THE BIRDS OF HOME

 

Subscribe to My Blog! March 19, 2022 THE BIRDS OF HOME PREVIOUS BLOGS: TERRYBAUM.BLOGSPOT.COM PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED. PODCASTS, EVENTS, INFO, POSTERS: LilithTheater.com I sleep and work in my studio, which I reach by going out my back door and down a half of flight of stairs to the backyard. See the photo right. As you can see, there is a small tree right across from my studio door. It's a fuchsia tree. There are some little fuchia flowers hanging down on the right. For a couple of mornings, I would come out of my studio to go up to the kitchen to make tea, and a hummingbird would be flying around in front of me. In my self-centered human way, I thought the tiny bird was trying to communicate with me -- "Hello! You're special! I want to be your friend!" Something like that. I see a lot of hummers in my garden. In fact, I have a special rule about them, which I call The Hummingbird Rule. When I see one of them darting around, I am required to stop whatever I'm doing and watch it until it flies out of sight. Come to think of it, that might be the only rule I have that I actually consistently ADHERE TO! I love hearing that amazing tiny helicopter sound when they're close. So. For a couple of mornings, I began my day by having a ruby-throated humming bird dancing in front of my face and then flitting away. Delightful! Then I noticed THIS in the fuchsia tree: THAT LITTLE BLOB IN THE CENTER IS MY HUMMINGBIRD'S NEST! Then I realized that this tiny being really WAS trying to tell me something when she stood six inches from my face and chittered at me: "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY NEST, YOU CREEPY MONSTER!" Having done some Googly research, I can tell you: Hummingbirds build velvety, compact cups with spongy floors and elastic sides that stretch as the young grow. They weave together twigs, plant fibers, and bits of leaves, and use spider silk as threads to bind their nests together and anchor them to the foundation. It takes the mama up to seven days to build the nest. A NEST THAT STRETCHES MADE WITH SPIDER SILK! Oh, if only I'd seen her building it! (I am so greedy, aren't I? Not satisfied with having an actual hummingbird nest outside my door, I want More More More!) How DID she build a nest in such a visible place without my noticing? Here is the location of the nest in relation to my house: And finally, a day after I discovered the nest, I actually saw Mama Hummer in it: She's out there right now. I just checked. She doesn't seem to mind my standing and looking. I'm not trying to get REAL close. I'd have to get a ladder to look inside the nest. I'm not going to do that. This is the photo I just took right now: I know, this photo is almost the same as the last one. It's silly to include it. But she IS facing the other way! Isn't evolution absolutely wonderful? What a world we live in! What an astounding multiplicity of species! And one of the more spectacular species has built a nest right outside my studio door! Really, you never can tell what gifts will be bestowed on you. HUMMINGBIRDS! FUN FACTS BY JANAYA WECKER AND ANDREA BLUMENSTEIN (from the internet): Most birds form monogamous pairs after mating. The male helps feed the young. Not the hummer! Males ditch the female after donating their sperm. Mom does ALL the work. Once hatched, the female must provide food—a mixture of nectar, tiny insects, and pollen—for her young, which she regurgitates into their mouths. She can’t spend too much time away from the nest searching for food, however. For the first several days of life, hummingbird hatchlings cannot regulate their own body temperatures, and so depend on their mother to keep them warm. Oy vey. I'm worried. What if we have another cold snap? They have amazing memories. These smart birds can remember every flower and feeder they've visited, as well as how long it takes for a certain flower to refill. They can fly thousands of miles every year. In terms of migratory feats, hummers go the farthest of any bird in proportion to body length. For a 2.5-inch hummingbird, the few thousand miles traveled between breeding grounds and winter habitats is positively huge.  There are over 350 species of hummingbirds, and they are all in North or South America. They are attracted to the color red. However they will seek nectar in many colors of flowers. They eat insects. Because of their quickness and the shape of their beaks — which act like spring-loaded sets of chopsticks — hummingbirds can snatch insects right out of the air. They visit 1,000 flower each day. And they consume five to eight doses of nectar per hour. Hummers can really sleep. Hummingbirds have an evolutionary adaptation that benefits them during cold nights. Torpor is a deep sleep similar to hibernation in which the metabolic rate drops as much as 95%. This lowers the body temperature so much that a torpid hummingbird maintains a hypothermic threshold that nears death. It takes them 20 minutes to an hour to wake up from this state. Hummers beat their wings thousands of times a minute. Averaging about 50 times per second, hummers redefine the laws of flight. They hover over their food instead of landing. In fact, 25 to 30% of a hummingbird’s weight is in its pectoral muscles. Their near-invisible wings can propel them forward, backward, and upside down. They have incredible vision. Hummers see in ultraviolet light  — and can see much further than humans. THIS IS MY FAVORITE: A group of hummers is called a "charm." They may also be referred to as a bouquet, shimmer, or glittering.  HERE'S HOPING FOR A SHIMMER OF HUMMERS OUTSIDE MY STUDIO DOOR! And a final image: My own Mama Hummer in the rain. You can see a drop of water glistening at the end of her beak. Dear Bloggellinis: I cannot help but feel honored that Mama Hummer has chosen to build her nest so close to me. She seems content to sit while I admire her. I will keep you apprised of future developments on the Hummingbird Front! Terry

Lilith Women's Theater | 547 Douglass St., San Francisco, CA 94114 www.LilithTheater.com Unsubscribe terry@terrybaum.com Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by terryjoanbaum@gmail.com powered by Try email marketing for free today!