Blowing the Hummingbird Theory Right Out of the Water

I've always loved hummingbirds. They're so tiny and fantastically engineered. I've always thought of them as elusive little creatures, a bit on the shy side, and needing to be coaxed out into public with strategically placed feeders and the like.

It's been years since I've had a hummingbird feeder, and this summer I decided to remedy that. Perhaps there would be a bird in the area that I could attract, and if I got very, very lucky I could see it on occasion when I'm on the patio eating breakfast or reading a book.

And by golly, it worked! I have a regular little customer at my nectar station and I enjoyed watching that tiny little thing sip, sip, sip away until the feeder was empty. And that's when I realized that I didn't know hummingbirds very well at all.

Theory: Hummingbirds are a bit on the shy side, needing to be coaxed out into public.

Fact: Hummingbirds are ornery little stinkers, incredibly cheeky, and not afraid to put you in your place.

Turns out, when my feeder gets empty, a certain tiny little someone will buzz my head when I'm trying to eat breakfast or read a book. When there is a yummy sugar solution in the feeder, he'll let me enjoy the outdoors in peace. He's not stupid, that tiny little bird, and also not afraid of me. I've given him leeway on the buzz-bys because his mate has a wee nest in the hedge.

I love hummingbirds. They're amazingly engineered little things, but there's nothing shy about them.