As much as I love hummingbirds, the only ones in my life right now are the ceramic magnetic ones on my refrigerator. I knew moving east of town, farther away from the mountains, would mean fewer hummers at our house. Still, last year we had a slow but steady trickle of visitors. This year? Not a one so far.
I’m beginning to have hummingbird hallucinations. Was that the telltale sound of a hummer in flight? Nope. Probably a visiting grandson with his fidget toy. Was that a hummer headed to the feeder? Nope. Just a small finch hoping to peck at the holes with the sweet water and get an energy boost.
I haven’t given up hope. I know that there’s always an influx of the amazing little birds in July. That’s when the rufouses appear. Even if my only visitors are those rude and belligerent rufouses, I would happily settle for them during this hummer drought.
I’ve tried to figure out what might be detaining them. I put the feeder out on tax day as recommended. I change the nectar often. Yes, the cats hang out on the deck but that’s never deterred the birds before. I bought a fancy new feeder and wondered if they weren’t impressed, so I put up the old feeder. Still no visits. Just a forlorn feeder.
Now I’m beginning to imagine they met some ill fate on the trip here. Could they have been held up in customs crossing the borders in South America or Mexico? Their little tiny suitcases rifled through? Or maybe they were all captured and forced to join some hummingbird circus where attendees are charged sugar cubes to watch their aerial antics!
Wherever they are, I hope they are well. And I hope they come here soon.