Story and Photos by Beth Marlin Lichter
A much-anticipated visitor is stopping by regularly to drink from my recently installed hummingbird feeder. She is a beautiful Anna’s. Within 24 hours of it being filled, she was imbibing. Now I’m wondering if I should have bought a bigger feeder.
I hung it from the branch of a flowering maple tree in my back yard, in a spot I imagined a bird might feel safe and comfortable coming in for nectar. Sure enough, my little hummingbird is making herself right at home. While she is sipping, she glances at me standing inside the patio door with camera focused on her. Sometimes I stand there without a camera, watching her feed, and when she is done, we have a moment. Two beings checking each other out. I’m the admirer. She’s the threat assessor. I can tell that she’s getting more comfortable with my presence, as sometimes she nearly falls asleep after drinking.
I really do feel like I have a new friend…can’t wait to see her in the morning and throughout the day. When my Anna arrives at dusk she swoops in, takes a sip and looks for me like she wants to say goodnight.