We've got a fight on our hands.
When the hummingbirds finally found the feeder, for several days everybody got along just fine. There was plenty to go around: four red plastic trumpet vine flower feeding tubes - 3 with bar stools - and the riff raff wasps were only intermittent. For the most part, the wasps stay out of the area. (Especially after the king gassed the hive).
Then, one evening at happy hour, there was a flurry of feathers and a swooping of hummers, furiously flying and darting at each other, circling and then speeding off like an arrow. Only one hummer was left on the field. We call him MoFo. Not out of affection.
He's not much bigger than the others, but he makes a lot more noise, and flares and shows his tail feathers - which is pretty aggressive looking. So far, it's done the trick. From being visited by anywhere from 4 or 5 hummers at a time - each slightly different - now it's just MoFo. He sits on the wire directly above the feeder where he can keep an eye on things. Periodically he runs off a fellow bird.
Last night, he was off vanguishing one bird, when another showed up. Good thing, too, because this guy was pretty lean looking. Skinny, you know? Looked like he needed a good meal.
He got in a good, long, draught before MoFo got back and ran him off.
Pissed me off. I'M the one puts the food out, but MoFo thinks to take over? To stake a claim on the whole supply and keep skinny guy out of the garden and hungry? When there's more than enough to go around?! (and more where that came from) Selfish little bastard.
It gives me an idea how God must feel. . . .
I'm just hoping he doesn't take our feeder down.
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