And POOF! They Are Gone!

Oodles of them. And so much action it’s impossible to count them, unless of course I cheat and take a picture of them. This particular moment I think I see 13 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris), blurred by their insane movement.

And then something startles them. Perhaps someone uttering the word, “autumn”.

And then – POOF! And they are GONE!

Now I will see one or two during the course of a morning or afternoon. Not 13 or 18 all at once. Arriving at the feeder, gulping down the syrup like they have been traveling miles and miles.

Sometimes one is carrying a suitcase with a sticker, Mexico, or Panama. Such huge distances to fly with such tiny wings. They do it twice every year.

Keep watching, paying attention to what is going on around you. Nature is astounding.

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Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

2 thoughts on “And POOF! They Are Gone!”

    1. Hi Linda! Enjoy them! I’ve had many during the summer and now that summer is waning – fewer and fewer. I’ll miss them until spring comes ’round again! Such entertaining little birds.

      Thanks bunches for reading my posts 💚😊💚
      Bren

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