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A hummingbird in the hand . . .

7/28/2013

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My morning started like every sunny summer morning, with a cup of coffee in my garden. But things soon took an unusual turn. I noticed a baby hummingbird struggling to stay in the air as his tried to drink from the flowers in my garden. It wasn't that he couldn't fly. He could, but he seemed exhausted.


I decided to observe for a while and only offer assistance if necessary. He buzzed to one of my planters and slipped between the plants and the side of the planter. Although he was giving it all he had, he couldn't quite make it back out. Just as I approached to offer a helping hand, he lifted above the edge and flew to my raised perennial bed. Concerned, I continued to watch.


Eventually, it became apparent that he didn't have the strength to carry on. As he perched on a purple coneflower as wasps swarmed him and he couldn't chase them away. At this point, I decided to bring a feeder to him. When he tried to drink, I noticed a wobble and thought perhaps I would lose him. He lifted his head and chirped a tiny chirp that touched my heart. I reached out my  hand and gently closed it around the tiny body.


With my free hand, I brought the feeder to within reach and was amazed to see this tiny bird begin to drink. We stood for a while, my hummingbird and me. I loosened my hand and he made no attempt to escape.


Slowly we made our way to the garden chair where we sat for close to 30 minutes as he alternated between drinking and resting. At one point, he even cleaned his beak on my finger. I can't say for certain, but when he cocked his head and looked me in the eye I think he spoke to me.


Eventually, he lifted his little wings and buzzed away. He has been back once for another drink and I can hear him chirping in the brush. 


Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures, but the experience was amazing. Hopefully, he will return so that I can get some pictures later . . . but until then, I am content to have held this tiny jewel in my hand.


                                                            Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!


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Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



Photo used under Creative Commons from MyArtfulLife
  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables