Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, May 8, 2023
I think hummingbirds are the most amazing birds. I took this picture of a male Rufous hummingbird several years ago as it was sipping nectar at a feeder. I actually took multiple pictures of Rufous hummingbirds that day and in most of them, you can’t even see the color. It helps if it’s sunny and they have to be at just the right angle to the camera to even capture it.
Some zoos have an aviary just for hummingbirds and call it The Jewel Room because of all the gem-like colors displayed.
You can often hear them before you see them and then you just look for some movement and color. These male Rufous hummingbirds are very territorial. My parents had one of these coming to their feeder and he found a nice perch at the top of a large bush across the road from their place and spent his time watching the feeder and dive bombing any other hummingbird (like a Calliope, Anna’s or Black-chinned) that tried to get a drink.
What a wildly wonderful world, GOD!
You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.
Oh, look—the deep, wide sea,
brimming with fish past counting,
sardines and sharks and salmon.
Ships plow those waters,
and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them.
All the creatures look expectantly to you
to give them their meals on time.
You come, and they gather around;
you open your hand and they eat from it.
If you turned your back,
they’d die in a minute—
Take back your Spirit and they die,
revert to original mud;
Send out your Spirit and they spring to life—
the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.
Psalm 104:24-30 (The Message)