When I finally called it a day and the last plastic pot was put in the trash I went into the house and as I walked in something huge, well relatively, buzzed my hair and flew into the house. I thought it was a bumblebee or a giant moth or such. No, it was a beautiful female hummingbird. She tried in vain to get out of the house but couldn't figure out how to drop lower and get out the door. She kept buzzing the ceiling. Needles to say, I opened all the doors but the day before I had put all the screens in the windows so couldn't open those. We watched in frustration as we took red Tshirts and put one just outside each door open to attract her back out, but poor baby just could not figure it out. We watched and did all in our power to get her back outside. While I was near the door a male HB was buzzing the door, either looking for his honey bun or getting ready to come in and get her. I shut that door. After a bit we could see her tiring and thought maybe she will land somewhere. She did, the top of the cabinets. Then brilliance hit hubby and I simultaneously. FABRIC! I ran downstairs looking for some net or gauze or something very light. We didn't want to injure our little princess. I found this very lightweight rayon lace and ran back upstairs. She was still on top of the cabinet, clearly exhausted and pondering her future. I got a step chair, climbed up from behind, and gently, very gently put a layer of the lace net over her. She went limp and didn't fight at all. I think she was just whooped. Then I gathered the lace around her and went to the back porch where her teeny feet were entangled. But I pulled the fabric out straight and lifted it off and she fluttered to freedom but not far. She decided to rest a bit on the back deck and eventually flew to a limb close by. She was on that limb a good 20 minutes regaining her composure before she flew away.
Who knew such an ethereal light fabric would be the savior of this tiny little beauty? So buy on with your stash. You just never know.............Bunny
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Poor little thing! I'm glad you were able to rescue her.
ReplyDeleteIt was a challenge. It's not like a left the door open. I opened it and she came in on my hair like a mosquito.
DeleteWhat a novel new use of fabric!! Glad that the beautiful bird was rescued. We have beautiful fantails that come in (very bad luck in Maori culture but how can something so beautiful be bad luck) and I now know what to do with some of the stash!! I love reading your blog Bunny and am the same about untidy gardens and trying to sew!!
ReplyDeleteMy husband has been a serious birder for most of his 78 years. He was captivated by your experience. We feed the hummingbirds here in Southwestern Va but haven't seen any this year. It's been pretty cold. Yet I fear we missed them and will have to wait for migration again. Thanks for a lovely blog.
ReplyDeleteThey did make their way to upstate NY and the Canadian border. They seem to be in the same numbers as usual.
DeleteGlad you like the blog and hope you visit often. Most of the time its about sewing but once in a while I slip in some local flora and fauna.
Wow, Bunny, you had me worried about that little bird! I was so glad to see that you were able to save the day with your lace! When you sew that lace into the garment and (knowing you) give it away, make sure they know the story of the special bird-saving lace!
ReplyDeleteLoved your story and soo pleased about the happy ending!!
ReplyDeleteGood for you Bunny! How special to help such a tiny thing back outside where she belongs.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely story, Bunny! Thank you for sharing it with us!
ReplyDeleteOh my, what a story Bunny! Your garden work honoring The Lord reminds me of a friend, an older woman who I knew when I was newly married, told me once that her garden was her 'Sunday work' every Weekend after church. She sewed too, for a living, actually.
ReplyDeleteA humming bird in my hair. Sounds like a great title to a great children's story!!! So glad that she flew to freedom.
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful post and you do amazing things with fabric, including animal rescue. I am crazy for hummingbirds and love this story.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful thing for your friends to do by helping you in the garden, and I am sure that it made you feel so much better. As for the hummingbird, it sounds amazing to me, the best we get is the odd bluetit that flys in.
ReplyDeleteGreat story.
The girls worked so hard. One is twenty and the other eighteen. It wasn't easy keeping up but I managed! They will be coming back next weekend for some more gardening and housekeeping. They have truly been a blessing as things were pretty bad around here.
DeleteWhat a wonderful story! It's amazing the things you can do with fabric, it just takes a little imagination :)
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were very small and I used to save pulling weeds for Sunday afternoon after Mass, they would ask me "why did God make weeds?" and I would reply, "so we could spend time alone with Him". It can be a solitary task and a quiet one but so worthwhile. I'm so glad you managed to get the female outside as they get so weary without a constant food source. We are waiting for the migration of males back from the vacation in Mexico for the winter back to our little valley.Having helpers to work the garden or house chores is a blessing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet story~ <3
ReplyDeleteSo glad you saved the tiny bird! What a creative, off-label use of fabric.
ReplyDeleteI never would have thought of doing that, Bunny! Brilliant use of stash fabric! LOL
ReplyDeleteI hope you're not too sore from all your hard work.
Hugs,
Rett
What a lovely use for the lace. We had a sparrow in the house a few weeks back but it finally got out through a window. But it helped that I put some bird seed on the window sill. The cat was certainly excited!
ReplyDeleteGood going! You've described very well the hummingbird's tendency to go UP when frightened. It seems so simple to us, that they should see the open door or window and head for it, but fear overrides common sense in a terrified bird and up they go. Some birds which habitually nest in structures, like Carolina wrens, barn swallows and phoebes, seem to have an instinctive template for "enclosed space" and can instantly assess where they should exit. Hummingbirds are not one of those birds. I've seen a black-and-white-warbler and a mourning dove literally starve to death in a garage with an open door, sitting in the rafters until they literally dropped dead. Not their fault--doesn't mean they're stupid, just wired differently.
ReplyDeleteYou did the right thing. I usually just hand-catch them as they buzz against a high window, which involves getting out a 16' extension ladder when they get into our living room with clerestory windows (sigh. It's a pain in the butt and it happens several times each summer.) Or, as you did, catch them when they tire themselves out. Should this happen again, be sure to mix up a little nectar solution (maybe make it high test, 1 part sugar to 3 parts water) and administer in an eyedropper. Just hold the bird in your hand and poke that little bill into the eyedropper. You'll see the tongue flick out and start to lash and they'll drink and drink. Then you can release the bird, knowing its little tank is full.
Julie, I am honored to have your response here on the blog. Thanks for responding to my email so qquickly. Julie is a world reknown birder, naturalist, artist and author. One of her books, "The Bluebird Effect", is about far more than the lovely winged creatures that so beautifully grace it's pages. She is also a regular on NPR and a blogger any lover of wildlife would love. Find her at http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/ Thanks again, Julie, for checking in.
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