163. Hummingbirds

I plant flowers in pots around the porch and in flower beds around the house. I have annuals and perennials and I enjoy them, not just for their beauty, but also for their ability to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. I especially enjoy the hummingbirds that seem plentiful in the late afternoons and early evenings of August and September. They especially enjoy the petunias—red and purple petunias. They will also hover in front of me for a few moments if I’m walking across the grass or if I have a bright red t-shirt on. I guess the color of the shirt piques their curiosity. I love it when they just hover in front of my face and look at me. Of course, it’s never for very long, but when it happens time pauses briefly and two sentient beings closely observe one another. I have no idea if those tiny little birds are as grateful for me as I am for them, but I do enjoy their presence and that they would pause and recognize me in their constant movement is a blessing inexpressible.

I can’t typically tell one type of hummingbird from another, though I do search books and the internet to see if I can identify them. Perhaps that’s what they’re doing when they’re hovering and looking at me. I do know that in my part of the world the Black Chinned, Rufous, and Calliope are the most common in summer. They are considerably smaller than their cousins I’ve seen in winter in the Bay Area of California which were bigger and darker. But you can always tell a hummingbird from another bird because of its tiny size, its quick flight, and then the ability, unlike any other bird, to hover while at a flower or at a feeder or while observing someone or something. They always seem to be on the go and it is a rare occasion, indeed to see one sitting on a limb or wire. When you see that, don’t bother trying to photograph it because it will last mere seconds and unless you already have the camera prepared, the bird will fly away.

They are amazing little creatures unlike any other bird and I am so grateful for their presence.