Creatures Great And Small

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

So I get to a job site today, helping with the install of two truck scales in a couple of silos in a rock and gravel quarry, when one of the iron workers gently hands me a towel with a hummingbird tucked in it.

The little fella (the bird, not the iron worker) was clearly hurt, or just exhausted; we’d had high winds and thunderstorms the night before, and I’m guessing he might’ve got blown into this quarry and couldn’t get back out again.

I very gently set him on the passenger floorboard of my work truck, and call John, this guy I work with (headed down with our generator/welding rig) to stop in at Ace Hardware and get me some nectar.

I check in on the little guy a couple of times; he flutters his wings weakly, and tries to rise, before collapsing back down on the towel.

By the time John gets there with the nectar, the bird had died.

I wrapped him in the towel, scooped some gravel and sand aside, and laid him inside, and covered him up.

2

Note that nothing special is needed here - sugar water works just fine.

One part normal white sugar to 4 parts water is the recommended recipe. Heating the mixture makes the sugar dissolve much more readily - but of course it must be cooled before being offered to the hummingbird.

3

That read likes the cover of an old “Life”.

Black & white photo; visible dirt in the wrinkles in the iron worker’s face; bemused expression

(getting the nectar there in time would not have helped; IME stressed birds die)
At my cottage, the dragonflies are bigger than hummingbirds.

4

Sorry about the hummingbird, ExTank. You have a kind and gentle heart.

5

Surrounded by the big stuff, it’s easy to lose sight of the little. And yet, you didn’t.

6

Bummer :frowning: Poor lil’ guy. Well at least he had a little bit of comfort in his last moments, cozy in a towel. Yes you definitely have a kind heart. Thank you.

7

Thank you both for trying to help the wee thing.

8

I’m going to see a 95 year old woman on Mothers’ Day. She has a hummingbird feeder outside her window, but it hasn’t had anything in it for a long time. Thanks to this thread, I believe I’ll take some nectar to fill it up and see if we can nourish some of those little ones.

ExTank, that was cool.

9

Yes, that was wonderful of you. Perhaps it was just his or her time.

10

Poor bird. I’m glad you tried to save him, though.

11

Poor little thing…it’s so sweet that you tried to help it. At the very least, you kept him safe and warm as he fluttered off for the heavens.

12

ExTank, you and John and the ironworker sound like decent folk. Maybe someday I’ll be less broke so I can buy you a pitcher. You know you all get + karma points, right?

13

Beautiful, ExTank. :slight_smile:

Odd, isn’t it, what strikes your heart in just that way, even when the end isn’t happy.

Thank you.

14

On Sunday, I heard two of my dogs out in the backyard barking and carrying on, and birds squawking and screeching. WTF? I went out there and they had a baby flegdling bluejay. I don’t think they actually bit it. The parents were swooping and divebombing and carrying on! I caught it, then didn’t know what to do with it. I set it on the top crossboard of the fence. It glided (it couldn’t exactly fly yet) down into the neighbor’s yard, and they have a dog too! I peeked through the fence, and he was chasing it around. Poor little baby! It seemed to be ok when I held it, not bleeding or missing any feathers. I hope he survived.

I’m sorry you couldn’t save the hummingbird. :frowning:

15

Thank you for helping the bird.

16

That was my thought too. Hands the size of iron skillets and hard as stone gently cupping a small dying bird. Where’s Ansel Adams when you need him?

Great hummingbird experience story though, sorry the little guy didn’t make it.