Close, but No Cigar

Birds can drive you absolutely mad. You try to anticipate what they are going to do, but it doesn't seem to do any good. You can watch them do the same thing over and over, but when you go to capture it, they change up on you. Notice how close the feeder is. So close and yet... That pink on the end of her bill, I think, is pollen from a flower.

I would prefer that they don't sit on the rope. I prefer "au naturale" as it were. They didn't get the memorandum, though. I mounted small branches, the kind they sit on when they sit in the trees, the kind they seem to prefer, but to little avail. I personally think they prefer the rope because their feet fit it better and it is softer on the feet. I mean, we prefer cushioned soles, don't we?

I came across this image of a hummingbird sitting on a branch (prop). Images like this are as rare as hen's teeth!

This is the pole I used to prop up the rope line. They landed on this more than they landed on the little branches. I finally gave up on the branches and didn't even bother to use them anymore.

I'm not sure why, but when they get to chasing each other, they will land on the pole more frequently. Young-of-the-year have a clean look to their feathers and I can tell this is a young bird. They stretch their necks like she is doing when they are feeling guilty about "stealing" juice from the grand dame's feeder.