Hummingbird diaries
I woke up very early this morning. Technically the sun was up but since the sky is completely blanketed in a pretty thick layer of gray, it felt like pre-dawn.
I opened the balcony door and stepped out to pull the spent blossoms off the hibiscus. It was, just like it is now, raining, light but steady, the raindrops pattering down through the leaves of the garden.
Suddenly, just like a couple of fairies, two hummingbirds popped up just on the other side of the top of the hibiscus, about a foot and a half away. They suddenly saw me a stopped. I held my breath while they just hovered there in the air, staring at me. Then one of them seemed to remember that they were playing tag and darted at the other and they both flew away.
It seemed like before I could take a proper breath one of them was back, darting in under the balcony roof, out of the rain, flitting from side to side, up and down, observing me. Then she took off. For the next few minutes one or the other kept flitting back, getting a drink, investigating the flowers (they're going to be sad when those last 2 aloe blossoms are gone), coming over to peer in the door at me.
Then it started raining and blowing really hard. That gentle summer rain turned into a torrential storm with pounding rain and high wind bursts and thunder in the space of a couple of seconds. The hummers, probably not wanting to be brained senseless, stayed away. But then one braved the weather and came back! Color me surprised! They usually hover or sit on the outer edge of the feeder but this time she came to the sheltered inside seat. She hovered and drank for awhile, then just settled down for a rest. I've seen them sitting on the power line a few yards out from the balcony and perching adorably on the tiny top of one of the bamboo tomato stakes, but it's strange to see them sitting so long on the feeder without eating (like she's doing again).
Early yesterday evening I went out and sat on the a/c unit on the far side of the balcony for a half an hour or so, just watching the little buggers, trying to get some decent pics with my small digital. They don't mind the flash so much anymore. It startles them momentarily but they just hover for a moment then settle back down.
OMG! So adorable! She's sheltering from the storm on my balcony! She's perched on one of the aloe leaves.
I cropped and tried to clean it up but ... oh well!
It's so cute! The rain let up and she flew away, but now she's back perching on the aloe.
OK, tell me truthfully. Is this like a parent being amused and trying to share shit that only another parent of a child that age would find cute or interesting? Am I gushing (OK, I know the answer to that one) and lame? Eh, doesn't matter, no one has to read if they don't want. *G*
Plus other pics from yesterday evening.
Teeny, tiny bird on a wire!
She likes the aloe! She's back!
OK, shutting up now.
I opened the balcony door and stepped out to pull the spent blossoms off the hibiscus. It was, just like it is now, raining, light but steady, the raindrops pattering down through the leaves of the garden.
Suddenly, just like a couple of fairies, two hummingbirds popped up just on the other side of the top of the hibiscus, about a foot and a half away. They suddenly saw me a stopped. I held my breath while they just hovered there in the air, staring at me. Then one of them seemed to remember that they were playing tag and darted at the other and they both flew away.
It seemed like before I could take a proper breath one of them was back, darting in under the balcony roof, out of the rain, flitting from side to side, up and down, observing me. Then she took off. For the next few minutes one or the other kept flitting back, getting a drink, investigating the flowers (they're going to be sad when those last 2 aloe blossoms are gone), coming over to peer in the door at me.
Then it started raining and blowing really hard. That gentle summer rain turned into a torrential storm with pounding rain and high wind bursts and thunder in the space of a couple of seconds. The hummers, probably not wanting to be brained senseless, stayed away. But then one braved the weather and came back! Color me surprised! They usually hover or sit on the outer edge of the feeder but this time she came to the sheltered inside seat. She hovered and drank for awhile, then just settled down for a rest. I've seen them sitting on the power line a few yards out from the balcony and perching adorably on the tiny top of one of the bamboo tomato stakes, but it's strange to see them sitting so long on the feeder without eating (like she's doing again).
Early yesterday evening I went out and sat on the a/c unit on the far side of the balcony for a half an hour or so, just watching the little buggers, trying to get some decent pics with my small digital. They don't mind the flash so much anymore. It startles them momentarily but they just hover for a moment then settle back down.
OMG! So adorable! She's sheltering from the storm on my balcony! She's perched on one of the aloe leaves.
I cropped and tried to clean it up but ... oh well!
It's so cute! The rain let up and she flew away, but now she's back perching on the aloe.
OK, tell me truthfully. Is this like a parent being amused and trying to share shit that only another parent of a child that age would find cute or interesting? Am I gushing (OK, I know the answer to that one) and lame? Eh, doesn't matter, no one has to read if they don't want. *G*
Plus other pics from yesterday evening.
Teeny, tiny bird on a wire!
She likes the aloe! She's back!
OK, shutting up now.