Absent
I promised myself I would not let August slip away without writing a post on this blog. A year and a few hummingbirds have flown by since I clicked the publish button. I spent from September 2015 till the end of April 2016 traveling and having a sabbatical of sorts. It was important for me to take a break from all the work involved in running my retreat. I was able to meditate, spend time with my family in the south, and visit Jamaica during January, February and the first week of March. It was interesting and quite wonderful to sidestep the cold of winter. I do not remember ever getting away for the entire winter during the forty-one years I have called New England my home. I do love winter in many of its icy gray ways. But, having had a year off, I wonder how I will survive without getting away for at least two of the coldest months from here on out. I did get to know and love some of the colorful wildlife in Jamaica and the memory of their beauty will surely lure me back in the future.
Red-billed Streamertail Hummingbirds
The striking hummingbirds were my favorites. Early mornings, I stood on my balcony waiting for them to come to sip from the bright hibiscus blossoms covering a large bush just below my railing. During my walks to the sea, I would encounter the hummers high in trees diving into various blooms. It was always a special sighting and especially exciting to capture a male. The Red-billed Streamertail is also known as the ‘Doctor Bird’ and is endemic to Jamaica. This dazzling hummer along with the Black-billed Streamertail are the Island’s National bird.
Confusing Gender
One sunny morning, a young or a molting male Red-billed Streamertail hummingbird was perched on a wire fence next to a friend’s garden. As I walked nearer, he did not seem to mind my taking his portrait. I was amazed he allowed me to get so close. More often, I could hardly see them for their speedy natures. His tail is beginning to lengthen but a long way from what will become the longest tail of any hummingbird the world over. The other two hummers sipping from hibiscus above are a mystery to me. They might be females, but then, they might be juvenile males.
The three females or young male Red-billed Streamertails above are even more confusing. They seem much smaller, though I guess it could be their posture. The slightly curving bills and coloring of the middle and far left hummingbirds seem to match, but the hummer to the far right is quite different. There are Ruby-throated hummingbirds in Jamaica, and at first glance, I thought this could be a female. It seems too big to be the tiny Vervain hummingbird that lives on the island. And much to big to be the Bee hummingbird . . . the tiniest bird in the world. My friends had sighted the tiny hummer in their garden most mornings, but I never got the chance to see it. It was lovely to be around these tiny creatures for two months last winter. I have a few Ruby-throated fledglings here darting about Flower Hill Farm but they will be heading south soon. I have a few more tropical hummers to share next time.
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Wow, what a treat you’ve had with your traveling, and the hummers are indeed charming! Perhaps you’ll have to skip winter every year now….
It was a wonderful escape from all the demands of running my retreat Robin. I do not think I could do it every year though. Thanks for visiting. Lovely to hear from you.
Hello Carol. It’s been a long time, i was wondering what happened to you. I was worried if your health was the reason you were gone so long. Now i am so glad you are back, am sure you are very well after the long sabbatical. The plants there are same as here, maybe we have the same climate. But that hummingbird gives the difference. We only have the olive-backed sunbird which is almost similar but very small. Your photos are still great, as i remember them. Take care and have a good time.
Thank you Andrea! It is lovely to hear from you. I will have to look up your sunbird. I hope you are doing great.
So good to read a lovely post from you. Glad you had a wonderful sabbatical and returned refreshed. We need that every now and then.
Love your hummer photos. What beautiful birds they are.
Have a great week and I hope to see you posting more once again.
Love & hugs ~ FlowerLady
Thank you for your kind words Lorraine. Yes, now and then we do need a break from our busy lives. Time to consider and explore other worlds. The doctor birds were amazingly beautiful.
Good to read a new post from you Carol. I was also affraid that something happened to you. But here she is again.
What a fantastic photo’s of the birds. I wish we had them in Holland.
Wish you a beautiful time.
Thank you Marijke. I think building my website burnt me out. I hope to post once a month for now. Hope your life is lovely there in Holland.
Wonderful to see photos from your sabbatical. You always have a way of capturing a bird’s wingspan. And these little ones are no different. It was a pleasure just coming to your website, once again. I just sat, watching the slideshow header. I’ve missed your photography. AND your writing.
I have missed you too Eva. I am so glad you like the slide show header. I hope to be posting more regularly again.
Carol, How delightful to hear about your tropical adventures and to see your beautiful photographs. -Jean
Hi Jean! My, it seems so long ago you were here visiting from Maine. My gardens have grown wilder since then. I enjoyed visiting your piece from nearly seven years ago. Thanks for visiting and I hope your life is going and growing really well.
Carol – so nice to see you and your beautiful photographs back! Having moved from Heath last year, I am now writing about a new garden in Greenfield. Lots of plants for lots of pollinators.
Pat, I cannot believe you could leave your fabulous roses and all the magic of your Heath home and gardens. Yet, I can believe that a large place becomes too much to handle with time. It must be fun to create a new smaller garden. Thank you for visiting and remembering me.
So lovely to find you again and read about your sabbatical. Wonderful photographs as always.
B.
Thank you so much for visiting and for your kind words Barbara!
Hello!:) It’s always a good idea to get away for a while to recharge ones batteries,… I also wondered what had happened to you, but was pleased that you visited my blog, and all is well. Absolutely gorgeous photos of the Hummingbirds, and I love your header with the Monarch butterflies on the Asters. The expressive colour in your paintings is reminiscent of Henri Matisse, …one of my heroes!! I specialize in portrait painting, which I don’t show on my blog.