Getting Buzzed

When I stepped out on the porch this morning, it wasn't long before I got myself buzzed....by a hummingbird, that is. They're back! (Sorry, I can no longer remember what movie that is from, though I can see the picture of the little girl in my mind.) WTIP is very good about reporting regularly on the hummingbird migration. As of Monday, I heard that some had been spotted at various locations throughout the county, but I hadn't been home long enough to notice any here.

I chose not to hang out my feeder after hearing that, mainly because I knew that I would be gone for a few days. It's best if I am around when I have it out....I tend to notice more quickly if it has gone empty, or if the ants have invaded it. A second reason for waiting was because I had heard that we have a bear making the rounds this week. He was a little guy last seen on the porch at Cedar Point. He helped himself to the cooler, removing a loaf of bread from it. Aptly, he earned the name Boo Boo by the owners of the cooler. Now I need to remember each evening to bring in the feeder, so that we don't add to our collection of claw marks on the post where it hangs.

So after this little bird informed me of her return, I searched out the hummingbird feeder. Not surprisingly, I couldn't find our usual one. So I tried a substitute--a very small feeder meant to be stuck into a planter. After filling it and hanging it up, the little lady returned. She hovered a moment, and then took off. I could almost hear her harumph.

I dug a little deeper, checked a new location, and sure enough, found the old familiar feeder. It now is hanging in its usual spot. The male has been back, as I watched him come to sip some of the sugar water. He then did a hover near the newer feeder, and he, too, gave it a feather's down. In fact, he barely gave it a sidewards glance. Could they really be that smart and discerning?

I believe that the ravens can be, but I guess I should give those hummers a little more credit. After all, they can make it all the way from Mexico to here, and they don't carry much in the way of luggage.