[obol] Between a hummer and a hard place
- From: "L Markoff" <canyoneagle@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "'OBOL'" <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 15:52:10 -0800
I am running 4 humfeeders right now. One of the feeders hangs outside my
second-story window. My routine is to clean the feeder that hangs near the
back door first, then take it upstairs to switch it for the feeder that
hangs outside the window. That way my old knees only have to make one trip
up/down the stairs.
A few minutes ago I was reaching out the window with a fresh feeder in one
hand and, having just taken the "old" feeder off the hook, the old feeder in
the other hand. So there I was, hanging half out the window in an awkward
position with a feeder in each hand when Hercules, my male Anna's hum, flew
in and landed on the old feeder. Hercules looked at me quizzically, then
started drinking. I was afraid to breathe for fear I would jiggle the
feeder! I stood there frozen, except for the smile spreading across my
face, until Hercules stopped drinking. Okay, I thought, now he will fly off
and I can relax.
But no. Instead he backed off, hovered, looked at me, looked at my hand
holding the feeder, and settled back down for another drink of juice...this
time at a hole closer to me! Now my shoulders started to ache, but I held
steady and waited patiently. Once more Hercules did the back-off, hover,
give-me-the-eyeball routine, and settled down to yet a third hole and drank
again! Were there different flavors in there or what?! ;-)
I wanted him to finish so I could hang the fresh feeder and find relief.
But I didn't have it in my heart to spook him off, so I held on, frozen into
a now grimacing statue. Talk about a rock and a hard place! I know it was
only seconds, but it felt a LOT longer to my aching shoulders and now aching
neck.
Herc's third swig satisfied him and he flew off. Or so I thought. No
sooner had I hung the fresh feeder and closed the window when he was back on
the feeder! It took my brain a moment to process the fact that he had come
back so soon, then I grabbed my camera and started videoing. I wish I had
video of goofy me hanging out the window as Hercules sat on the feeder, but
the best I can manage is this video of him after he came back for another
round.
The grimace has turned back into a smile. :-)
https://www.flickr.com/gp/canyoneagle/Y0W161/
Lori Markoff
Eugene
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