Absinthe

I have a new companion these days ... a female Anna's hummingbird has been hanging around a lot this week, alternating between the drinking from the feeder and sitting in the maple. Buff breast, shimmering green back/wings, and a metallic red flash at her throat (sometimes you see it, sometimes you don't). I haven't even tried to get a picture--she just doesn't stay still long enough. Here is a decent shot.

I tend to name those of my regulars I can tell apart -- the squirrel with 1/3 of a tail is Stubby; the starlings are Larry, Moe, or Curly. This little lady is Absinthe -- a dangerous green fairy. Hummers may be small, but they're aggressive. She doesn't seem to mind the chickadees, but she's run off a Stellar's Jay already. Here (first picture) is an even more suicidal hummingbird.

Interesting tidbits about hummingbirds and spiders -- not only do the birds use spiderweb as a major component of their nests, they steal insects from webs to satisfy their protein requirements. I'm not sure what the spiders get out of this, but hey, I'm not a big arachnid fan, so it's cool with me.