Hummingbirds and blueberries

[jack]

I didn't realize till today that hummingbirds seek out the flowering blueberry bush. I watched one methodically go to every flower on a significantly sized bush.

As soon as he left, my resident catbird, (I love this bird and he's been returning for four years now), flew down to the shrub and began to rip flowers off of it. I don't know if he was making a statement or something else, but it didn't seem he was using them for any other purpose than to rid himself of frustration.

This catbird is the one I caught in the house sparrow trap last week. After I released him (he may have been in there a few hours) I didn't see him for a couple of days and feared he had deserted the property. But, he's back and hanging out on the same Viburnum trilobum he has been nesting in for years.

[havalotta]

Hahahahaha He's getting even with you.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by jack

I didn't realize till today that hummingbirds seek out the flowering blueberry bush. I watched one methodically go to every flower on a significantly sized bush.

Great to know. They do have bell shaped flowers, it makes sense. I'll have to be on the look out for the hummer I saw---come to think of it, he took off in the direction of the blueberry bushes.

All the more reason to plant more of them! Yay! (That is my plan.)

Originally Posted by jack

As soon as he left, my resident catbird, (I love this bird and he's been returning for four years now), flew down to the shrub and began to rip flowers off of it. I don't know if he was making a statement or something else, but it didn't seem he was using them for any other purpose than to rid himself of frustration.

Originally Posted by jack

This catbird is the one I caught in the house sparrow trap last week. After I released him( he may have been in there a few hours) I didn't see him for a couple of days and feared he had deserted the property. But, he's back and hanging out on the same Viburnum trilobum he has been nesting in for years.

I have a resident catbird that squawks at me... I copy the sound and meow back at him.

Strange behavior, not sure what is up with that...but glad to know he is back for your enjoyment.

[will-o-wisp]

Oh, you are lucky to have the hummer come to your blueberry bush Jack.
It is amazing how many shrubs and plants they visit not listed as hummer plants on specialty sites. I've seen 1 visit Bowman's root, Gillenia trifoliata planted under a native honeysuckle.
That being said I am jealous because each year I add another type of plant to attract them and still I don't see any until late summer when 1 visits.
I even have 5 blueberries they can visit.

As for the catbirds strange behavior could it be a territorial dispute ?

[jack]

Originally Posted by will-o-wisp

Oh, you are lucky to have the hummer come to your blueberry bush Jack.
It is amazing how many shrubs and plants they visit not listed as hummer plants on specialty sites. I've seen 1 visit Bowman's root, Gillenia trifoliata planted under a native honeysuckle.
That being said I am jealous because each year I add another type of plant to attract them and still I don't see any until late summer when 1 visits.
I even have 5 blueberries they can visit.

As for the catbirds strange behavior could it be a territorial dispute ?

Haa, If it's a territorial dispute my catbirds a coward! He waited till the hummer left (and he was there for a good four or five minutes) and then immediately came down and started his antics.

Of course, I've read that no bird is a match for a hummer in a dispute, so perhaps in the catbird's case, discretion was the better part of valor.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by will-o-wisp

Oh, you are lucky to have the hummer come to your blueberry bush Jack.
It is amazing how many shrubs and plants they visit not listed as hummer plants on specialty sites. I've seen 1 visit Bowman's root, Gillenia trifoliata planted under a native honeysuckle.
That being said I am jealous because each year I add another type of plant to attract them and still I don't see any until late summer when 1 visits.
I even have 5 blueberries they can visit.

As for the catbirds strange behavior could it be a territorial dispute ?

We should create our own list of what we've actually seen hummers visiting.

At least you get to see one in late summer...here's hoping you start getting them earlier in the spring.

Originally Posted by jack

Haa, If it's a territorial dispute my catbirds a coward! He waited till the hummer left (and he was there for a good four or five minutes) and then immediately came down and started his antics.

Of course, I've read that no bird is a match for a hummer in a dispute, so perhaps in the catbird's case, discretion was the better part of valor.

LOL... glad you gave him credit for his discretion.

[havalotta]

Originally Posted by dapjwy

I have a resident catbird that squawks at me... I copy the sound and meow back at him.

Strange behavior, not sure what is up with that...but glad to know he is back for your enjoyment.

I see you're behavior can be quite the entertainment as well!

On a more serious note....

We should create our own list of what we've actually seen hummers visiting.

That sounds like a good idea...I see the need for a new thread.

[havalotta]

There you go....... Plants that attract Humming birds

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by havalotta

I see you're behavior can be quite the entertainment as well!

~smile~ Well, I guess I entertain myself...not sure what the catbird thinks---or the neighbor(s) if they hear me doing it.

Originally Posted by havalotta

That sounds like a good idea...I see the need for a new thread.

I see you started one; I'll look open it later...right now, I want to drive to a local park that I've been away from for a good two weeks or more...and see what I've missed.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by jack

I didn't realize till today that hummingbirds seek out the flowering blueberry bush. I watched one methodically go to every flower on a significantly sized bush.

As soon as he left, my resident catbird, (I love this bird and he's been returning for four years now), flew down to the shrub and began to rip flowers off of it. I don't know if he was making a statement or something else, but it didn't seem he was using them for any other purpose than to rid himself of frustration.

This catbird is the one I caught in the house sparrow trap last week. After I released him (he may have been in there a few hours) I didn't see him for a couple of days and feared he had deserted the property. But, he's back and hanging out on the same Viburnum trilobum he has been nesting in for years.

Jack, I was out for a walk today along a country road; while walking I was thinking about seeing a hummingbird at my Monarda didyma patch and wondering what I had to attract them earlier in the year. So, I asked Google "Do hummingbirds visit blueberry flowers (voice to text technology still amazes me). What amazed me more was that your post (quoted above) came up in answer to my query. The Google assistant (or whatever it is) read to me "According to Wildlife Gardeners..."

Nice to see WG still shows up in searches. You are internet famous!