September 4, 2010
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Hummingbirds!
As probably most of you know, I am a bird lover and a bird-watcher. We have always had hummingbirds at a feeder put out right by our picture window, but usually only 1 or 2 at a time. In the recent bird watchers magazine, they suggested "clustering" hummingbird feeders to attract even more hummingbirds. So I bought another one down at our local garden store, and then found one that we had in storage, and put them out as well by the picture window....Voila! We have many hummingbirds--6-8 at times, always fighting and trying to stock up fast before they get chased away.. It is amusing to watch them doing their thing as they get ready for their long trip across the Gulf of Mexico...
They are quite the travelers, amazing for the tiny creatures that they are...In this area, we have a number of bird banders that band hummingbirds, particularly in the winter. There are a number of wintering hummingbirds in this area--often more "western" types, such as rufous or blackchinned, or Anna's hummingbird. A couple of winters, we have had rufous hummers spend the winter here at our place, but not since our hurricane of 2004...Anyway, in tracking the banded hummingbirds, they have found some of them that spend their summer in Alaska and then the winter down here. It is amazing--in one case the same hummer has come back each year to the same place for 9 years in a row....5000 miles to migrate! Wow...
Anyway, Jeremiah 8:7 says "Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the LORD." I am not sure of the identity of the birds that he is talking about, although certainly the storks, swifts, and thrushes all migrate, but not doves--at least not in the US--but the point is the people of God, the very people who should know even better than a bird that operates on instinct--the people of God don't even know what God's requirements are...What an indictment! He goes on to say why that is because, "They have rejected the word of the LORD..v 9..Sadly, I am afraid that our day is not that much different. How God must desire for his people to be familiar with his word, and works, and yet we spend our time on non-essentials and forget what is important. God forgive us...and I am putting myself in that category as well...
Comments (3)
I enjoy watching hummingbirds, too. However, we do not have a feeder. They are attracted to my flowers, and I saw them today. Don't know when they will fly south, but it will soon be too cold for them here. I do believe I shall try to get some feeders next spring.
Jon, could you show a picture of how you "grouped" the feeders? I have one solitary feeder, and it stays consistent in that I need to fill it once a week, but it is slowing down some. I would love to get more hummers here. They like my flowers, too, and I am so glad to see them going after the flowers, but there is something special about seeing them frequenting the feeder that I have on the deck railing.
I liked your little homily, too. A good message for this Saturday evening when it seems that there are lots of distractions from what is really needed -- that of preparing a Sunday School lesson for the older children's class at church. Must get moving. Thanks for posting, Jon. It makes my heart sing when your name comes up as newly updated.
Your commentary on hummingbirds was so interesting. We have several feeders but not grouped together. I definitely will try that! Thanks.