Last week I was at a meeting at a friend’s inn when a guest of theirs came in and said a hummingbird was in the sun room. The husband had gotten the poor little guy out of the window and he brought him outside. I had read that to revive a hummer it should be given sugar water, so I got out the hummingbird food that my friend has to refill his feeder. I went outside to where the little guy was, poured some in my hand then gently lifted the little fellow to try to get him to drink. He took just a sip and that was it. So, I placed him in my palm closer to the water – he started to sip from between my fingers like drinking from the feeder (it tickled!). He drank a little then we moved him to the shade, put a feeder close by and then lifted him onto the feeder where he drank away! Much to our delight he then flutter his wings and landed on, appropriately enough, a “Hummingbird Crossing” sign. He then flew back to the feeder, drank again – then took off! We cheered.
Now for years at the end of every summer – I try to entice these tiny birds to come close to me. I take down some feeders and stand closer and closer to them as the birds get used to me. Then I hold a feeder in my hand (I’ve seen videos of people doing this) but to no avail. So this rescue was the first time I’ve ever held a Hummingbird – I was beside myself with joy! I truly feel like I was given a wondrous gift!
Little male Hummingbird
