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It was pouring rain recently and my big tough Marine husband was watching a hummingbird struggle to feed in the downpour.
Though I tried to explain hummingbirds live in tropical rain forests where deluges are common, he said, “These hummers are in Maine. They need help.”
So what did he do?
.

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He went outside and got drenched…
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In order to rig an umbrella over the feeder.
.

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As soon as it was installed?
Grateful hummingbirds.
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Of course the wind was blowing and securing it took repeated trips.
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But the little guys loved it.
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With one fellow happily perching there for an hour.
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❤️
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That’s wonderful! What a guy. Pretty ingenious, too.
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Hummingbirds live in tropical rainforests where it pours every day. I’m not sure it was necessary… but it made him feel better.
😉
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All the animals we feed are capable of foraging, but life is different with humans in the picture. The patterns of wind and water change when you put a house in the way. I think he was right about them being Mainers.
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And it has been cold. The mountains got snow a few days ago…
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Yikes!
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I saw a black hummingbird in CostaRica!
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That is sweet. I remember my husband walking down the road and meeting me at the bus stop when it was raining and a heavy deluge and our car was not working-years ago. Yes, still the same although he hides it well.
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That’s even sweeter…
❤️
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He can be. But yet, if he doesn’t like someone, whew, I still work as a teacher and he tells me his take on some situations. Seriously, I would have a problem but yeah…if I followed his lead but yeah for me, he is good.
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My husband can come off as gruff to strangers, but he’s actually very kind hearted.
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The deer and the fox are going to demand the same treatment once they see the new hummingbird roof…
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That could be problematic…
🤣
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Aw! He created a forest canopy for them.
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Surprisingly touching anecdote.
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Scientists traced the extinction of the hummingbirds to the misguided actions of one man, whose umbrella installation over a feeder eventually led to the tiny birds losing the ability to feed in heavy rain without human intervention.
And humans are a fickle, unreliable sort…
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Uh oh…
🥴
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I love this.
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the best.
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Awwe. Lovely. X
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Awww. Very sweet.
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How wonderful!!
Did you see the news blurb about Cakif hummingbirds evolving due to feeders? I think it said their beaks got longer and… wider? stronger?… something like that.
I’m having my very tall fake honeysuckle chopped down so that my cat has less opps to catch hummingbirds. I feel bad, but there are abundant, safer, alternates nearby for the birdies.
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If your cat is catching hummingbirds.. he’s fast. We’ve never had any of our cats manage that!
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New skill this year. She’s killed 5. One was alive in the house and I was able to capture it and set it free, seemingly uninjured. I’ve been feeling horrible about it but a neighbor said her cat is doing it too. Plus, yesterday evening, I watched a hummingbird hover really low, then dive bomb the same cat… it’s really lucky she wasn’t paying attention!!
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Wow.
Makes me glad all our cats have been fat and lazy…
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She could kill sparrows and I’d be equally grossed out but not concerned. But hummingbirds are a NO!
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Agreed. They’re special little guys…
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That is so awesome! What a considerate man who notices the little things around him. My husband has been put in charge of feeding Red while I’m recovering from surgery. After my husband left, Red sang and sang to me and stared at me through the window!
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If that doesn’t speed your recovery, nothing will.
❤️
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👍🏼
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This just filled my heart. I didn’t think I could love him any more myself. 🙂
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He certainly has his moments.
💕
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“These hummers are in Maine. They need help.” So many comments…. but hubby is a sweety !!!
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He is.
Just don’t tell anyone..
😉
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I didn’t think hummingbirds did anything for a full hour, flitting about as they do. They must have loved it. Kudos to your husband.
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Thinking of you and your hubby as ai just saw a tv show segment about hummingbirds & rain. Turns out that hummingbirds shake off water with a headflip that has the force of14 G’s. While feeding, they change their airflap speed to reduce water absoption. But if they get too wet, they do the fast headflip while hovering.
-How Do Animals Do That, S2 E1 Acrobatic Cats and Butterfly Wings – last segment
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14G’s? Impressive.
I shall pass the info along to my spouse…
😉
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