Here's my hummingbird "saga" from January:
There were two humming birds here that apparently didn't fly south for the winter. Although I didn't have a feeder for them, they would hover in front of my kitchen window when I was throwing bread crumbs and peanuts out for the multitude of birds that frequent my yard..... (currently running around $60 a month for sunflower hearts...)
So I got a humming bird feeder and made some "home brew" nectar. All was well, other than having to bring it in every night due to temps in the 20's. (naturally some drops of sugar water spilled on the floor and soon the ants launched their assault... but that's another story)
So, one evening just before dark, I went out to retrieve the feeder.... lying there on the ground below the feeder was a tiny humming bird... inert, with it's tiny wings spread.
I gently picked it up and cupping it in my hands, began breathing hot breath on it.... and hurried into the house.
The little thing was quite alive.... but not responding. I fetched a tiny cardboard box and placed the bird inside. Dug out one of my "emergency hand warmers" and placed it in the box as well as a jar lid filled with nectar. Closed the lid...
Now I went back outside to bring in the feeder....... there was another humming bird lying on the ground! So I picked it up and scurried back inside. As I opened my cupped hands to place it into the box..... it took off, like a tiny helicopter..... whirrrrrrr
Not panicked at all, it zipped around (carefully) and off it went down the hall and into one of the bedrooms..... which one, I couldn't see as the hallway was dark.
I looked high and low, to no avail.
Finally, I brought in the feeder and suspended it on the
light fixture over the kitchen table.
Next morning....
Before dawn, having my coffee...... whirrrrrr came my little guest.... right to the feeder!
I sat there sipping my coffee and wondered... how am I going to get this thing out of here.....
So as daylight came ever so slowly, I went around and shut all the shades except for the kitchen. Turned off all the
lights, opened the kitchen window and waited.... and waited..... whirrrrrrr..... whirrrrr.... but not going out!
So I began to "herd" it.... which of course led to some anxiety for both of us! Finally, as it sought refuge in a space above the kitchen lamp I was able to gently make my snatch..... and sent it out the window into the morning world.
But wait.... what's going on with the one in the box? Well, not about to open it to find out, I carried the box outside to the patio.... slowly opened the flaps....
Staring up, beak at the typical 45 degree angle, was guest number two! Nectar from the jar lid consumed!
Back inside to retrieve the feeder back to its hook and noted that number two had left the box.
In recollection, I do recall seeing those two (the only hummingbirds that I've seen here at Jack and Pedro's (Pedro is my dog) Bird Ranch...) having what appears to be a territorial dispute over the one feeder.... so now I have two feeders out there.... one for each bird.
They still argue. :-)
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