Tech Overview: Specialized Drones

Reconnaissance, Surveillance, Making Movies, Heavy Lifting, Package Delivery, Planetary Exploration There's A Mission-Specific UAV For Every Task -

- Michael Lynes

Hopefully, unless you are a clandestine stalker of aging, pedantic engineers, under the vast category of things you didn't know about me, I love hummingbirds.

I am fascinated by birds in general. I like having them around the house, listening to their calls as they mate and build their nests, and watching them as they raise their broods. We have a lot of opportunities to view wildlife as we live in a mainly rural area, but even if your home has just a patch of green with a shade tree or two, with just a little effort, you can attract all sorts of flying beauties. To that end, I have set up feeding stations in my backyard, self-engineered Rube Goldberg [1] type contraptions designed to provide birds with food while at the same time keeping the pesky squirrels from stealing all the seed and suet. Whether homemade or storebought, seed feeders are great at attracting various types of birds, especially during the cold winter months.

Another way to get songbirds to come within easy watching distance is to provide them with nesting sites. Building birdhouses is easy and fun. There is a ton of information and many DIY videos on the web suited to any skill level, and I've built more than a few over the years by following online design tips.

Birdhouses, however, are not required to attract hummingbirds.