Love Hummers?

I first fell in love with the delicate beauty of hummingbirds while in Vermont on my honeymoon. The magical birds buzzed very boldly up to feeders mounted to the windows of a dining room inn my husband and I stayed at.

But I also think I recall sitting, dazed, as a child, in my grandmother's colorful, tropical garden in Santa Barbara as they darted amongst fuschia plants. That tender link that exists between a spiritual world and early childhood will ever be remembered with those tiny birds as the enchanting element that made me feel as if I were in a magical place.

At any rate, it seemed fitting that while I was on vacation in Vermont several weeks ago I would come across a book that had just the right mix of magnificent photos of these birds as well as detailed information. It took me only an hour to read it, cover to cover.

Titled "Amazing Hummingbirds" the color photos by Stan Tekiela are simply staggering if you are fond of hummers.

One of the intriguing things about hummers is their fleeting appearances. That's what makes seeing one so momentous, even if it is the third time that day - rarely do you get a sustained, close glimpse; although I have managed some with a window mounted feeder.

Still, I could never peer into a hummer's nest, see the eggs, and the way in which the mother feeds the baby. And I've never been so close as to see a tuft of yellow pollen resting at the base of their needle-like beak.

These are the things you can see in the book - and the facts that you learn are equally amazing. Even though I had a healthy dose of respect and curiosity about the birds from the start, the more I found out the more I discovered their ingenuity and the wonder in which God has created all things, great and small.

I admire their nests, which always blend in with the limb it is constructed on - with little bits of lichen meticulously matching the tree. And the interior of the nest is made with spider webs, so that the nest, which is obviously tiny, will expand as the babies are born.

And I find it stunning that a preying mantis can lurk on the branches of flowers in wait for hummers, capturing them unawares and ultimately piercing their chest with their spiny foreleg to eat the dainty bird. Bullfrogs also capture hummers with the flick of their tongue as they sit by the edge of water.

Creating a back-yard habitat for these birds is a fun and rewarding hobby - and not that difficult to do.

Find a spot that is protected by other trees where the hummers can dart back to so they can swoop in to eat feeling secure. A birdbath where they can clean themselves; ideally with a spray is what they prefer. They are even known to buzz through sprinklers.

Hummers do like red - but that isn't the only flower they will feast on. They are particularly fond of black and blue salvia, which has very sticky nectar. They will find corals, purples and pink. Anything with long, tubular flowers they will find - but creating the right spot is just as important as flower choices. So if you don't like red and orange - don't despair, you can still find plenty to keep the hummers coming.

Here are a few plants I find they like - Crocosmia, Lucifer's Red, Canna Lillies, petunias, salvia, butterfly bushes, honeysuckle, bee balm, cardinal flower, phlox, coral bells. Early bloomers are important too: azaleas, columbine and flowering quince provide nectar when the summer bloomers are not out yet.

Keep your sugar water clean and they will find it - food coloring is a no-no. The formula is one part sugar to four parts water.

Hummers also enjoy a bit of protein - they will nibble on spiders and aphids. So, like anything else, insecticides and pesticides interrupt the important ecological balance that is necessary for all living things.

Some fun hummer facts:

• They can fly sideways, hover and even go upside down! Their courtship flights are elaborate, with one species flying as high as 120 feet. But once the birds mate, they separate. They are singular birds.

• For all their delicate ways, they are aggressive birds. They will starve to death within a matter of hours without eating (3-5) so they defend their feeding grounds. They chase away everything from bees to woodpeckers quite larger then themselves.

• The average hummer must consume more than its own body weight of nectar daily. They feed about 7-8 times per minute.

• Hummers have the largest heart in proportion to its body compared to other birds. Its resting heart rate is 500 beats per minute.
  

There is so much more in this book! It is a fascinating read and beautiful keepsake to boot. There are a few myths it also puts to rest: Hummers will not stop from migrating if feeders are left out. They also migrate by themselves - they do not hitch rides on other birds.

To check out the book, visit www.naturesmart.com.