Another hummingbird gets to live a long and happy life in gardens and at hummingbird feeders thanks to a neighbor who warned me another baby was trapped in an entranceway.
She helped me get the tallest ladder out of the garage, then held it while I climbed several steps higher than I ever want to go. The baby looked like it had been there a while, but still had enough energy to flutter against the glass ceiling trying to get out.
I climbed the last two steps — don’t do this at home unless you are very sure-footed or have someone to help with the ladder — and reached up to gently gather the little bird in my hands. As scared as it was, somehow hummingbirds know I am trying to help them. Sometimes it takes a while, but sooner or later, they flutter down to the ledge where I can reach them. One little guy clung desperately with his little toes, so I waited for him to relax then carefully lifted him off the ledge.
The tricky part is getting down off a tall ladder while holding a bird in your hands. I take my time and the hummingbirds stay still inside my cupped hands. They all seem to know they are being helped and don’t struggle at all. As I always do, I spoke to him softly, warning him (it looked like a boy) not to come close to houses anymore because they are dangerous. He, and all his relatives before him, watched me as I whispered to him. None of them show any fear, and one was so tired he stayed on my open hand quite a while before he caught his breath and took off. This one only took a few moments before it was ready to fly away home.
Hummingbirds are wonderful little birds. They have feelings and personality, as do all of the creatures in this world. I’m not even afraid of spiders anymore, unless they’re too big! Even they show fear, and I wonder, if they can be afraid, what other feelings might they possess? I must say one thing about a terrible picture I saw of a trapped monkey a couple of days ago. He had to bend down because his arms were tightly tied behind his back. That picture still haunts me, and I wonder how mankind can be so cruel.
I ask all of you to realize how close we are in many ways to the creatures who share this world. Please be kind.
If you have saved an animal in need of your help, please write me. I’d love to know your story, and if you choose, perhaps we could share it here in a future blog.
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