This morning, something very unexpected happened. My husband found a hummingbird on the mat outside our back porch. It was alive, probably ran into the glass storm door and knocked itself out. I picked up birdie not really knowing what to do, but I decided it was too cool where I was, perhaps heat would help it, plus perhaps I could get some sugar water to it if it began to revive. I went to a sunny spot and I used sugar water from one of the feeders. I could see that birdie was blinking its eyes, so that gave me hope it would eventually be fine. I put sugar water on my fingers and dropped it on its beak. I kept this up for a couple of minutes and then I saw the little tongue come out and began to taste the sugar water. Then I decided that a spoon of sugar water would be better, so carrying birdie, I went into the house, got a spoon and then went back outside, Now I could put its beak more into the liquid. Hooray, the tongue started getting busier and busier sucking up the liquid. Then birdie began to move and flex its wings. More sugar water, more movement, and then ta-da--it flew up into the pine tree that I was sitting underneath. I was very happy, and hopeful that it was now back to normal. I have seen the hummingbird at the feeder a couple of times now. I can only wonder if this is the female ruby throat that has overwintered here the past two years. Anyway, I am so grateful that she seems to be A-OK and somehow I did the right thing.
