Backyard Buddies
Most of you have already met my little friend Sara. If not, please allow me the privilege of introducing her now.
She's a fairy princess…
a pastry sous chef…
A prima ballerina, book lover, nature girl…
and Nancy Drew-in-training. We have so much fun together, my little neighbor friend and I!
Example: We wandered into my backyard yesterday afternoon, with plans to water the fairy garden we created a short while back. Sara got side-tracked by some roly-poly seed pods, scattered on the ground. One thing led to another, and…oh, look!* Look up, Sara! Do you see what I see, on the edge of that branch?
A Mama Hummingbird, nesting in my backyard podocarpus tree, as pretty as you please!
(*Look = a wondrous word. Can I get a witness?)
We stood quietly together, watched Mama play sentry. She turned her head to and fro, no doubt aware of our presence.
But hummingbirds don't scare easily, especially when they've come to know you as the one who refills the nectar in their feeder.
I snapped some pictures, and when she flew off to get some sustenance…
…I zoomed the lens a little closer. Voilà, two tic-tac sized eggs, tucked inside her nest!
Some of you might remember the backyard hummingbirds I documented a few years ago, from first discovery to fledge. It'll be SO FUN to do something similar with my little pal, Sara!
Now that you've met my backyard buddies, I'll let you in on another little secret. I decided just this morning to give Mama Hummingbird a name! Hope, the thing with feathers… It suits her, don't you think?