Tiny but mighty…reminds me of someone? 🤔 Wonderful article Soph! I am constantly in awe of our tiny Ruby-throated hummingbirds…fierce resource defenders, dazzling duelers, incredible travelers. How they make it from Vermont to Central America and Mexico is something beyond belief. Twice a year!! Loved your photo of the umbrella shading your baby swallows…💜💙💚
Yes, I think you might have referred to someone that way a time or two! : ) Thanks for the kind words and the wonderful description of your Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. They are such a delight! I recently learned that they are the only hummingbirds that migrate at night because it gets dark on them while they are flying across the Gulf of Mexico. Amazing to think of those tiny creatures powering through the darkness with water below them. Deploying umbrellas has really helped my Tree Swallows and House Wrens beat the heat these last few years!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Russell! Every time I see a hummingbird and I think about their incredible journeys, I am just blown away. Their flying feats never cease to amaze me! Imagine the problems we would solve if we walked those distances! : )
Sophie, thanks once again for such a poetic and informative substack on one of my favorite pugnacious pipsqueaks!😄 As I was reading it, three rufous hummers flitted, feinted, parried, and danced among my garden flowers...especially the delphiniums, which seem to be one of their favorites (mine too) in late July and August. And kudos to you for providing climate-controlled upscale housing for your swallows!! Love it!🩷 Also thankful that Saba the intrepid "orangie" was found safe and sound!🐱
Pugnacious pipsqueaks! I love it! : ) And I loved your description of your three rufouses flitting, fainting, parrying, and dancing among your garden flowers!! Sadly, my beautiful delphinium (I love it too!) and my clematis were destroyed in the storm. But at least I found Saba aka Orange safe (though scared)! Thanks, as always, for your support!
I only heard yesterday about the freak storm and thought it just hit Missoula. Sorry to hear about the damage you received, but glad you and the furry and feathered ones were unscathed. Was fun to see some different hummers in CA last week!
What a treat to see a variety of hummingbirds! That storm really rattled me and they don't usually. The wind was insane. The worst was that my lovely orange cat Saba disappeared in the middle of it. I spent hours looking for her and was so worried that she' d somehow gotten outside. I eventually found her after the storm had passed. She'd hidden in the garage, which got flooded by rain (open window) and filled with debris when I was wrestling deck chairs in. It must have been terrifying for her, but we're all okay now! : )
Tiny but mighty…reminds me of someone? 🤔 Wonderful article Soph! I am constantly in awe of our tiny Ruby-throated hummingbirds…fierce resource defenders, dazzling duelers, incredible travelers. How they make it from Vermont to Central America and Mexico is something beyond belief. Twice a year!! Loved your photo of the umbrella shading your baby swallows…💜💙💚
Yes, I think you might have referred to someone that way a time or two! : ) Thanks for the kind words and the wonderful description of your Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. They are such a delight! I recently learned that they are the only hummingbirds that migrate at night because it gets dark on them while they are flying across the Gulf of Mexico. Amazing to think of those tiny creatures powering through the darkness with water below them. Deploying umbrellas has really helped my Tree Swallows and House Wrens beat the heat these last few years!
The migration distances stunned me! So SO far, relative to body length. Really beautiful, Sophie!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Russell! Every time I see a hummingbird and I think about their incredible journeys, I am just blown away. Their flying feats never cease to amaze me! Imagine the problems we would solve if we walked those distances! : )
Walking solves most problems!
Sophie, thanks once again for such a poetic and informative substack on one of my favorite pugnacious pipsqueaks!😄 As I was reading it, three rufous hummers flitted, feinted, parried, and danced among my garden flowers...especially the delphiniums, which seem to be one of their favorites (mine too) in late July and August. And kudos to you for providing climate-controlled upscale housing for your swallows!! Love it!🩷 Also thankful that Saba the intrepid "orangie" was found safe and sound!🐱
Pugnacious pipsqueaks! I love it! : ) And I loved your description of your three rufouses flitting, fainting, parrying, and dancing among your garden flowers!! Sadly, my beautiful delphinium (I love it too!) and my clematis were destroyed in the storm. But at least I found Saba aka Orange safe (though scared)! Thanks, as always, for your support!
I only heard yesterday about the freak storm and thought it just hit Missoula. Sorry to hear about the damage you received, but glad you and the furry and feathered ones were unscathed. Was fun to see some different hummers in CA last week!
What a treat to see a variety of hummingbirds! That storm really rattled me and they don't usually. The wind was insane. The worst was that my lovely orange cat Saba disappeared in the middle of it. I spent hours looking for her and was so worried that she' d somehow gotten outside. I eventually found her after the storm had passed. She'd hidden in the garage, which got flooded by rain (open window) and filled with debris when I was wrestling deck chairs in. It must have been terrifying for her, but we're all okay now! : )