You know how different herds or flocks have evocative names for their gatherings, like a murder of crows or a brood of hens? Well, a group of hummers is called a hover or a troubling or a charm – isn’t that fabulous?

It turns out that a perfect time to find a charm of hummingbirds is in a giant red flowering shrub in between showers (when they’re good and hungry)!

There were at least eight hummers, several had their territory staked out and the others would try to sneak by for a feed before being chased away.  I based my count both on the ones I could keep my eyes on while hearing the songs of the interlopers. It seems all my shots were of the immature male who’s territory I was also invading.