Hummingbird

Palomar · 2004-07-09 06:08:18

*I saw a dead hummingbird for the first time in my life last evening. It lay on the ground in front of our home. It's one of the saddest things I think I've ever seen. They are such pretty, exotic little creatures. I didn't pick it up (ants beginning to collect...), but I was surprised to see how feathery its wings were, especially considering how their wings are a mere bee-like blur when they're darting around flowers and such. They're so energetic and full of life, seemingly constantly in motion as they zip and dart around flowers and tops of trees -- and to see one dead, well...

I know death touches everything in the universe, so why does it seem strange to me that the lovely hummingbird is subject to death as well?

--Cindy

dicktice · 2004-07-09 11:47:12

Hummingbirds are holy terrors towards each other, I was surprised to see, fight over territory around the feeders we hang out on our porches. There are lots of them up here in the Nova Scotia. They have to "fuel up" to make it accross the Gulf of Main, which is incredible, at their rate of metabolism. Monarch butterflies, between here and Mexico, too. Natural selection takes so much time to develop such migration routes. The bird populations which squeezel through the Middle East (by the way, what ever happened to the term: Near East?) between Asia and Africa--all those species, from storks to hummingbirds--and all that destruction of habitats going on, is enough to make one weep, for them as well as the human victims of so-called religious forces.

Palomar · 2004-07-09 12:32:14

Hummingbirds are holy terrors towards each other, I was surprised to see, fight over territory around the feeders we hang out on our porches. There are lots of them up here in the Nova Scotia.

*Yes, I suppose the fairyesque little creatures fight among themselves too (hard to believe though). Nature being what it is.

My uncle (now deceased) knew a man who saw a hummingbird try to feed but was having trouble. He noticed it's slender beak was bent. He got a pair of small pliers, caught the hummingbird; it lay still in his hand while he gently straightened out its bill. Apparently the bird sensed the man was trying to help it. When he let it go it started feeding like crazy, all fine and dandy.

--Cindy

dicktice · 2004-07-09 13:37:54

I heard on the radio, coincidently, last night, that to catch a bird that has accidently entered a room (through an opening, e.g. in the side of a greenhouse) and can't find its way out--to catch it you have to lunge an grab it with both hands (tentatively by the legs, say, will cause it to beat its wings terribly). It calms down right down and just "looks at you with one beady eye." until you release outside. Like pinning one's arms in a straitjacket, perhaps? I wonder. Anyhow, the act of releasing, was said to be good for both parties involved.

Josh Cryer · 2004-07-10 18:11:43

I saw a rather large puddle of water the other day, no idea where it came from, but in it were about a million tadpoles, I couldn't help but pity them, I reckon all but a few of them died (assuming any at all survived, actually). My "save the animals" instincts kicked in, but I just walked off. Even if all of them were to be fed and water added, the puddle couldn't have held the plauge that would've ensued (and I'm not kidding when I say a million, the water was literally black with tadpoles, they were dying right in front of my eyes). Makes you think, though. Life seems to be able to exist almost anywhere, but it doesn't always last very long when it does.

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#1 2004-07-09 06:08:18

Re: Hummingbird

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Re: Hummingbird

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