[NatureNS] at hummingbird tale to tell

Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:18:48 -0300
From: "Margaret E.Millard" <mmillard@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <4A36B27B.14181.5B8DAE@uhoeger.dal.ca>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects


Hello, I am most interested in this. I can't access the page, get error 401 
or something like that,,,,,,then page not listed.

I had an interesting encounter when I went out a short while ago to fill my 
hummingbird feeders. There on the ground beside my car  (with wonderful sky 
reflected in the windows) upside down was a little male hummingbird. I took 
a look and it was blinking and vibrating and an occasional wiggle. I knew on 
its back it is unable to move easily, so I gently picked it up and nestled 
it in my hand and started trying to figure who might be able to get it to 
Hellene. New glasses and I can't see to drive, walk or read yet!
 After about 5 minutes I could feel the vibrating slowing and it slowly and 
ever so faintly  worked its feet under it and stretched out one wing. They 
are all attached to each other, the feathers.  How cool. kind of like 
webbed feet. I didn't know that. One wing didn't seem to respond. How 
delicate they creature is. Awesome!!
I held it a bit longer and uncupped my hand and it nestled back as if to get 
warm. Steve got the camera and took a couple photos but really they aren't 
that great for detail. It is quite  chilly here tonight and I suppose it got 
cold on the ground.
After a couple more minutes it peeped and tried to 'sit up' so I opened my 
hand flat and it shifted around. It faced me straight on and stretched out 
first one wing and worked that, then the other and that worked this time. It 
lifted slightly then settled back into the cup for a minute then up it went 
about 6" off my hand and flew quite tight little loops and then settled in 
my hand again.
It began to peep again and then lifted off to rest on a grapevine about 
three feet away. It sat there a bit and then peeped some more. I was 
wondering if it was still a bit stunned so I carefully stretched up my 
finger and touched it. I fully expected it to fly away but it hopped/flew 
onto my finger and held on.  Maybe it thought I was a tree.....In any event 
it eventually flew back to the grapevine, then to the feeder and I think it 
was the same bird that settled on the other feeder I refreshed as I hung it 
up.
Makes a body feel good to be alive.
Marg Millard, White Point, Queens
http://margmillard.ca
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <uhoeger@dal.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 8:43 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] Hummingbird facts


> Last week a scientific paper dealing with the top speed of a hummingbird
> species (Anna's) was published.  Now you can find the short story along 
> with
> a high-speed video clip on the NG website:
> http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/090612-fastest-flying-
> bird.html
>
> In case someone is interested in the whole original paper and can  not
> access it I am able to help out.
>
> Ulli
> 


next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects