Migratory
I made a hummingbird feeder this past week.
I took a half liter (16.9 oz) plastic bottle, melted a hole in the cap, and used candle wax to seal in a straw. It’s hanging on my front porch in a little crocheted sling. I’ve seen one bird at it so far, and about fifteen curious neighbors.
I’ve got a beautiful tree in my yard that flowers intermittently all year round and attracts hummingbirds like nobody’s business, but it’s in a seldom-viewed corner of my yard. My new feeder is probably the avian equivalent to living on a diet of only fast food, and it’s leaving a sticky, ant-ridden patch on my porch, but it has the virtue of being where I can see it.
Provided, of course, that I’m not making a trans-equatorial migration of my own at the time.
The Guaraní word of the day is mainumby, meaning hummingbird. There are a few dozen different species in South America, ranging from the mundane oh-I-saw-one-of-those-in-my-azalea-bush-last-week sorts to spectacular sometimes-the-truth-is-stranger-than-fiction freaks.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Clever. I see all manner of skills put to use. Bet you will have tons of bickering birds in no time. I saw a report recently that showcased a gentleman who had over twenty feeders in his tiny yard. I don’t know how he walked out the door without getting dive bombed. You will know you have hit pay dirt when you can find the thimble-sized nest in a near by tree. Good luck. I am jealous.