Humming Birds

red_ice

I just this minute saw a Humming bird outside my backgarden. Seriously? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?

My mother said shes seen him a bunch of times a few feet from her, flying on the spot. Are there actually humming birds in ireland?

jameshayes

red_ice wrote: »

I just this minute saw a Humming bird outside my backgarden. Seriously? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?

My mother said shes seen him a bunch of times a few feet from her, flying on the spot. Are there actually humming birds in ireland?

Could have been a GIANT bee?

Alun

Humming bird hawk moth probably ...

http://www.biology.ie/species.php?m=biodiversity&s=719

http://www.rte.ie/radio/mooneygoeswild/gallery/gallery105.html

Lauragoesmad

I love when you see a bird like that that looks like it belongs on a paradise Island somewhere. Its mad to think we have birds like that here.

Alun

Lauragoesmad wrote: »

Its mad to think we have birds like that here.

We don't as far as I know unless one's been kept in captivity somehow and escaped, although I doubt it They're native to North and South America and I've seen them in Washington State in the Pacific North West of America, where the locals put out special sugar water feeders to attract them to their houses.

What we do have though is a very large hawk moth that looks just like a humming bird.

stevoman

red_ice wrote: »

I just this minute saw a Humming bird outside my backgarden. Seriously? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?

My mother said shes seen him a bunch of times a few feet from her, flying on the spot. Are there actually humming birds in ireland?

i bet the lads in the nature and birdwatching forum could help.

Lauragoesmad

Alun wrote: »

What we do have though is a very large hawk moth that looks just like a humming bird.

I thought that was the one that was in the link?

Alun

Lauragoesmad wrote: »

I thought that was the one that was in the link?

When you said "Its mad to think we have birds like that here. " I assumed you meant "mad" as in "cool", "interesting", i.e. that you were still under the impression that we did have humming birds here in Ireland, and not "mad" meaning "impossible" if you get my drift. Now even I'm confused

Lauragoesmad

Alun wrote: »

When you said "Its mad to think we have birds like that here. " I assumed you meant "mad" as in "cool", "interesting", i.e. that you were still under the impression that we did have humming birds here in Ireland, and not "mad" meaning "impossible" if you get my drift. Now even I'm confused

Ha. Yea, I know what you mean.:) I think.:D

red_ice

im convinced i saw a bird, however the likely hood of it all is that i saw a moth. I've just invested in a new lens for my camera and should be collecting it tomorrow. So i can work at the computer and if i get the call that its outside i can just peek out of the window and get a good shot of it. Ill post here right away

Sigma Force

Humming bird moths are very often mistaken for humming birds, just saw them on the tv the other week they really do look like teeny humming birds.

Wouldn't say it's impossible to get a humming bird here but it was more than likely a humming bird moth.

PinkTulips

some garden birds hover for short periods... even robins have been known to do it occasionally!

did it hover for long or just briefly?

Mothman

I've just been alerted to this thread (thanks! )

In all probability it is a Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

This will have probably arrived in from southern Europe in recent days. There are reports of other immigrant insects such as Painted Lady butterfly and Diamond-back Moths, though no other recent reports of Hummingbird Hawk-moth that I know of.
Some years it can arrive in big numbers. Not many past couple years
Because it is an immigrant from warmer climates, most records are from south and east coasts.
http://www.mothsireland.com/species/1987.htm