Taking Flight

Yesterday our lone baby hummingbird secretly left the nest. After a week or more of feeding by his mother, he kept preening his feathers and trying his wings until suddenly we looked and he was gone. His mother bird returned and found her job was over. How interesting nature is, no preparation other than instinct will guide this new bird into how to sleep on a tree and find food in flowers. See my video of last year's twin hummingbirds and their mother.

Looking out at the waiting world, wondering where mom is... 

Trying out those strange wings, soon the bird lifts off.

The nest is empty, gone for this year-available-FOR RENT!

Now to clean up the bird droppings underneath and on the patio...

THE NEST

by Lin Floyd

building the nest

the tiny hummingbird

hovers, carefully placing

twig by twig, leaf by leaf

feather by feather

into a comfy place

for her little ones

instinct guides her

and her helpful mate

to know how to build

then care for the babies

who will hatch

from eggs protected

and watched over

I remember

holding my newborn son

hovering over him

as he grew to try

his wings, then flew

away from home

and nest without

a backward glance.