Abstract:
A blind for attracting and observing animals, a wearable hummingbird blind for observing feeding hummingbirds in close proximity, and a hummingbird feeder. The blind includes head covering colored to draw hummingbirds and suitable for hiding from view, at least a human forehead. A breath diverter diverts the wearer&#39;s breath from feeding hummingbirds. Birdfeeders around the wearer&#39;s head hold bait to draw hummingbirds to the wearer.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is related to a blind for observing animals at close range; and more particularly, to a personal bird blind for observe birds such as hummingbirds up close.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Many people enjoy viewing hummingbirds. People place hummingbird feeders outside their home windows to view feeding hummingbirds.  
         [0003]     Hummingbirds have a natural fear of people. Consequently, because hummingbirds are skittish, it is difficult for people to observe hummingbirds at very close ranges.  
         [0004]     Thus, there is a need for a hummingbird blind that allows people to observe hummingbirds at extremely close range without scaring off the birds.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention is related to a blind for attracting and observing animals, a wearable hummingbird blind for observing feeding hummingbirds in close proximity, and a hummingbird feeder. The blind includes head covering colored to draw hummingbirds and suitable for hiding from view, at least a human forehead. A breath diverter diverts the wearer&#39;s breath from feeding hummingbirds. Birdfeeders around the wearer&#39;s head hold bait to draw hummingbirds to the wearer  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1A -B show an example of a personal hummingbird blind for drawing hummingbirds to within inches of the user&#39;s face, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  shows an example of a side feeder;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  shows an example of a top feeder. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0010]     FIGS.  1 A-B show a front and side view, respectively, of an example of a personal bird blind  100  that draws feeding birds, e.g. hummingbirds, to within inches of the blind  100 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Preferably, the personal bird blind  100  includes head covering or headwear  102  that, when worn by a user, covers the wearer&#39;s face. This example shows side feeders  104  on both the left and right sides of the headwear  102 . Optionally, a top feeder  106  may be located at the top of the headwear  102 . Any combination of the side feeders  104  and top feeders  106  will suffice, but all three are preferred. Preferably, a breath guard  108  is located at the front of the headwear  102 . Also, in this example eye protection  110  covers the user&#39;s eyes. An optional bird perch  112  may be located at and extending from the breath guard  108  into the line of sight of a wearer.  
         [0011]     Preferably, the headwear  102  is selected such that it camouflages the user and, also, visually attracts birds. The side feeders  104  and top feeder  106  hold bait to entice hummingbirds. Normally, even if an approaching hummingbird does not sense danger from the human, the bird avoids a human face The inventor has found that, this is because the hummingbird is avoiding the heat of human&#39;s breath. Thus, advantageously, the breath guard  108  deflects a wearer&#39;s breath away from approaching and feeding hummingbirds; and, birds will come up to the blind, unperturbed by the breath of a user wearing the blind. Since feeding hummingbirds have long sharp beaks, the eye protection  110  guards the wearer&#39;s eyes from those sharp beaks that may be within close proximity. Also, the optional bird perch  112  places resting hummingbirds up close and in view.  
         [0012]     The preferred headwear  102  camouflages or masks the user by hiding identifiable human features, e.g. the user&#39;s nose, hair and mouth. Also, the headwear  102  may be colored to suggest a flower and thus, visually attract hummingbirds, e.g., headwear  102  may by solid red, orange, yellow or some combination or floral combination thereof. Examples of suitable headwear  102  include: a welding helmet, a beekeeper&#39;s mask, a construction helmet, a bandana, a hood, a cloak, or anything else that masks a portion of the user&#39;s head without scaring hummingbirds. In one particular example, the headwear  102  is a red mask and more particularly, a mask similar to the mask worn by the Spider-Man™ character of Marvel® Comics. It should be noted the above examples of headwear  102  (e.g., the Spider-Man™ mask) are provided for example only and not intended as limitations.  
         [0013]     Suitable breath guards  108  include, for example, a surgeon&#39;s mask, a welding mask, a bandanna or anything else used to direct or defuse the user&#39;s breath away from hummingbirds as they feed. In a particular example, the breath guard  108  is a handkerchief wrapped in front of the user&#39;s face to cover the user&#39;s nose and mouth.  
         [0014]     Optional eye protection  110  shields the user&#39;s eyes from the beaks of hummingbirds. Eye protection  110  may also camouflage the user&#39;s eyes from hummingbirds as they feed. Suitable eye protection  110  may include, for example, safety glasses, sunglasses, a welding mask, a beekeeper mask, goggles or anything that can protect the eyes of the user from hummingbird beaks. In particular, the eye protection  110  may be a pair of goggles, for example.  
         [0015]     Also in this example of FIGS.  1 A-B, an optional bird perch  112  is shown attached to the breath guard  108 , just beneath the eye protection  110 . The perch  112  extends away from the mask to place perched hummingbirds in the line of sight of the user. Flower cuttings may be clipped to the perch  112  for an additional hummingbird lure. Thus, the optional bird perch  112  allows the user to observe perched hummingbirds between feedings.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  shows an example of a side feeder  104  for either side of the mask  102 . The side feeders  104  may be, for example, platform, hopper, suet, tube, and nectar birdfeeders. In this example, the side feeder  104  is a bulb feeder. Each bulb feeder  104  includes a bulb shaped reservoir  1040 . The reservoir  1040  is a thin walled container with an aperture (not shown) through the exterior surface. The aperture allows for the reservoir to be filled with fluid or to have fluid extracted from the reservoir. One end of a tube  1042  is inserted into the aperture. A fluid tight seal adheres the tube  1042  to the reservoir  1040 . Preferably, the tube  1042  is hooked shape. The food dispenser  1044  is connected to the other end of the tube  1042 .  
         [0017]     Initially the reservoir  1040  is filled with hummingbird food, e.g. sugar water or nectar. The hummingbird food, in the reservoir, then drains into the tube  1042 . The hummingbird food then pours into the food dispenser  1044  from the tube  1042 , where the food is accessible to hummingbirds. Optionally, the side feeders  104  may include bleeder valves (not shown) for controlling fluid flow. The optionally bleeder valves may be slightly cracked open to allow fluid to flow freely down the thin tube  1042  and into the food dispenser (e.g., a flower). Also, a side feeder fitted with such bleeder valves may be adapted for the front with a flower dispenser at the tip of wearer&#39;s nose. Further, for additional flow control, a hose (not shown) may be attached at one end to an air intake (not shown) at the top or side of the reservoir  1040  for remotely controlling fluid flow, e.g., manually plugging/unplugging the hose or, with the other end attached to the bleeder valve and manually switching the bleeder valve or holding the bleeder valve open.  
         [0018]     Preferably, the food dispenser  1044  is located for optimal visibility of the feeding hummingbirds. So, when the side feeder  104  is attached to one side of the mask  102 , the tube  1042  and dispenser  1044  hang below the reservoir  1040 . Thus, the tube  1042  is bent towards the front of the mask  102 , such that the dispenser  1044  is in the line of sight of the user.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  shows an example of a top feeder  106 , which sits on top of the mask  102  in this example. The top feeders  106  may be, for example, platform, hopper, suet, tube, and nectar birdfeeders. In this example the top feeder  106  is a nectar birdfeeder with a reservoir  1060  sits on a base  1062 . The base  1062  sits flush on the top of the mask  102 . There are four food dispensers  1064  in this example attached to the base  1062  of the top feeder  106 . The food dispensers  1064  are arranged in a square pattern around the reservoir  1060 . Ducts (not shown) allow food to flow from each reservoir  1060  to the food dispenser  1064 . This example also shows, an optional hose  1066  attached at one end to an air intake at the top or side of the reservoir  1066  for additional flow control. A bleeder valve  1068  at the other end of the hose  1066  provides for remotely controlling fluid flow, manually switching the bleeder valve or holding the bleeder valve open or closed. Alternately, instead of the bleeder valve  1068 , a plug (not shown) may be used to manually plug/unplug the hose  
         [0020]     The reservoir  1060  may be filled with hummingbird food. The ducts drain the food into the food dispenser  1064  again making the food readily available to hummingbirds.  
         [0021]     Advantageously, when the personal hummingbird blind  100  is worn correctly, hummingbirds come within inches of the mask  102 . The user is able to view hummingbirds right up in his/her face, without scaring the hummingbirds. Since the feeders in the preferred embodiment blind are tightly located around the user&#39;s head, the feeders are less sensitive to head movement. Thus, the open fluid containers tend to splash less fluid with any amount of movement; wasted bird food is dramatically reduced.  
         [0022]     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. It is intended that all such variations and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims. Examples and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.