hummingbirds could live in winter zones in coastal Canada.
Just the Anna's hummingbird species so far.
That’s where I live and they are so special to see all winter long. We don’t get the snow and cold that other parts of Canada do though. It’s more a rainy climate here. If we do get wintry weather, it never lasts very long.
We are the winner every time we get to see them !!!
They are both beautiful
They are both the winner! Thanks for sharing!
🧡💚 💛🧡💜 Very Very Beautiful 💙💚💛🧡❤
Thank you very much
Thank you lesley the bird nerd nice to watch your videos again 😊
You're welcome 😊
There both beautiful birds. Each have a uneak way to survive in winter. luv all birds. Hummingbirds my favourite. There both winner's in my book. from 🇬🇧👍👍 an old cockney gal
Thank you.
🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
I saw two Golden Crowned Kinglets in South East Michigan on Easter Sunday. Go to church... in the wild. It was hard to keep them in the view of my binoculars... always on the move.
The chances of that
Sweet program, Lesley. The moon through the bare tree limbs was coldly beautiful. Thanks for sharing! Stay healthy! Stay warm too!
For me it’s the Golden Crowned Kinglet.
When I think of the word, “bird” that little, chittering poofball takes image in my mind.
Love it!! I just met a golden crowned kinglet last year! They are so hang cute!!
As far as hummingbirds we only have ruby throated hummingbirds here.
Again an appreciated video thank you!
Lesley, I started feeding hummingbirds in winter almost 23 years ago when they TOLD me they weren’t going anywhere! I’d been ‘advised’ to take my feeders down or the birds wouldn’t migrate but I was violently scolded (by hummingbirds) until I put the feeders back up!
I use a 3-1 sugar mixture in winter, and rotate two feeders, keeping the extra in my fridge. On mornings when the feeder is frozen, I swap them out, putting the frozen one in the fridge to thaw. The sugar would mold or go cloudy if I left it out on the counter!
I use white sugar & dissolve it in water vs cooking. I find the dissolved sugar lasts longer than the cooked. I also prefer a feeder with a perch, so they can rest.
Good luck & happy feeding!
God Bless Them Both 🙏 ❤ 🙌 Beautiful video, Huge Thank You
You are so kind
🥰🐤💎💕
Another great little winter bird is the American Bushtit, I run in to small little flocks of like 6 to 10 of them here in Seattle following each other from spot to spot looking for food, digging in the snow in winter and hopping around bushes. They are very active and adorable.
Thank you for all of your time and effort to educate your viewers.
My sister gave me a beautiful hummingbird feeder for Christmas. I do have some hummingbirds that frequent my yard in warm months....is it wise to begin feeding them nectar? I have various trees and plants they enjoy already.
Looks like they both are survivors in their own way. Any time you can train humans to feed you, that might be a big plus or minus. Depending on how you look at it. 😊
Great video, lots of interesting (and some new to me) information. Thank you.
Thank you.
Both of these are gorgeous little birds, so I refuse to choose between them. ;)
Thank you for a very informative video. I’ve had a few Golden Crowned Kinglets here with me in Tennessee this winter. It’s nice to know more about them. Mine don’t have the super cold temperatures to deal with but they’ll have a long trip back to their breeding grounds. Amazing little birds.
Thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment. They are such secretive little birds, I always enjoy it when I see them. I agree, amazing birds :)