Who doesn’t love the beauty of a hummingbird in flight? The whir of the wings, the flash of color, the little chirp, the occasional ‘look at me’ song. I love to sit on my deck, as I did today, and wait for them to come to the feeder.

I went to my outdoor sanctuary hoping to find inspiration for a new topic for the blog today. I think better in the quietness of the country and in the midst of nature. It was a bit cool, but the sun was shining and the hummingbirds were out. Between finishing my new book, writing a blog, making sure I keep up with the social network, the ideas get a bit muddled sometimes, and I have to refocus.

As I sat quietly, looking hopefully at the trees around me, I wished for the hummingbirds to make an appearance. I was delighted when they did.

One by one, at different intervals, they would flit back and forth from the trees to the feeder. Once in a while, a pair of them would land to drink, but more often, it was individually. I gloried in their colors, their diversity.

I decided to look up a few facts about these curious birds, the tiniest among our feathered friends.

What I already knew from watching them is how aggressive they are. Males will become very combatant and territorial. It’s amazing to watch these little creatures fight for what they deem theirs.

You can hear them coming from the whir of their wings sometimes before you see them. Beware wearing red. They love the color, of course, are attracted to it. They see farther than humans, but have little or no sense of smell. They remember each flower they’ve ever been to and even know when that flower will refill.

You may wonder why they don’t light long on the feeder. It’s because they have very weak feet, can’t stand very long, and prefer flying.

They do not drink the nectar like a straw, but lap it with their grooved tongue. It’s in the shape of a “W” with tiny hairs on the tip to help lap the nectar.  I always thought they were drinking.

These little creatures endure much hardship, much as we do in life sometimes. They have many predators; the most common is the cat. Cat lovers know how much they love to chase things that dart and bounce around. Even a beam of light will delight our feline friends and make them pounce all over the place. A hummingbird is a natural toy to them.

Sometimes, manmade obstacles present a problem. Brightly colored barricades, such as an electric fence, will attract the bird.

These beautiful creatures enchant us, give us joy, and entertain us. I suppose I never thought about the obstacles they face every day just to stay alive.

It’s sad to me that these birds live almost solitary lives. They do not mate for life, do not flock or migrate in groups. They may possibly swarm a feeder on their way out of town, but they do not fly together.

These tiny creatures find a way to survive, a product of nature.

So, I sit on my deck and watch each individual bird, marvel at the beauty of their color, find joy in their individual markings, listen to the whir of their wings, the chirp to let me know they are near, and silently thank them for giving me a few moments of joy, a period to reflect, to assess life as it is reflected in each creature, and appreciate God’s handiwork.

Nature is healing, stress-relieving, inspiring. We need to take advantage of what God has provided for us free of charge. I am renewed and can get back to the business of writing.

Please click the book cover to read more about An Unlikely Beginning on Amazon. Patty can be reached at patty_wiseman1966@yahoo.com, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, LinkedIn, and www.pattywiseman.net