This morning I sat out on my covered patio with my morning coffee and watched at least a half dozen of the flying jewels swirl around my two feeders and zip back and forth, engaging in dogfights to put The Red Baron to shame and twittering in agitated excitement. If there was to be a collective noun for Hummers, like gaggle of geese and murder of crows, it would be a whirl, swirl or a twirl of hummingbirds! I do so love to watch and hear them.
I do not think I have scanned it yet but I have a picture of a little one perched on the barb-wire fence behind my home in Whetstone, AZ about twenty years ago or so. I was quite worried about it for it was later in the fall and the tiny creature perched there for close to twenty four hours. Oh pooh, I will just go get that out of an album and scan it right now! Anyway, not long afterwards, I read in a book about them that my hubby gave me that this was a normal thing. They tend to pause in the southward migration at the edge of the 'winter' country for a time. That's hummingbird summer. And when they feel the colder weather pushing close, they eat all they can, go into a somnolent state while they digest that into energy that is stored, wake up to feed again and then head out for the longest leg of their journey. They take off at a steep angle and get as high as they can go and then slowly, ever so slowly, descend as they forge on south. Most winter in southern Mexico or even farther into Central and even South America. Think of the millions of wing-beats that such a journey requires. I admire them so much for they are fearless, determined, persistent and beautiful, all in one amazing little package! I honor them with my 'spiritual' (Druid and Native American) name of Wind Dancer, which is what some of the native tribes call them. And indeed they do dance on the air! So here are two pix and yes, I was that close. I used the diopter lens (micro photog) on my camera! I think this is a young black-chin.
The wind has shifted and become drier. Already my skin feels it and I do miss the silky feeling of the humidity but still welcome the change. The quality of the sunlight has changed the last few days as well, assuming the golden and softer feeling of fall. The days have shortened perceptibly now and it is easier to get up before the sun although I didn't make it this morning. I worked a lot yesterday and was just a bit tired and lazy today.
Had to take Ginger and Rojito in for their heart worm shots--they were both angels and I was so proud of them!--so that and this blog are about my main efforts for the day. I'm still not used to kind of rationing my energy and taking a lazy day after a harder one but I'm learning.
September is still my favorite month with October a close second. More on that later, maybe next time.A lot of events that impacted my life have happened in these months so many memories, most good and a few rather sad but that is how life is!
A verse for the season:
Autumn at Huachuca
Slowly
summer fades to fall.
In little changes after all
Comes age or death or fall of night.
Only if you tune your sight
And other senses can you tell.
Nature keeps her secrets well,
But there are many subtle clues
Appearing
now to break the news.
Summer slowly slips away,
Bit by bit and day by day—
A hint of
coolness in the air,
Leaves gone dusty everywhere.
Clouds remain, but not the same
Even birds have changed their game,
Now in flocks instead of pairs,
Singing different, sadder airs.
GMW, © 1992
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