Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Hummingbird!

A minute or so too late to capture a shot

 
I enjoyed hummingbirds in my "prairie garden" at the end of the summer and in the early fall, but when I couldn't find a feeder so late in the season. A few weeks ago, I tested the waters with a very inexpensive model on sale at Menard's for about $6.00.
I mixed up a solution from the powdered sugar mix I bought with the feeder but failed on my first attempt to put the pieces together, spilling most of the sugary nectar in the sink. I got it right the second time and hung the feeder, expecting immediate results.

The weather turned cold almost immediately. As the liquid level fell in the reservoir,  I figured the nectar was evaporating and wondered if I should have hung the feeder away from my other stations, as the instructions suggested. I left it as is because the feeder view from the dining room is best at the existing location.
This morning, the sun shone brightly and we mowed the lawn but I had a few indoor tasks so I went inside. When I was vacuuming the living-dining area, I saw a flash of green iridescence that reminded me of last winter's excitement over the neighborhood  rufous hummingbird. The bird returned to sip nectar several times in the next few minutes but I was afraid to scare it away by approaching with my camera. I do foresee photo ops in my future.