Wine & Hummingbirds

Ceil left work early so that we could get to the last “Wine & Hummingbirds” wine tasting of the summer. The Heritage Oak Winery owners, Tom & Carmela Hoffman, had given us permission to come an hour early so that I could take pictures of their 50+ hungry hummingbirds before the other guests arrived.

This would be our first visit to Heritage Oak, a small family-owned winery nestled in the Lodi wine country, about 20 minutes from our house. There are over sixty wineries around Lodi and its growth as a wine region is starting to rival the world famous Napa valley. Combine the short drive with fine wine, delicious dessert, cool music, amazing birds, and an opportunity for a photoshoot… I’m so there!

The long driveway takes us to a tree shaded patio, surrounded by acres of vineyards. We can see five hummingbird feeders hanging at the edges of the patio and by the farmhouse. We settle into our seats, wait a few minutes, and watch in amazement as the hummingbirds begin to gather for dinner.

What a serene experience! Tom offered us glasses of a blend called “Zinfidelity”, a medium bodied red comprised of Zin and Cab grapes. Clever name, nice wine. As the other guests began to arrive, we moved over to a table on the farmhouse porch to get closer to the hummers for picture-taking. A white wine drinker, Ceil ordered a bottle of the crisp and fruity 2007 Sauvignon Blanc to have with Carmela’s apple pie à la mode. Perfect combo! And while we’re enjoying our treats, the birds are just as excited about their feast of sweet water. A light breeze is blowing. Tom is tinkling away at the piano. People are sipping, chatting and laughing… Tonight, everybody’s happy!

And now, Hummingbird FYI:
►Hummingbirds are found only in North and South America.
►The smallest bird on earth is the Bee Hummingbird. It isn't much larger than a bumble bee.
►They are the only bird that can fly both forwards and backwards, both straight up and down, sideways, hover in one spot, or fly upside down.
►Normal flight speed is about 25 miles per hour, but they have been clocked at speeds in excess of fifty miles per hour during their courtship dives.
►During normal flight their wings beat about 60-80 times per second. During dives they might beat up to 200 times per second.
►Most hummingbirds unfortunately die during their first year but, those that do survive that first year have an average life span of 3 to 4 years.

Event: August 8th “Wine & Hummingbirds” at the Heritage Oak Winery – Lodi, California

A Postscript – Today’s post marks the halfway mark on my quest to post a weekly photoshoot for a year. So far I haven’t missed a week, but it is more work than I imagined it would be six months ago! Still, as a result of this challenge to myself, I have learned a lot. I’ve gone to some very interesting places and improved my photography skills. Most importantly, I’ve meet some wonderful people, both in real life and here at photoblog.

So here’s a special shout-out and a heartfelt “thank you” to you, my photoblog friends. You know who you are. Your photographs are beautiful. And your always kind comments mean more than you know.