The Saturday Pet Blogger Hop/A Bird in the Hand
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55 commentsLast weekend we entertained an unexpected guest.
I was in my office, working on a new post when my wife called me from our sunroom. Hearing the urgency in her voice I came running, and the moment I stepped across the threshold the source of her consternation greeted me. Buzzing closely near my face as it passed, I could feel a faint breeze on my face from the wings of a confused hummingbird that had found a way into our home. Baffled by the glass surrounding it, the distressed bird was bouncing off the windows in an attempt to find a way to freedom.
I ran for a camera and a dish towel, knowing that if too much time passed, it was possible that our visitor might suffer from shock or injure itself while trying to escape. After a number of unsuccessful attempts to capture the frightened bird it did me a giant favor, landing on a wall and hanging on while it caught its breath.
That was all I needed to make my move, and in seconds I had secured our guest, transferring it from the dish towel to the safety of my closed fist. We walked out to the back porch, prepared to free our feathered friend. I slowly opened my palm and winced, waiting for an explosion of feathers as the avian escapee rocketed from my exposed palm, shooting skyward and leaving his captors far behind.
No such thing happened. Instead, we both watched in amazement as our feathered friend collected itself, repositioning in my palm and squatting down to nestle in a sunbeam. For minutes we just stared at the little marvel as it sunbathed, seemingly unconcerned with our presence.
After more than enough pictures had been taken, a slight nudge was all that was required to bring the little hummer back to its senses. Watching it take flight from the palm of my hand, lighting on a nearby bush before disappearing from view, I wished it well, thankful for our chance meeting, two unrelated species having the chance to relate for a few brief, but thoroughly beautiful moments.
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Happy Saturday, and welcome to another installment of the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop! You’ve found the right place to connect with other pet lovers. Whether you are a seasoned blogger, one who loves reading pet blogs, or if you’re just thinking about starting your own blog – there is definitely something here for you. Acquaint yourself and enjoy – this is your resource, so use it as you see fit! Of course, you have to follow the rules, so let’s get to that. Get those links in and have fun.
- Link up your pet blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below. You only need to add your link once to be seen on all the Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop Linky Tools for that week. Note that if your blog is not pet related your link will be removed. Also note that only one post per blog is acceptable, and links promoting giveaways that are unrelated to the pet blogger hop will be removed.
- Grab the “Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop” button on the right hand side of this site and include it in your Saturday Blog hop post so that your readers will know what is going on. *Note – posting is optional. Feel free to just link and follow.
- Follow your co-hosts listed in the first 3 slots of the Linky Tool.
- Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you’d like.
- Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you’re from the blog hop.
- Follow back when you get a new follower through the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop.
- Make friends and grow. ♥
*note – if your blog is hosted on WordPress please use this alternate code that will work without javascript.
Wow, I bet you were both so excited! I love our hummingbirds. They are little B-52 bombers! Happy Blog Hopping! Thanks for sharing! Christina, Lexi and Nitro
How cool and magical and just simple beautiful. What a moment to share with another creature. I can’t imagine what that must have been like for the hummer to be silent in your hands. Simply wonderful!
Wow! What an experience this must have been! I wonder what the dogs thought of your visitor.
That’s a really cool experience! My mom went to a hummingbird release a year ago. She gets updates on her hummingbird when it’s spotted in places. She described hers sitting there much like yours did!
That’s funny. I had a similar experience a few years ago at the San Pedro Riparian Preserve in Southern Arizona, which I wrote about and named… “A Bird in Hand”: http://www.ediejarolim.com/archives/17
How cool is that! What a special moment.
Wow1 a humming bird in the house! We saw our first one this week! My cat brother Kozmo was so excited!
tail Wags
Sam
Oh, wow, the cutest thing ever.
So totally awesome! I love sitting on my deck in the mornings watching the hummingbirds feed while I drink my coffee. Never have I held one in my hand. What an amazing experience for you!
That is perhaps one of those rare moments in time when the beauty of nature makes us pause and just “be”. Wow. What an amazing experience. Great pictures too!
I was once hiking the mountains in Jackson Hole with my sister. On our way back we circled Jenny Lake. I was further ahead and had stopped to appreciate the beauty of the lake when a hummingbird flew right in front of me, paused and stared me right in the eye (for what seemed like forever) and then flew off like a flash never to be seen again. I have never forgotten that experience. I have a feeling you and your wife won’t forget yours either. Just beautiful.
I’ve only seen a Hummingbird once in my entire life, outside of a zoo. It was an awe-inspiring experience, as their wings move with such speed that you can only see a blur. Congratulations for getting some photos. And thanks for hosting.
Carrie, I am so astounded that you have only seen one, once in your whole life.
Perhaps all you need to do is provide a feeder to attract more little visitors. We have very assertive little resident hummingbird on our property that get very annoyed with us when we are late in refilling the feeders on our deck. They know us quite well and are not fearful of our presence and will buzz our heads to let us know when the feeders are empty.
Such joyful little wonders!
I love living with dogs because it’s such a privilege to learn to communicate with another species. When you share a moment with a creature that isn’t meant to live with you, that’s a rare and powerful thing.
Thanks so much for sharing.
What a pretty hummingbird. Neat that it hung out in your hand for a minute to reward you for all your effort
We think that bird knew you needed a break from your work:) It is so hard to watch a bird trapped inside try to find a way out. You did well in helping it. Giving you those extra minutes for a photoshoot was its way of saying thank you.
Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara
We are all so glad that the humming bird was released without any ill-effects. It was nice of him to stay around long enough to say ‘thank you’.
And thank YOU for co-hosting the great Saturday Pet Blog Hop too!
xx
Oh, what a priceless gift! I love this post! Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful story! Love the pics too. I’ve never seen a hummingbird sit still long enough to actually SEE it. Pretty little bird!
Diane and Cosmo
What an experience. Hummingbirds are adorable.
Anything to do with animals is definitely worth sharing – TY!
The little one must have gotten a good vibe from you…to be so trusting. I’ve never seen a hummingbird sit still before. Thanks for sharing.
Make no doubt. You ARE related. Without the pollination of the hummingbird with bees, bats and butterflies, we would never survive. Beautiful experience!!
I had a similar experience!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1199360176701.2031783.1009426283#!/photo.php?fbid=1199360936720&set=a.1199360176701.2031783.1009426283&type=1&theater
That was great, I liked it a lot
Woof! Woof! PAWSOME!!! I LOVE watching the birds out in my backyard. Happy BLOG HOP Weekend. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
aw, that was so nice. very nice pixz 2!
2 Rebekah Carson Piedad regarding ur link: This content is currently unavailable. The page you requested cannot be displayed right now. It may be temporarily unavailable, the link you clicked on may have expired, or you may not have permission to view this page.
<3
Wow, what a beautiful story and photo.
Beautiful, thanks for sharing!
shared
How wonderful. Chance of a lifetime! Thanks!!!!
Only God could’ve created something so beautiful in such a small package! Reading up on the life of a Hummingbird is very interesting!
I had one get in also, but insisted on trying to get out through the ceiling, smacking it’s head repeatedly, nor would it light anywhere to rest. Very sad to watch. It only left once it got to tired to maintain altitude, and drifted out through the open screen door.
You have been truly blessed by Mother Nature!!
Not only was the experience heartwarming, but your writing was eloquent and thoroughly enjoyable to read; you captured the magical moments.
That’s fantastic! Years ago some co-workers brought me a baby hummingbird that had been blown out of his nest one night during a storm and had gotten caught in a water drain grate. He looked like nothing more than a shriveled slug and I think he was barely alive. I put him under a heatlamp (just happened to have a spotlight in the office after we found an old color wheel from a very old aluminum Christmas tree), and he began to dry out and come to. I had him for about 2 or 3 weeks I think, feeding him sugar water mixed with Gerber’s rice cereal every 20 minutes! If I was late feeding him he would start making loud squealy noises. I was lucky that my boss didn’t mind me bringing him to the office very day. I let him practice flying in our bathroom, and he would fly up to the heater vent and let the warm air blow on his face. When it was time to let him go we had quite a crowd in the plaza of the office building.. I opened his little cage right next to the nest he fell out of and where his sibling was still in the nest. To our amazement, he fly straight to the nest and his mother flew at lightening speed from across the courtyard, went right up to him and started feeding him. It was so great to rescue this beautiful little hummingbird and see him thrive and especially be accepted back by his mother. Isn’t it an amazing feeling to hold one in your hand?
That is awesome Carolyn!!! I used to have a chickadee that would eat from my hand, it really is a feeling. One day it came with a broken leg, ate in my hand, looked at me and tweeted and flew away. I cried and never saw it again.
What a special moment!
That must have been a priceless moment!
I was lucky to have a similar moment happen twice, when I lived in San Antonio a number of years ago. Yes, a truly awesome event, holding a hummer, even for a moment or two!
how nice.. you’ll hold that memory forever. lucky you x
I love hummers!!! How very special !!
WOW! What an amazing experience that must have been. Thank you for sharing it with us (and such wonderful photos to go along with your recounting of it)!
<3 <3 <3 !
wonderful…priceless…=)
Read a story once about a woman who had a hummingbird that would visit and fly around her head while she was outside gardening. She even named it.
Hashem in all his glory delivers us timely and beautiful gifts and miracles. like these people don’t waste them.
Gorgeous hummingbird, thats rare to see this in the house.
having held a hummer in my hand after it was ringed I know what a priviledge it is……to feel the incredibly fast heartbeat in the palm of your hand is truly breathtaking..I love them….can watch them for hours…given the opportunity…we live in England so that does not happen often…..you are so lucky.
What a sweet encounter! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome.. thats a pretty birdie! Hopping around this weekend from the Sat pet blog hop!
Chewie and Richa @ Find me a Happy Pet ,
Chewie on Facebook
Wow… I’m glad that the hummingbird was okay!
Love the new layout for your website!
Words are inadequate so I’ll just say: VERY COOL!