Hummingbird Update

J and I took the dead hummingbird to the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge.  We were told the bird since it was so well cared for in its immediate preservation that it will most likely be stuffed, they have a taxidermist on the refuge, and put on display as a learning aide.

It is illegal to possess any parts of a hummingbird or to capture them.  We did what we should have since they are a protected species.

First two photos are when the bird was still alive and I was trying to feed it.

These last three were of it after death.  Sorry if the images are a bit blurry as I didn't want to move the bird around much just the paper it was on.

If you find a dead hummingbird you can preserve it for a refuge by take a plain white sheet of typing paper and making a paper cone out of it.  Place the bird head down in the cone and put it in a freezer bag in the freezer.  Meanwhile write down all the information you can about the location of where the bird was found and the time and date too along with your contact information.  Hopefully you'll have on hand a archival quality ink pen, I do some scrapbooking so I do have just that type of pen,  to write down all that information so that it too can be preserved for future use with the bird in a learning aid.

I believe this was a female Anna or possibly a female Rufous hummingbird.  I know that another hummingbird, a male tried to attack it, oh heck it was pecking at the other bird so yes it was attacking.  The male was brilliant in color being mostly orange red with a scarlet red throat.  Link to what the attacking bird looked like.

Link to the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge.

Death of a Hummingbird

Yesterday a hummingbird decided to try to find its way to the sky through the sky light in my military housing.  I hate the sky light.  Last year a hummingbird tried to do the same thing.  Last year we were able to coax it down with a fushia plant.  This year neither the fushia plant or petunia plant would do the trick.

2000 hrs the hummingbird falls to the walkway exhausted.  I carefully picked up it and tried to feed it the necter from the bird feeder.  No luck it pulled away and shook its head at me saying "no thanks".   I hung the feeder with the bird attached and another hummingbird came by and attacked it.  I clapped my hands to shoo it away.

Taking the feeder with bird attached back down I put it in my entryway again.  Normally I keep the feeder hanging up far away from the window so the little things don't injury themselves.  My walkway near the door is enclosed on three sides so there was little wind to disturb the bird.   I'd chirp to the injured bird and it would respond.  Okay it will be fine if I leave it alone I thought. 

J had CQ duty last night.  I called him and asked if he would come home and put up black plastic garbage bags to cover the sky light from the inside of our walkway.  He was able to come home for that.  Yes he cares as much as I do.

The hummingbird made it through the night clinging to the bird feeder.  Before I left for marriage counseling, hey I need to deal with this recent non-pregnancy loss, the hummingbird was still alive.  I'd chip to it and it would bob its head.

I got back and I checked on the little bird and it was dead.  Carefully I touched it.  Stiff.  Damn!

I removed its claws from the perch and have it sitting next to me on the computer desk as I type this.  It is illegal to own, capture, and so on a hummingbird.  What am I to do with its lifeless body now?  Do I find a small box and try to bury it?  Do I put it outside and let the wild creatures eat it?

I have pictures but for some reason blogger is giving me fits trying to load them.

****Update****

Bird is in a paper cone of computer paper, put into a freezer bag and in freezer awaiting transport to Nisqually Wildlife Preserve.  I'm doing the right thing by the little creature.  I'll include on white paper using archival quality ink my name, location and date of death of the bird too.

Taking It Easy

I've been making baby booties for my shop this week.  I'm really hoping it will keep me sane.  Plus I did say that since I won't be moving until next Spring that I might as well restock my shop.  I was really running low on choice of colors in various sizes.  Seems like I had a run on pink in my shop over the winter.

Today J and I went plant shopping.  We purchased a tomato plant from the post exchange, sighs because had I known that the Army was going to defer this move until next year I would have started everything from seed like I normally do, and a new hummingbird feeder.  The two hummingbird feeders we had leaked terribly.

Next stop was off to shop for more plants.  I purchased two that I know attract and feed the hummingbirds.  They've been having to feed off of my blooming rosemary bush.  Poor little Rufous.

photo from www.allaboutbirds.org

After getting the plants home we went grocery shopping.  I'm tired to say the least.  No I didn't do any heavy lifting.  Well okay at the home improvement store some old man was pushy and I had to lift my cart up and out of his way because he just couldn't wait.  No I'm not in any pain though I was told to take it easy for a few days after the embryo transfer.

I checked, no bleeding, no bad cramping from trying to lift more than I should. Seriously I had the choice of being rammed in the back by his cart or lifting my cart out of the way.  Manners aren't generational, they are learned and I'm guessing that old man didn't learn any.

Yes J was with me but he had his hands full with wallet and hanging plant and couldn't have gotten to me fast enough for the old man's liking.  Oh I did voice my opinion of that man's patience.

Well enough of that.

So I'm home.  J carried in the groceries to the house and I unloaded them.  The bagger had loaded up our suv so again I didn't have to do anything.

I have had uterine cramping, more like pinching on the left side and right side of the pelvic region and at times near the mid-line of the uterus too but nothing all at once.  It doesn't last for long, maybe a couple of minutes.  Fingers crossed.
We purchased this exact feeder today!

Hummingbird Food

Every year since we moved in I've been putting out the hummingbird feeder.  Every year the Rufus hummingbirds come back.

This year I almost forgot to put out the feeder but the Rufus reminded me by buzzing my head for two days in a row.  So out went the feeder and today J and I bought some hummingbird plants.

Well okay they aren't actually hummingbird plants but they are the plants that the hummingbirds prefer.  Fushia and a mixed hanging basket of Bacopa, Million Bells Calibrachoa, Verbena and Trailing Petunias.  I'm still waiting for my snap dragons and salvia to open up.  Both are really tall and have their buds.

Okay my brain is fatigued.  I think I need to go rest.  Wishing the pain would just go away soon.  For those curious about that part of my life its now CD 16 and I've been spotting for 3 days, not bright but still spotting.  The boobs really aren't sore, more like PMS sore.  Its now 12 DPO.  Crazy I know but I ovulated really early this cycle.  I'm thinking in a couple of days a new cycle will be starting.  Oh and the pain is now making me nauseated.  Fun times!

One other trip we made today besides to buy flowers was a local used book store.  I actually had a credit there from a recent trade in and I decided to use half of it today towards the purchase of 11 books.  I had to pay only a little over 8 dollars for my purchase.  I realize that I still have two shelves of books I need to read but I'm addicted to reading.

Collecting My Thoughts

I have so very much on my mind these days.  I have a lot to get done about the house too.  But right now I think I just need to sit a bit and think some things through, wool gathering if you will.

Sometimes I like to sit and think about my life, where I've been, where I'm going, and how I can take better control of my destiny.  I'm always wanting to improve myself but I don't always know how to go about doing the improvement.  I want to be a better me.

Improving myself isn't always about losing the weight but it is about creating better habits.  It isn't about making better first impressions but making longer lasting friendships.  Its about being comfortable in who I've become and who I will eventually be when this life cycle is completed.

Oh sure I have goals, I think that goals are a perfect way to challenge ourselves to keep trying harder.  Some goals are easier for others than for me but its not going to stop me from trying just because its harder.

My thoughts are wandering to random things.  Right now I wonder that if I stop blogging and just shut off the computer for a week, a month, or longer will my friends still be there when I turn it back on?  Or did I just imagine the friendships that we've created?  Its not so much a reality check as it is a check on what is truly important to my every day well being.

There are days when after I've read someone's blog or their status update I feel some how less of a person, angry, or even depressed.  I do wonder how much these people write is written with a twist on truth or actually meant to hurt someone else.  Am I becoming one of those people that will illicit a particular response in my friends just for the shear joy of being heard?  I would like to think not but then again this is why I'm taking time to collect my thoughts.

My blog is most important to me and me alone.  I chose to write my thoughts here not so much to gain attention but more to keep an online journal of sorts.  My memory is not the best and by blogging I can look back and see that, "okay I felt or did such and such on this date".  Of course I don't share my deepest thoughts and feelings here because it is too public.  I keep to myself that which should be kept close.  Oh sure there are days that I want to really vent and open up that which is hurting me and cry out "life is not fair" but, why should I?  I'm not here for pity.  I'm here for me.

Looking out my office window the hummingbirds zing back and forth between the feeder and the hanging flower pots.  Is their life any easier?

J, I miss you.