I love collective nouns and this one--a charm of hummingbirds--is really wonderful, though when they are in combat mode, I wouldn't exactly call them the most charming of birds! In the past couple of weeks I've seen both Anna's and Rufous hummingbirds in our garden--when there is any kind of contest, the Rufous always win--surprising because I've seen the Anna's chase others of their own species off with great courage. Here is an Anna's feeding at a salvia. 
To the right is a Rufous hummingbird apprpoaching a scarlet trumpet vine--no more sightings this week, so it may be this was just a transient hummer, as I don't see them most times of the year. They summer in Alaska, and winter in California and Mexico. Meanwhile, the Anna's are year-round residents of our neighborhood.
Earlier this year I created a relief print of a hummingbird pair I observed one summer in my back yard, resting briefly and remarkably peaceably on Crocosmia "Lucifer", definitely one of their favorite plants. Pomegranate Publications just let me know they will be publishing it and 3 others as a boxed notecard in January 2013. I am really happy that the work I am doing on birds is finding an audience and am most grateful to Pomegranate.
A charm of hummingbirds is a lovely expression. I see them often in our garden: they like nasturtiums. Sometimes they get a bit confused and bump on the window. I love watching them. And your print is beautiful: I like the bright red.
Posted by: Simona | August 08, 2012 at 03:36 PM