When I went outside to fill the feeders early this morning, I noticed a small female struggling in the grass; unable to fly, and disoriented. The grass was wet and very cold.
I went inside and got a towel and brought her up on the porch and wrapped her in the warm towel. She was unresponsive, eyes closed, and breathing shallowly. After warming her for 15 minutes, her breathing improved. I got out a small tube feeder with a cap with a hole in it; she was uninterested in that also, and getting weaker and weaker each passing minute. I put her bill in the hole at the cap of the tube, but she still seemed uninterested.
Finally, I saw her lick the tube hole. Then she began drinking enthusiastically. With each flick of her tongue she seemed to gain strength and the desire to drink more. I continued to warm her. She continued consuming the nectar for 10 minutes, her eyes wide open, then raised her hear on her own and began flapping her wings. In five more minutes she took off and landed in a nearby Butterfly Bush where she began getting nectar for the blooms there.
I felt pretty good ! Captured part of the event with my iPhone:
Life and Wildlife along the Little Buffalo River 
Leave a Reply