Life and death...

I don't normally photograph injured or sick creatures - mostly because it just tears me up seeing anything suffer.  I am making an exception today because I am hopeful that this story may have a happy ending.

I saw this juvenile male hummer fluttering around the buddleia, and it was immediately apparent that he was very weak - either due to illness or injury.  He was barely hanging onto the flower, trying desperately to drink.  I ran and got a small tube feeder and held it near him - he drank then fluttered to a hanging basket of flowers, where he continued to try to feed himself.  I kept giving him nectar - at one point pouring some in a tiny red cap and giving it to him while he sat on my hand.  He eventually flew a short distance to one of our cherry trees, where he sat very still.  I figured that he needed rest and that me hovering near him was probably more stressful (to him) than helpful, so I let him be.  When I went out 10 minutes later to check on him, he wasn't in the tree - and, more importantly, he wasn't on the ground under the tree.  

O.M.G.   I just went back out after posting this and saw the little guy again...and what I realized is that is not sick OR injured - he's a newly fledged baby!  This puts him at least six weeks behind the nesting season this summer so I have to wonder what the heck happened?  I have gotten some photos of him begging from his mother - when I get them sorted out, I'll post a link.  Holy cow!  

And if you want to see six other shots, some including Mama, click HERE

Sorry for going on and on... some of you know that I have a very special relationship with the hummingbirds that grace our yard each summer.  Intellectually, I know that, as with any wild bird, their first-year survival rate is low.  That doesn't stop me from wishing for each of them to survive and flourish, and return next year.

My hubs has suggested that I am trying to save the world, one bird at a time ... and sometimes I think he may be right.  

And, with apologies, I replaced the original shot with one I took a bit later which is much better.  You can see the little guy hanging onto the buddleia as he flaps his wings for balance.  He's going to have to work on his technique if he is going to make it to his wintering grounds this fall.

Be well, people.

PS:  And the bear that Hilly and Shelley were hoping to see last weekend made a dramatic appearance on the deck tonight.  It them climbed into the middle of our weeping cherry tree and popped its enormous head out.  I snapped a photo through the living room window and have posted it in Extras.  300 mm, no crop.  Yikes.