HEADED SOUTH

“Hey!” My husband Steven called from the kitchen. “The hummingbirds are at your feeder!”

I walked into the kitchen and saw Steven standing by the back door. When I went to stand next to him I could see four hummingbirds battling each other for exclusive rights to our nectar.

“Why is it that our hummingbirds are always fighting?” I said shaking my head. “I’ve seen videos where dozens are drinking from the same feeder and everyone is getting along just fine.”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “These are New Jersey hummingbirds. Maybe they’re just as scrappy as the people in this state.”

I shook my head and laughed. “I guess they are kind of scrappy.” I went to the cabinet and got out the bag of sugar. “I guess it’s time to give them some fresh sugar water.” I got out a sauce pan and put it on the stove.

“Shouldn’t they be heading South soon?” Steven asked.

“It’s funny you say that.” I got out a measuring cup and began scooping out some sugar. “When my sister Liz and I were up in Maine a few weeks ago we had a hummingbird that kept circling our heads when we were sitting out on the deck.”

“Did your rental cabin have a hummingbird feeder?” Steven asked.

“At first we thought it did because when the hummingbird wasn’t circling our heads it sat on the railing of the deck just staring at us.”

“It was just staring at you?” Steven seemed confused.

“Well, maybe not us.” I admitted. “There was a pretty strong breeze coming off the lake so Liz and I had blankets draped over our legs.” I poured the sugar in the pot and went to fill the measuring cup with water. “The pattern on the blankets was a buffalo plaid so I’m pretty sure the hummingbird was looking at the big squares of red and getting confused.”

“So what did you do?”

“Liz and I felt so bad that we didn’t have anything to feed him that we took our blankets and went back in the house.”

“That was nice of you.” Steven said as he leaned against the counter.

I shrugged my shoulders. “It was a pretty windy day so going inside was more for us than it was for the hummingbird.”

Steven laughed. “Well, at least you’re honest.”

“Exactly.” I laughed. “But now that I know they haven’t left Maine yet…” I turned the burner on and stirred the sugar and water mixture. “I’m pretty sure we still have a few more weeks of getting our Jersey hummingbirds ready to fly south for the winter.”

“Are you getting them fighting ready for when the hummingbirds from Maine show up?”

I turned around and saw our hummingbirds dipping and diving around the feeder without any of them being able to stop and get a drink. I turned back to the stove and gave the nectar a quick stir. “Hopefully by the time the ones from Maine show up,” I pointed my thumb over my shoulder. “these little terrors will already be on their way.”