They fly alone and often return to the same source of food on either end.
Hummingbirds fly north over the gulf each year for warmer weather and to mate, typically having two fledglings, which the female is left to raise while the male hums around flashing his his ruby-red throat. When it's time to go back to Mexico, however, it's every hummingbird for him or her self.
And that time will soon be coming in the eastern part of the U.S. as cooler temperatures will find the visitors stocking up on nourishment for the long flight back to their winter home. During that trip, it's said that a hummingbird's heart beats up to 1,260 times a minute and its wings flap 15 to 80 times a second. Kind of like me going upstairs.
In any event, it takes a lot of strength to support that output of energy. For me, that means feeding them well on this end now and enjoying their company in the waning days of summer while avoiding the news of the day. Like I said, a slow learner.
Weather and prevailing winds allowing, maybe the birds will return next year, even to an apprentice hummingbird feeder.
(PS: Watch out for the yellowjackets. They love nectar, too.)
(PPS: Sept. 2 was National Hummingbird Day.)
rjgaydos|AT|gmail.comEmail address
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