[wisb] Bathing with the Hummer

  • From: betsyacorn@xxxxxxx
  • To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 20:06:35 -0400 (EDT)

Tonight, I watched a single hummer fly in to  refuel among the salvias in the 
yard.  I had been hand-watering elsewhere, but thought to raise the stream to 
the leaves of the tree next to me, and sure enough, the female RT hummingbird 
flew in for a bath. Within 8 feet of her, she was "dosed"  lightly with a 
varied and meandering overhead sprinkle at first, until I realized she loved 
the relatively steady stream from overhead.  This was a five minute bath.  When 
I stopped, she flew off to a nearby tree to shake and preen.  Bathing in the 
trees to a sprinkler has been, as well, a constant treat with my lil pack o 
chickadees who often come in to my pseudo-chickadee call.  But the other tree 
bathers are woodpeckers and jays.  The birdbath fountain is a source of some 
concern; it requires twice daily cleaning and refills given the new generation 
of starlings as well as the regular robins and grackles.   A thirty inch 
diameter by 6 inch deep basin with overhead fountain and pump, it develops into 
a pretty disgusting soup within three hours of refill, in fact.  But they love 
to bathe and dip, so I clean and refill as needed.  The evening sprinkler is, 
as well, a true magnet.

Prayin' for rain in South Milwaukee, Betsy Abert

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  • » [wisb] Bathing with the Hummer - betsyacorn