Here he is - the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird I saw this year. He stopped by on the evening of April 9th and took his time sampling the nectar in two feeders before exiting around the corner to the front of the house. You bet I ran through the house, swept up my camera, and burst onto the front porch to watch the little guy! I found him resting in a tree clear across the street, in low light. Damn. The one photograph I took was downright horrible but I liked something about it. I played with it a little and turned it into a painting. Ain’t he sweet?
Now, to the lizards.
On a warm winter day, one or two might come out of hiding and rest in the southwestern sun.
Their brief visits lift my spirits and warm me up.
Last weekend we had early summer-like temps. Lizards were out and about, darting to and fro, and scampering over your toes if you let them.
So I decided to have some lizard time. Away with the dogs! Inside they went…
Photo-shoots with lizards are slow and gratifying. Peaceful.
I don’t know much about lizards, but I do believe they become accustomed to having a paparazzo follow them.
How do you get a lizard’s attention?
I wanted eye contact.
Whistle?
Clap your hands or snap your fingers?
Or mumble HEY YOU?
That works!
Yes, you rock, handsome dude.
Go ahead and raise your eyebrows. I enjoy my one-sided relationships with little creatures, snakes included. They choose to live near me. Isn’t that an honor and something to smile about?
Hey, bunny! Are you gonna clean up those pellets?
Yeah, I’m talkin’ to you.
Holy crap. Did someone already take a bite out of your ear?
BOO!
Happy Easter!
39 comments:
Cute post, Mary... I love hummingbirds. I need to get my Hummingbird Feeders out now!!!!!
Have a Happy Easter.
Hugs,
Betsy
I'm glad your lovely hummers are back May. I know how you love them. I don't think I've ever- no wait, I KNOW I've never made eye contact with a lizzard. It must be too cold for those lizzies up here. Happy Easter to you and your family.
Lovely lizards, hot hummers, andbrave bunnies-what more could you ask for! Happy Easter, Mary.
Wonderful post, Mary. Loved the bunny with the mangled ear. Happy Easter!
Beautiful series. The images of the lizard are my favorite, especially the last one.
Happy Easter Mary.
Is the belly of the lizard blue!? That is so cool.
Happy Easter to you too.
Happy Easter Mary. I am so envious of your hummer! Great shots of the lizard and the bunny.
Hi Mary! Horray. They're back. Last weekend I went on hummingbirds.net to the migration map. Two were spotted here in Jersey. With nothing in bloom for them, my friend and I put out our feeders. Now the waiting begins. Sigh.
Happy Easter to you and your family. Lisa
Yay! A hummer!! And I *love* the fluorescent blue on that one lizard. They are so handsome!
You know I always envy your crystal clear hummer shots, but there's something very artistic about this early bird.
And the fact that the branch he's on is still showing catkins, and the sky a lighter shade--it's just real sweet. Sort of impressionist, with the patchy color.
I like it!
Besides, the "firsts" of anything hold a special place that others can't compete with.
Happy Easter!
(my feeders are going out tomorrow!)
Yay, the hummers are back to see you too! :c) Love your little lizards and I know that they love you too Mary. Hoppy Easter!
Love your "painting" of the hummer!!
Such a wonderful looking bird...no matter what light you capture him in!! It is still too cold here to put out hummer food..we are expecting 24 degrees tonight!!
Love your lizard and rabbit photos..such coloring on your bunnies nose..and oh that poor ear!!
Do hope you have a wonderful Easter and lots of sunshine to enjoy it with..
Great lizard shots! So cool to see the close-up view.
Wish I knew what yours are . . . . We have at least 3 kinds here but I don't recognize yours. (Time for me to do some research!)
I love lizards, but mine are very camera shy, maybe because they're shedding right now. Your picture of the blue-bellied one is gorgeous! Your rabbit looks so sweet with its little ears, different from the desert cottontails I see around here. You must be happy that the hummers are back in your area!
I cheated. You can see that bright belly with the help of "color saturation" in Picasa... :o) I wasn't close enough to get a good view of the blue.
You did a great job with the Hummer.
Blessings and Happy Easter.
Lizards ARE fun ... especially when they do their push-ups. I used to follow them around ... just to watch them do push-ups. Maybe not all lizards do pushups ... what say you?
Happy Easter!
The lizard's feet are fascinating and this is EXACTLY the way I want to view them!
Bunnies in our garden, too! So much for the lettuce I planted. (sigh)
Love the pictures, especially the lizards! I have a fondness for them, too.
Love your work!
Keep it up!
Jackie
Such a happy post. I love lizards, too. I miss them now that I live in Maine--no lizards and few snakes. Your hummingbird picture is a masterpiece and the poor bunny--I wonder who got his ear. Happy Easter to you, Mary.
Yay! Mary's hummers are back!!!
Every year, I wait impatiently for YOURS, then a week or so later, I get mine.
We don't get many lizards up here. I want some to come live in my prairie.
I see that the Easter Bunny visited you Mary. It also left "evidence" of his visit besides eggs or chocolate. Ha...
Love the lizard photos. I think I like lizards because they are sort of like owls, they aren't just everywhere and I don't get to see them very often.
Hope your Easter was as lovely as your photos.
Cute bunny! And lizards and hummer, of course. You sure get them early in the season. We wait until May for ours.
Happy Easter!
when i saw the hummer photo..I thought it was a painting..lovely..
cute little lizard critters you have there and you captured their cuteness..
As for that silly bunny..who bit his ear? and did he clean up those pellets?
Really enjoyed this post - It must be warm where you are - we don't expect our first hummers for several weeks. The lizard and the bunny are a delight.
Thanks for a fun visit
Happy Easter to you,too, Mary. Love your pics - glad you finally have hummers. Not yet in Canuckville.
Hope you had a happy Easter, Mary! You've made me eager to get out the hummingbird feeders, though it will be quite awhile before they venture this far north. Thanks for all the cute lizard photos--they are something we don't have in the Midwest. But bunnies? Yes, lots of those! No summer-like weather here, but I won't complain. Lots of rain which should bring some May flowers.
Dear Mary,
I am so happy your hummers have returned.
All is right with the world after all.
I too love the lizards and the snakes and all the critters that call the backyard home.
It is wet and cold at my house. No hummers yet!
Sherry
Wonderful photos Mary. You certainly have an eye for nature photography.
i always saw lizards in georgia, and it was such a thrill, but i have never seen one here in the pacific nw. it may not be warm enough here. :(
some hummers winter here with us. we fed them on days of freezing temps with hand warmers taped to the bottom of the feeder. it worked!
I love catching those lizards ... we have them too, but I've never caught a bunny. I'm fast but not that fast!
What a great post. You really are just the coolest lady around.
My word verif is "unbuts." heh heh!
I absolutely love the bunny!
But!!!! The lizards are so much better. I've been thrilled that they've returned with the warm weather. Like you, I'm akin to a ferret with a shiny bobble when it comes to these little critters. Watching geckos and anoles and various other species prance about in the sunshine has made one thing very clear: Spring is here!
And that means the return of so many creatures that I've missed. So I know how you feel when you see that hummingbird across the way. Every returning species thrills me to no end--as I'm sure it does for you as well.
Hola Mary,
It's so great to know that your hummingbirds are back!!!! I LOOOVE your hummers posts!!
Lizards are cute too. I think I had a bit more of eye contact with them... up in the north of the country there are small ones knows for jumping to the face (locals say they go for the eyes)
I was 13 when I first got a lizard jumping to my face, it was scaaaary!!
I love, love, LOVE your close-up lizard photos Mary! So cool... and cute!
Word verification: plort
Wow, that lizard is pretty small! I bet it would really like some fresh mealworms!
I'm glad your hummingbirds are back now.
Yeah, Mary, when you gonna feed yer lizards? Every time I see a northern fence lizard on our place I toss it a mealworm, just hoping it will stick around and reveal itself again. How I envy you your lizards. We're just a wee bit too far north to get many.
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