It was quite a day over here in the chaos household. Our pure excitement over our little hummingbird visitor turned to tragedy when an errant soccerball went flying into the small tree that held the tiny nest of eggs. I wasn't even aware that it had happened until I heard sobbing coming ffrom Carlos' room. I was able to decipher through all the hyperventilating and crying something to the effect of: soccerball, eggs, ground, killed, I didn't mean it....... I immediately ran to the back yard thinking it all had to be a horrible mistake. There was no way this could have possibly happened because not more than 20 minutes ago I specifically told him to "stop kicking that soccer ball around in the yard. We have eggs incubating here!"
I climbed on the chair; peered into the nest and saw one lone little feather sticking up. I think it's a bird's version of the finger........
Very sad. Just the day before we had looked up all the facts and trivia on hummingbirds. I was keeping daily update on my facebook page. I already had blog posts in my head about how the mama bird sat so still and statuesque in her nest due to the fact she was reserving all her energy for those midnight feedings as well as pondering whether she should go back to work or stay at home. I was ready to install a live web cam........
And then with one kick of the soccer ball, all dreams and excitement came crashing down on the cement. I made an emergency facebook message to my friend Fie who is an expert in birds with questions like.....should we put the cracked eggs back in the nest.....will the mama come back....do you think she's sad and crying in some tree......will we be banned in the hummingbird community as a housing option.....will she bring all her mean "other side of the tracks" hummingbird friends back to attack us....how easily swayed are they with a fancy double deck hummingbird feeder....
Luckily she wrote back very comforing words to me. She said "she is probably already working on her next nest"....and some not so comforting words......"just not in your backyard." I'm fine with that. Sort of. I guess I just can't be trusted with a bird nest in the backyard.
So goodbye little hummingbird that brought so much joy to our family for two days. You and your little eggs will be missed.......
Ok...I'm off to buy the fanciest hummingbird feeder I can find.......Talk to you soon...Karin
What a sad story. I'm so sorry for your loss. My hummies mean the world to me, well all our backyard birds do so I feel your loss. Even shedding a tear as I write this. :( What a blessing it was to have the time you did with her AND the opportunity to photograph the nest. You were blessed. Another hummingbird will come along, in time.
Posted by: Jen | March 19, 2011 at 10:56 AM
Oh, I am sorry. They were so sweet! I was looking forward to this, too.
Hugs,
Suz
Posted by: Susan Reaney | March 19, 2011 at 12:50 PM
I want to cry.
Posted by: Debra | March 19, 2011 at 04:34 PM
So sorry - I was looking forward to birdie stories!
Susan
Posted by: Susan Tidwell | March 19, 2011 at 07:45 PM
I'm so sorry!! They were so cute. Dag. Sometimes things don't work out as we plan.
Posted by: Lalanii | March 20, 2011 at 02:02 PM
Hi Karin,
Oh sorry to hear about the bird eggs. Maybe you can plant a new tree, and get a new birdie family, or get a birdhouse.
Debbie
Posted by: Debbie | March 20, 2011 at 07:00 PM
Karin, why is it that you have me smiling even when telling a sad story?!! You are the best storyteller, I'm telling ya! I feel bad for Carlos, poor thing! Survival of the fittest I guess... xox nat
Posted by: natalea | March 21, 2011 at 03:49 AM
Oh my goodness...how very sad. I am glad to see a new birdie has come to roost as per your latest post.
Found you through Tammy Gilley's blog.
Posted by: Sandra L. | June 10, 2011 at 06:36 PM
Not sdure how I missed this post....probably whirling around in a tornado of paint, wood, paper, glitter, dog hair, and junk food.
Oh my goodness...My face is all squinched up from reading this. Shaking my head side to side....aww Carlos! ahhh soccer balls....aww feathers....aww lil eggs...ahh mama bird nervous.
Yeah well ...my sis and I had a hamster named Goldie when we were about 9 & 6. (I'm older)...we shared a room, and my sister was...hmm...ah well no way around it or no sense in sugar coating...she was a PIG. A total PIG! I had to have "my side" near the door since she only had a pathway to her bed. My mom made a deal with her..that if she kept her side clean Goldie's cage could be on her dresser. Long story short...Goldie's cage ended up sprouting a garden aka her food sprouted from the urine. Yep...And to make things worse...one day my sis realized Goldie was gone...looked for days...weeks...then gave up...cleaned the cage and put it in the shed. No joke...6 months later...while looking for a light bulb in the pantry I see this FAT RAT with eyes like Igor in young Frankenstein ( this guy: http://bostonist.com/attachments/boston_caroline/011608-igor-young-frankenstein.jpg ) ..not kidding!! I ran up to get my dad....who came down in his pjs and slippers.....not 2 mins goes by the fattt rat ran over his slipper and...PUKED! Can you believe it? And guess what he puked?! Lasagna noodles!! Like what!!?? It was all so insane! So yep..My dad went out got the cage...newspaper till the next day....
boy oh boy...oh yeah..not long after Goldie was buried in a baby wipes container out by the xmas trees we had planted.
I just typed this like a lunatic with a chihuahua on my lap and wayyy too much caffeine in my system. Btw...It was only one iced coffee....but I am already nutso...so a smidge will have me ready for the Emergency Room.
Love to you!!!
xoxo
Posted by: jenny holiday | June 13, 2011 at 11:24 AM