Hummingbird Inspection


On Easter weekend, a hard freeze for two nights hit many of our shrubs and trees, leaving even the leaves on large white oaks dark and shriveled. I can only wonder how it may have affected our songbirds, especially the recent arrivals from much further South. Despite a warm sun and blue sky this morning, birds seemed rather quiet and not very active, but later in the day, there were encouraging signs. A female Ruby-throated Hummingbird came to our feeder – our first one of the season here, though there have been many earlier reports from nearby. A little later, we saw a male at the feeder, too.

In the evening, just after a soft red sunset, I was sitting on the front porch, enjoying the quiet and the fading light, when I was startled by a sudden loud buzz very near my shoulder. It was a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, wings whirring as he moved from spot to spot around me, closely checking me out – maybe because I was wearing a bright red sweater. After several seconds of inspection, no doubt disappointed, he zoomed off into the twilight with what sounded like a buzzing sigh.

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