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Cox Engine of The Month
"Henry" the hummingbird
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"Henry" the hummingbird
Lynne and I named Henry this evening. I figured that he was a male.. because of his bright-red/orange plumage on the front of his neck. Henry had been feeding at a newly-placed nectar-feeder. I first noticed him early yesterday morning. He was hanging "upside-down" from a perch.. I thought that he might be "stuck".. but he righted-himself and moved to a different perch out of view. I didn't think any more about it.. and hadn't mentioned it to Lynne.
Later in the afternoon, Lynne alerted me that there was a hummingbird hanging upside-down from the feeder. She thought it was dead. I knew that it must be the same bird. I went outdoors and reached-up for the little bird. He fell into my hand.. "fluttering his wings" for a second or two.. but then settled into my palm.
There was obviously something wrong with little Henry. He was weak.. so I placed him on a table on our deck and mixed-up a micro-batch of nectar which I put in the cap from a soda bottle.. and placed it under his beak. He drank a little bit of it.
I left him on the table with the little capful of nectar for the night; free to fly-away if he had the strength. This morning it was raining.. and he was still there. Soaking-wet; he turned his head and moved his tail-feathers. I was glad that he was still alive.
When I returned from work this afternoon.. Henry had passed-away.
I decided to give him a burial.. since I'd held him in my palm and fed him. We'd planted some Salvia.. which has red flowers that attract hummingbirds.. so I laid him down atop a bed of the flower-petals.. placed in a small tin.
He was laid to rest beneath a perennial hosta in our backyard. Rest in peace little Henry.
Later in the afternoon, Lynne alerted me that there was a hummingbird hanging upside-down from the feeder. She thought it was dead. I knew that it must be the same bird. I went outdoors and reached-up for the little bird. He fell into my hand.. "fluttering his wings" for a second or two.. but then settled into my palm.
There was obviously something wrong with little Henry. He was weak.. so I placed him on a table on our deck and mixed-up a micro-batch of nectar which I put in the cap from a soda bottle.. and placed it under his beak. He drank a little bit of it.
I left him on the table with the little capful of nectar for the night; free to fly-away if he had the strength. This morning it was raining.. and he was still there. Soaking-wet; he turned his head and moved his tail-feathers. I was glad that he was still alive.
When I returned from work this afternoon.. Henry had passed-away.
I decided to give him a burial.. since I'd held him in my palm and fed him. We'd planted some Salvia.. which has red flowers that attract hummingbirds.. so I laid him down atop a bed of the flower-petals.. placed in a small tin.
He was laid to rest beneath a perennial hosta in our backyard. Rest in peace little Henry.
Re: "Henry" the hummingbird
Nicely done, I would've done the same. I'm truly amazed by them and I certainly wouldn't want one to suffer . Ken
Ken Cook- Top Poster
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Kim- Top Poster
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Re: "Henry" the hummingbird
Nice actions on both your parts, Roddie and Kim. Henry could have expired from old age, they do migrate from somewhere in Mexico. Kim's picture of the re-fueling is great!!
Marleysky- Top Poster
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Re: "Henry" the hummingbird
Last year I heard some chirping coming from the garden & discovered baby Wattlebird under a tree in the garden.
Nowhere near as pretty as Henry.
There didn't appear to be a nest in the tree but I did discover a sibling in the tree. They obviously had fledged from the nest, but a sudden burst of nasty cold & wet weather had spoiled their plans. I managed to catch him and sat him on a branch next to his sibling- young & injured birds don't last more than a few hours on the ground around here as there a numerous local cats who are very opportunistic.
They were cold & wet so I decided to make them a cosy straw nest in a fork in the tree. Sadly, for all my efforts, I found them both huddled together dead on the ground under the tree next day. Funny how we can become so easily and quickly attached to a small helpless creature.
Nowhere near as pretty as Henry.
There didn't appear to be a nest in the tree but I did discover a sibling in the tree. They obviously had fledged from the nest, but a sudden burst of nasty cold & wet weather had spoiled their plans. I managed to catch him and sat him on a branch next to his sibling- young & injured birds don't last more than a few hours on the ground around here as there a numerous local cats who are very opportunistic.
They were cold & wet so I decided to make them a cosy straw nest in a fork in the tree. Sadly, for all my efforts, I found them both huddled together dead on the ground under the tree next day. Funny how we can become so easily and quickly attached to a small helpless creature.
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akjgardner- Diamond Member
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Re: "Henry" the hummingbird
Double greenies for Henry and air refueling. + +
Birds love to get into the open doors of the four car garage. When I see them I open all four doors and vacate. A sad day was when I found a dead hummingbird on the floor, a clone of Henry with iridescent plumage on his breast. I took a moment to study him up close but dispatched him with much less reverence than roddie did perhaps because I did not have a prior relationship with him.
Hummingbirds are delicate little creatures with a phenomenal heart rate. The July issue of National Geographic has an extensive article about them with amazing pictures. If you don't get it, it's worth a trip to the library.
Edit add:
Added pictures, saving you a trip.
Birds love to get into the open doors of the four car garage. When I see them I open all four doors and vacate. A sad day was when I found a dead hummingbird on the floor, a clone of Henry with iridescent plumage on his breast. I took a moment to study him up close but dispatched him with much less reverence than roddie did perhaps because I did not have a prior relationship with him.
Hummingbirds are delicate little creatures with a phenomenal heart rate. The July issue of National Geographic has an extensive article about them with amazing pictures. If you don't get it, it's worth a trip to the library.
Edit add:
Added pictures, saving you a trip.
rsv1cox- Top Poster
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Posts : 11070
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Re: "Henry" the hummingbird
Poor Henry
Well, that is how nature works I guess. There's no hummingbirds in Finland but when I lived in the US I saw a few. Their metabolism really is something I suppose they can't go for many hours without eating. To me they are the birdlife equivalents of Tee Dee .010s, amazingly small, amazingly high-revving
Well, that is how nature works I guess. There's no hummingbirds in Finland but when I lived in the US I saw a few. Their metabolism really is something I suppose they can't go for many hours without eating. To me they are the birdlife equivalents of Tee Dee .010s, amazingly small, amazingly high-revving
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Re: "Henry" the hummingbird
Thank You; all who have commented. I have a VERY sensitive/passionate side to me. Maybe it's the "Musician" thing.. I'm not sure.. but it comes from somewhere.
I posted a vid that I shot during Hurricane "Irene".. back in 2011. It hit Rhode Island pretty hard. High-winds.. broken branches.. leaves all over the yard. We had hummingbird-feeders full of nectar at the time. This feeder was right outside the kitchen-window for me to capture some video. It was amazing to see these tiny birds.. feeding/"flying" in this type of weather. No other birds were seen during this storm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs0Lek9pgTw
I posted a vid that I shot during Hurricane "Irene".. back in 2011. It hit Rhode Island pretty hard. High-winds.. broken branches.. leaves all over the yard. We had hummingbird-feeders full of nectar at the time. This feeder was right outside the kitchen-window for me to capture some video. It was amazing to see these tiny birds.. feeding/"flying" in this type of weather. No other birds were seen during this storm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs0Lek9pgTw
Re: "Henry" the hummingbird
roddie wrote:Thank You; all who have commented. I have a VERY sensitive/passionate side to me. Maybe it's the "Musician" thing.. I'm not sure.. but it comes from somewhere.
I posted a vid that I shot during Hurricane "Irene".. back in 2011. It hit Rhode Island pretty hard. High-winds.. broken branches.. leaves all over the yard. We had hummingbird-feeders full of nectar at the time. This feeder was right outside the kitchen-window for me to capture some video. It was amazing to see these tiny birds.. feeding/"flying" in this type of weather. No other birds were seen during this storm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs0Lek9pgTw
Not surprised, they have a high need for calories to survive. They gotta eat Rain or shine
Cribbs74- Moderator
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Re: "Henry" the hummingbird
Darn. Despite my best efforts..........
I found an expired Hummingbird on the garage floor. The first and hopefully only one this season. She must have got in while the door was fully open and I was mixing paint for the shed deck.
I'm not sure what do do with her, a Gandhi funeral....ashes to ashes, or something else. I have margarine containers that are reasonably water tight. The occasional mouse trapped in the basement gets tossed in the back yard to feed a snake or more likely a Red Shouldered Hawk but a bird...........
I found an expired Hummingbird on the garage floor. The first and hopefully only one this season. She must have got in while the door was fully open and I was mixing paint for the shed deck.
I'm not sure what do do with her, a Gandhi funeral....ashes to ashes, or something else. I have margarine containers that are reasonably water tight. The occasional mouse trapped in the basement gets tossed in the back yard to feed a snake or more likely a Red Shouldered Hawk but a bird...........
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