9.02.2007

Sleeping to Hummingbirds


(click on image for larger version)

I was tired and lazy today - just worthless for chores around the house. Last night we went to American Players Theatre for a performance of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and didn't get home until after midnight. This morning I slept in (for a change) and didn't go birding at Pheasant Branch. After breakfast, I sat outside our patio and watched half a dozen or so Ruby-throated Hummingbirds fight over the nectar feeder. So much work...I felt exhausted by just watching the incessant and energetic skirmishes. It seems like there's always that one sentry hummingbird keeping a close watch on the feeder, diving into battle the moment another bird shows up to try and sneak a slurp. This is what they did all day. Watching them - that's what I did all day between naps and reading. By early evening the lighting was so good, I finally decided to break out the digiscoping gear to snap photograph of one of the perched hummingbirds.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird © 2007 Mike McDowell