Hummingbird and Cobweb, Rochester, NY: June 2020: This Ruby-throated female was gathering cobweb material for her nest from my neighbor's chimney. She was a ways off so I walked...

dglueck Loc: Rochester, NY

June 2020: This Ruby-throated female was gathering cobweb material for her nest from my neighbor's chimney. She was a ways off so I walked towards her shooting as I went until she flew off. I'm not sure what the aerobatics were for but she made my day. Maybe she was just showing off.

These are cropped quite a bit and are some grainy. Used Canon 7DII + EF 100-400 IS II USM. 360 and 400mm, ISO 4000-6400, 1/2000 sec, f5.6.

(Download)

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Cool captures. That makes two of us who don't know what she's doing

Robg

dglueck wrote:

June 2020: This Ruby-throated female ... I'm not sure what the aerobatics were for but she made my day. Maybe she was just showing off.

Really cool captures. Is it possible that she was reacting to cobweb strands caught on her wings? After all, what do you do when a cobweb catches on you?

MFTVGirl Loc: Baltimore, MD

Very interesting sighting and captures - have never seen that!

jno

Trying to get nest building material?

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

dglueck wrote:

June 2020: This Ruby-throated female was gathering cobweb material for her nest from my neighbor's chimney. She was a ways off so I walked towards her shooting as I went until she flew off. I'm not sure what the aerobatics were for but she made my day. Maybe she was just showing off.

These are cropped quite a bit and are some grainy. Used Canon 7DII + EF 100-400 IS II USM. 360 and 400mm, ISO 4000-6400, 1/2000 sec, f5.6.

Maybe she was happy there was so much material - both for her AND you

WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

dglueck wrote:

June 2020: This Ruby-throated female was gathering cobweb material for her nest from my neighbor's chimney. She was a ways off so I walked towards her shooting as I went until she flew off. I'm not sure what the aerobatics were for but she made my day. Maybe she was just showing off.

These are cropped quite a bit and are some grainy. Used Canon 7DII + EF 100-400 IS II USM. 360 and 400mm, ISO 4000-6400, 1/2000 sec, f5.6.

Great set.
The next to last is very cool

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

When they fly with their beaks open like that they are catching insects. Can't live on sugar alone, protein is the name of the game.

Don, the 2nd son Loc: Crowded Florida

Looks like Snoopy's happy dance!

dglueck Loc: Rochester, NY

The good folks at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology said she could be feeding or gathering nesting material. Or both, I guess.

Robg has a good point that she's getting some strands off of her wings.

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

dglueck wrote:

June 2020: This Ruby-throated female was gathering cobweb material for her nest from my neighbor's chimney. She was a ways off so I walked towards her shooting as I went until she flew off. I'm not sure what the aerobatics were for but she made my day. Maybe she was just showing off.

These are cropped quite a bit and are some grainy. Used Canon 7DII + EF 100-400 IS II USM. 360 and 400mm, ISO 4000-6400, 1/2000 sec, f5.6.

Great and fortuitous captures! Thanx for sharing!