The Hummingbird vs. the Bumblebees

I am new at the bird feeding thing and have decided to focus on the totality of the effort. There is a lot more to it than putting feed out, as I am learning. With The North American Bird Book and binoculars handy, I have been spending more time on the sun porch noticing the different birds visiting. In between visits, however, I have been feeling as though I should be keeping busy, I should be doing something else on my “to-do” list. You know the trap…do, do, do…

Being the geek that I am, I have been studying the habits of birds likely to visit. One that struck me was the hummingbird, although I didn’t buy a feeder specifically for them, so I wasn’t expecting a visit-- let alone a display of dominance. The description for hummingbird was that they have been known to fight bees for nectar from a flower. OMG, No way, Really?! Being allergic to bees, I can’t imagine anything breathing not running in terror at the sight of one.

I was noticing a bunch of huge bumble bees in a large shrub, which is now flowering with enormous cascading white clusters and is just on the other side of the screen door…merely a foot away from where I am standing. I was not a believer of this hummingbird behavioral information… until now. I saw it happen. There it was…a hummingbird staking claim amongst all those bees.

Awe struck and mesmerized, I lost track of time…what was minutes felt like hours. I caught myself “being.”

Quick Tip…what not to do… (Seasoned bird feeders please skip this part, unless you need a laugh)

Ok, in effort to help control the squirrels, which I am sure you guessed I had done much research, the swarm of up to 4 squirrels clearly didn’t get my memo to stay away from the feeders. Anyway, I smeared Vaseline on the post and on the “T” top… thinking…I got you now, you little rodents. Much like the way the wicked witch spoke to Dorothy and Toto in the Wizard of Oz.

Well… Vaseline melts in the sun and the poor cardinal that went skidding off the “T” hasn’t accepted my apology. Rest assured, I removed the evidence of the novice attempt to outsmart the cousins of the rat.