every evening, about an hour before it gets dark, we don't have sunsets in california, it just gets

dark, i take a thermos of decaf espresso and a gran finca, a honker that takes an hour plus to

finish, and watch the hummers get their last feeding before torpor. sometimes i stand about a foot from the feeders and the birds fly around me. i noticed one bird sitting on the feeder with his tongue out, looking like he had some problem. i touched his tale feathers slightly and he didn't fly away. i stroked his tail feathers again for 10 or 15 seconds and he stayed there. i walked back to the table to pick up my cigar and figure out what to do. i looked back at the feeder and he was still there. he took another

drink and then flew away. there was nothing wrong with him, he just let me pet him.

Rickamaven, St. Francis and The Bird Man of Alcatraz. What a trio. Somehow, though, I don't see St. Francis chomping a Cuban Parejo.

Hey Rick, That's pretty nice. I have breeder parrots that won't let me pet them, and I feed them and care for them. Maybe it's because they don't like cigars.LOL

Barry

BMW: what are you breeding? toby and i have a gala and a grey. we have had a blue and gold, a catalina, a moluccan, a nape, gold mantell rosella, a purple eclectic, and assorted little birds + a variety of 20 pair of finches. all in the house at the same time. i forgot we raised canaries and had about 8 cages hung all over the house. from what i understand, only the gala, and not all of them, will let you in the nest without a fuss. [email protected]

Rick,

Good book for you to read: 'The Mind of the Raven'.

My favorite after: 'The Hidden Life of Dogs'.

I had a Blue and Gold Macaw and he did not like smoke of any kind! Wish I still had him! His name was Sargeant Pepper! Charlie

I seen a show about humming birds and it said something about there matabolism is so fast that if you move slowly they can't tell you are moving.

BUD 451: HEART RATE:

EXCITED 1000/MIN

RESTING 500/MIN

TORPOR 100/MIN

CALORIE INTAKE 10,000 PER DAY

SPEED AS FAST AS 50 MPH

BREATHING TO 205/MIN (MAN-16/MIN)

WING BEATS 50-100 PER SECOND

char5353: there is something special about a blue and gold.

Pretty fast indeed. Is it true that they can't see you move if you move slowly?

BUD451. sorry, i don't know.

Mr. Mean can answer that one. He has a tennis racket full of hummingbird feathers. He said that you do have to move very slow to get close enough. Then...........

thwiiiinnnnnggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Wap!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wasps are the same way. If you move very slowly, you can push your hand right into their nest. Try it sometime...

Nice bird list Rick, we breed mostly Quakers,(normal and blue), Half Moon Conures, and African Senagals. We have a Timneh Grey, a Double Yellow Amazon and a Quaker for pets. My wife wants a Blue and Gold but 3 pets +breeders is enough for me.

Charlie, I hope the loss of your Blue and Gold wasn't tragic. None of my birds smoke Cigars, but don't leave one out!

Barry

It's true. I do. Can't wait for spring. I'm a ninja you know.

Tried that with my wife....doesn't work, woke her ass right up!

Well, Hummingbirds are pretty fast, but not faster than one of my full serves with my tennis racket...BTW, the season is about to start in a month 😉

are you sure that the nectar hadn't fermented? maybe the ol' hummer was intoxicated? just a thought.

I shink *hic* you may *hic* be on to shumthing *hic* Burp...

ROTFLMAO!! @ Jack and Gaiter and Meanie

RICK has any of the birds ever perched on your cigar? What kind of taste does that add to a La Finca? Does the hummingbird burn hot? How's the draw? 😉