This morning I visited the Riverwood Conservancy while the flowers were still dripping with drops from their overnight sprinkler system shower. I was trying to decide how a real photographer would try to capture an image of the beads of water and the curved sprays of fire red Crocosmia flowers when unexpected motion caught my eye.
A Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird Hovers Hesitantly
I was startled to see a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird visiting the flowers even though I knew that the long tubular shape and bright colour was a typical hummingbird lure. The tiny bird wasn’t too sure about what the clicking noise from my camera meant, so he paused from visiting the flowers long enough to look my way.
As the weak sun caught his throat feathers, they flamed into red. The colour is due to iridescence so it doesn’t show up if the angle of the light shifts slightly.
What Are These Curved Sprays of Red Orange Tubular Flowers in the Garden?
The flowers the Humm was visiting are called Crocosmia. They grow from a corm like irises and tend to flower in the early summer. According to the Pacific Bulb Society they are native to countries in Africa.
What Ontario Native Flowers Will Attract Hummingbirds?
Another flower I’ve seen the hummingbirds visit at the gardens at Riverwood is the Bee Balm or Monarda. Several Bee Balms are native to North America and can make a good choice for a wildflower garden.
I also saw a male Hummingbird visiting the Jewelweed along the Red Deer trail last week. The Pale Jewelweed has just started to open. Unfortunately, I didn’t nab any great photos of him then.
Hummingbirds will visit both Pale and Spotted Jewelweed, shown above.
Seeing the Hummingbird visiting the flowers was a great start to an otherwise grey gloomy morning!
Related Reading
- A Hummingbird Enjoys the Jewelweed at the Rattray Marsh
- A Juvenile or a Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird?
Join In
Do Hummingbirds hang out in a garden near you? Please share your favourite sighting with a comment.