I have been sick for about four weeks and am now getting better. Walking outside last night and not wanting to get very near my visiting grandson and one of my granddaughters, both age 7, (I might still be contagious) I was pointing to a hummingbird that had landed on the feeder and was sucking in that sugar juice. I kept pointing and walking closer and the little hummer didn't move. Finally I was right there stroking its little back and it just kept drinking!

Then it stopped, butted my finger with its little beak, and started drinking again! Both grandkids were wide-eyed and I was just so glad they were there as witnesses!

We have had 25 to 30 hummers at a time at the feeders outside my home office this year but I've never been able to get this close to one! It was so soft...just like velvet! What an experience!!! I bet my eyes were as wide as the kids!!!!! It was just so neat! I'm a writer and it's hard to find words to describe it! The only thing I can think of that does it justice is that IT WAS ALMOST LIKE MAGIC!!!!

-- Suzy in 'Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), October 05, 2000

Answers

Suzy, I let my 12-year-old son read your post, because he is a bird FREAK. This kid amazes people with his knowledge of our feathered friends. He loved your story! I'm sure that he will want to try it himself next spring, now that you've shown that it can be done!

-- Shannon (Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary) (gratacres@aol.com), October 05, 2000.

Magic is the right word!

A couple of years ago, I was wandering around a local used book store. Located in the country, the owner had left the back door open to a view of a rushing stream. A hummingbird flew in and then tried to get out by flinging itself against a window. I cupped my hands and captured the poor scared thing. It was as if the bird was weightless, as I felt nothing in my hands. When I went to the door and opened my hands, it flew away. What a wonderful experience that was!

-- bluetick (coonhound@mindspring.com), October 05, 2000.

Suzy, what a wonderful experience that must have been! I envy you! Saw my first Hummingbird at age 45, thought it was a giant moth. Afterwards, I felt blessed at seeing such a quick thing.

-- Church Fan (hand@waver.com), October 05, 2000.

Ok, NOW I can tell my hummingbird story because there are folks on this thread who will appreciate it! Last week a hummingbird got into my husbands' workshop and just flew back and forth throught the rafters for an hour. Hubby came and got me because he knew I loved the little critters and perhaps I could figure out a solution. I went out to the shop with my broom from the kitchen, hoping to have the bird land on the bristles and escort him out the door. There he was flying back and forth. I stood with my upsidedown broom and talked to him.."C'mon little guy, just land on this nice soft broom and I will walk you to the door." I said it ONCE! He flew onto the broom and just sat there as nice as can be while I walked him 40 feet to the door and then another 10 feet to a tree where he then hopped onto a branch. Husband said if he had not seen that himself he never would have believed it. I felt like Snow White in the forest! God bless.

-- lesley (martchas@gateway.net), October 05, 2000.

Its things like these that make life worth living.

-- kathy hIts (saddlebronc@msn.com), October 05, 2000.

WOW! You are lucky ladies! :-)

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), October 06, 2000.

Your story reminded me of when I was a little girl vacationing in Colorado. We used to hold our hands with the fingers spread out under the hummingbird feeders. Sometimes I would get four or five birds resting on my hand at one time! My folks still have home movies of this incredible feat. Hummingbirds are so wonderful.

-- glynnis in KY (gabbycab@msn.com), October 06, 2000.

Wow, this thread just made my day. I love wild birds and am fascinated when I can get real close to one to get a good look. I am surprised that several of you have been able to touch hummingbirds. A friend had just had an experience with a hummingbird several weeks ago but she was able to pick it up because it had come inside the house and hit up against a window, stunning it. I didn't realize you could actually hold/touch one that was not injured. Thanks for sharing.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), October 06, 2000.

We had the great honor of having a mama hummingbird build a nest in our tree and raise two babies. You could almost reach up and touch the nest. It was in the lower branch of a huge mulberry tree in our backyard and just swayed in the wind. The nest was so tiny -- I never would have noticed it but for the fact that I noticed the bird hoovering around the branch and wondered why, since she couldn't be getting nectar. Then I saw her tiny nest. It was pure joy to watch through the sunroom windows as she sat on her nest and then to watch her feed the babies not five feet away! I left the nest and I've been told they may return and use it the next year. I hope so! I never in my life thought I would ever get to see a hummingbird nest since they are so small.

-- Connie in NM (Karrelandconnie@gateway.net), October 06, 2000.

When I recued my little hummer, I knew I had held a miracle in my hand. I really understand the postings here. We've been so blessed.

-- sharon WT (wildflower@ekyol.com), October 06, 2000.

I really enjoyed the posts about hummingbirds. We have 3 feeders and sometimes, there are as many as a dozen hummers out there. I don't know what it is about them, but somehow, I just feel really good when they are around. I was wondering if anyone understands their movements when they are going south, north, or whatever. It was during the end of September an early October when it seemed like they would all be gone for the year but suddenly, one day, there would be a dozen or so out there and they looked different. I wonder if different groups are migrating when I go out, there is a different group of them then what I was seeing days earlier. One day I went out and counted a dozen of them and they all seemed to have darker feathers than the others from earlier days. Does anyone know about this? Also, I wonder why they create such an interest. We have other kinds of birds that visit out other feeders but nonwe of the seem to turn me on like the little hummers They are just really special. I wish I could get close or touch one like some of you. Eagle in Texas.

-- eagle (eagle@alpha1.net), October 06, 2000.

Well this must be our lucky posting, we all have a hummingbird story to share and they all seemed like MAGIC (the only word that fits), I would like to share mine because it just made my day. Like most of the others it was when the bird was in distress, MY bird was bumping into the overhead flouresent light of a friends shop. I reached up and gently clutched it and walked to the door to release it, then the MAGIC occured, it just sat there for a few seconds before it flew away . I don't think anything has ever thrilled me as much. I hope to read of other MAGICAL moments. Thanks for sharing. Wayne Roach.

-- Wayne Roach (R-WAY@msn.com), October 07, 2000.

Yes the hummers are so wonderful. This year we stood under their feeder, placing our pointer fingers parallel to the little perches, and at one point my husband had one hummer on each finger. The other thing you can try, is simply take your feeder down, sit down, knees up and prop you arm up on your knees, and hold the feeder out away from you. (In other words, get comfortable, it may take a while). First they'll scold you, but eventually they'll come feed from it. Seeing a hummingbird that close is truly MAGICAL, as you can see their little eyelashes, and individual little feathers. Happy birding.

-- Katie (ktthegardener@yahoo.com), October 07, 2000.

As a soldier at ft. Hood it was my unexpected pleasure to help a heat stressed humming bird. It had some how gotten it's self trapped in a hummer that i was about to work on this past summer. I took it to a shady spot and let it drink from a soda cap full of water while it rested in my hand. And 15 minutes later it streched its wings a couple times then flew off. They are a lovely little bird. But my favorite bird rescue was of a Great Horned Owl that was hit bye a car it was only helped for a couple days. before its release but to hold it was the most wonderful experience as it sat on my wrist looking at me before it flew off to its home.

-- anthony j. didonato (didonato@vvm.com), October 07, 2000.

What wonderful stories!!!!!! I have gotten to watch them from afar, not really getting too close, until one year. My parents had come to visit and we were sitting outside on the porch swing. One flew through my dad's hair, parting it. I guess parting his hair made it off balance because it fell to the ground. My daughter that was 4 at the time, scooped it up and petted it.It got up, looked her in the eye and flew off. I have not been that close to one since, but we are in the country now and hope to see more of them!! :-)

-- Cindy in OK (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), October 08, 2000.