Thursday, May 3, 2012

Guest in my Cottage

I had a little guest today.
Can you see her there?
(disclaimer: the photo above is a photoshopped re-ennactment of this event. It was too dim 
in the room to get a good photo. I did not have the lights on because I didn't want her to burn herself. 
So I photoshopped what it looked like and badly I might add...I was in a hurry. Just wanted to set the record 
straight because some of you have questioned the authenticity of this story and photo. 
I don't want to name names but......her initials are BS...hmmmmmm which stands for....
Ol' Eagle Eye, Betsy Speert)
A hummingbird decided to make my little vintage chandelier in the breakfast nook her resting spot 
for several hours this afternoon and evening.
I was working on getting the hutch (new potting bench) in from the car.
I took all the drawers out and found that I could get it out of the back of my car
and could then move it about 6 inches at a time. Only if I carried the whole thing in front of me.
Well, needless to say, this was a process.
I got it as far as the gate and had to take a break.

I came in to read all the comments from my last post.
Many of you scolding me for going out to get it by myself at night.
But many of you also said you would have done the same thing.

So I'm inside awhile and have left the door open because the dogs are running in and out.
I go back to the back door and I hear a buzzing over head.
I think..."that is one big, loud bee"!

Above I see a little hummingbird who I've startled.
She keeps flying towards my blue ceiling in the room.
I can feel the breeze created by her wings and she is chirping teeny tiny chirps.

I talked to her sweetly...but she was scared of the dogs and I.
Of course the dogs were all around.
Only Franklin noticed her and was inquisitively watching.

I felt terrible because I have not yet set out my feeders.
Actually, I still had one that had been out all winter.

I went to get it to clean it and found it beyond cleanable. 
I was frightened this bird would get too hungry in my house and not make it.
So I left the backdoor open in case she flew out and raced to the store to buy 
two feeders. 

I set up one outside where she could see it 
and I hung one on the chandelier.

Still she would not go outside.
I did catch her eating a few times on the inside one.

A quick inquiry on Google told me what to do.
I should turn out all the lights in the house and then the outside lights would beckon to her.
By now it was 9 pm.
She'd been inside since about 6 at least.

After I turned all the lights out...she was gone in just a few minutes.
Out the door she flew.
I borrowed these photos from another site. 
I wanted to get my camera and try to get her but it was too dark to get photos of her.
I have to say it was so cool to get to watch her so up close for hours. 
I was only about a foot or two from her.
I even tried at one point to hold a red plastic lid up with sugar water in it.
I'd seen this done on YouTube. But you have to take weeks to get the birds used to you holding it.
When this didn't work...that is when I decided I better go get new feeders.

I've been so lax about getting the feeders going this year.
Who would have thought they would come tell me when to do it?
This is the third time I've had hummingbirds in my house. 

You can read about the other two experiences here and here.

24 comments:

  1. I LOVE hummingbirds and think you are SO lucky to have Hummingbirds in your house!

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  2. You are like the hummingbird whisperer! You have the most unusual and entertaining things happen to you!

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  3. I love them - have a feeder right outside my window here where I sit most of the day. I have names for my frequent guests.
    A few weeks ago I posted a photo of my husband holding the one that came into our kitchen. He carefully scooped him up and took him outside. He (or she I guess) was light as a feather.

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  4. I used to do hummingbird feeders but they always had large puddles below them which attracted ants. I found out why the puddles were there...bears! They would hop our fence and help themselves to the sweet nectar inside. I also caught finches sipping from the feeders as well. Seems people and hummingbirds are not the only creatures with a sweet tooth.
    Thank you for the story.

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  5. Probably your chandelier with the flowers on it is inviting them. lol

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  6. Wow, when I first started reading this I thought, this isn't the first time she's had hummingbirds in her house is it? I remember your posts from last year. She looks so pretty on your pretty chandelier!!

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  7. One time I had a hummingbird play w/me while I was watering the flowers with the hose. I held the hose up and it would dart in and out, and this went on for maybe 10 minutes. It was so much fun watching it and being so close to it.

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  8. You know what I think about these visits. They're a hello from heaven!

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  9. Nita,
    You made me laugh again! You have such fun humming bird experiences.
    It makes for a wonderful blog!
    Adam

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  10. What a cute story. I can ssee why the bird landing in your light. It thought it was a bunch of flowers. How sweet. Glad it finally flew away. SOoooo cute.

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  11. That hummingbird looks like it belongs on that chandelier. You always have the most interesting things happen to you. I just read your post about the craigslist find. I love a good ghost story. And that one had me on the edge of my seat.

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  12. Hi Nita. As soon as I started reading this, I thought -- hasn't this happened to Nita before? I was right! You must have some inner special magic that draws these beauties inside your house. What a great story to tell.

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  13. I love hummers. Do you think it may have something to do with the blue ceiling? Just a thought.
    Brenda

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  14. I just love watching hummers. So funny that that one landed on your chandy that looks like flowering branches.

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  15. I agree with Steve. I think that little bird was sent with a message...
    and the message is "Don't you ever go out by yourself like that again!"
    :)

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  16. Feed that baby Nita. When I get lots of bacteria in my feeders I add a teaspoon of bleach to the hot soapy water and let it soak. Then I rinse, rinse, rinse. And wash it again. I have never hurt a hummer and we have had about twenty or more hummers here by summers end. The hummers arrive here usually on April 1st. I saw the first one on April 2nd. It took me a month to get a decent image but the hot temps helped. Do not hurt your back on that huge potting bench.

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  17. Oh Nita! What a lucky girl you are to have that sweet little visitor. When birds accidentally get in my house I'm always so afraid they will get hurt. I'm glad she made it out. :)

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  18. Wow! I can't believe it was in your house and sitting still long enough for you to get a pic or two. Thanks for sharing!

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  19. OK...Now I've read all three posts about your humming birds. I can't believe you got one to just sit on your hand!
    The photo of the bird sitting on your chandelier almost looks like you photoshopped it, it's so surreal!
    Not that I'm calling you a lier.......
    First you buy a piece of furniture from a serial killer, now you have magical creatures hanging out in your house....
    Not to mention flies flying up your nose and living to tell about it.....
    What a great story teller!

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  20. Thank you for posting this. It’s exactly what I was looking for!

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  21. Betsy! It is photoshopped and poorly at that. She was sitting there exactly like that for hours but I did not have the light on and didn't want to turn it on because I was afraid the lights would hurt her. And it was starting to get dark outside so there was not enough light to take a photo. So I did as any graphic designer would do..I found a photo of a bird just like her and I photoshopped it on to my chandelier. I was in a hurry and sleepy and later noticed that her tail is not even attached....terrible photoshop job.

    Anyway....just wanted to set the record straight...this did happen...and it was just like this but the photo is a re-ennactment!

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  22. Steve - I do think this little bird was sent by my Dad....but thought that might be too sappy to mention. Although I didn't think it was the last time I wrote about it. It was like he sent her in to remind me that he's still here and still giving me gifts...like a hummingbird in my house. My Dad always wanted a pet crow. We had some nesting in the backyard and he kept hoping a little one would fall out of the nest and that it could be his bird.

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