A Bird in the Hand

They are fast little buggers! As they zip by your head just inches away, the sound is a body penetrating pulsating drone, a loud whir. There are two hummingbird feeders on the deck and all day long they dart about and dance around and defend the dispensers of clear sugar water.















So how did one of them end up in my hand? I watch them and thought they are too small and too fast to even film on my camera adequately. Look what I have to show you now.

I went out to the car for the last bit of groceries and left the door open. When I got back inside I heard that drone. I hope that is a big moth. No it was a hummingbird inside trying to fly through the glass window. I opened both doors momentarily before I thought, My Knob, more of them would buzz into the house. I closed the one closest to the feeders and waited for a while. The poor bird flew up to the skylights and was trying to fly through the roof.

It tired and found a small crevice to cling to in the uppermost skylight in the peak off the roof.
















With stealth and a ladder I snuck up on the tiniest of feathered things and scooped him into the palm of my hand. Left handed I managed to snap a few pics and when I was ready I opened my palm. The poor formerly buzzing and zipping, darting and dancing bird just lay there.

Had I clutched it too hard? Had I broken a thin wing? Please tiny bird stop blinking and fly. I laid it to rest on a dish on the table. For long moments it sat still its wings and feet tightly closed, blinking and breathing hard, with a bit of a quiver. Then in a flash and a whir it lifted up and was gone.

New Rule: Do not leave the front door open for even a moment.