Our Patio Friend!
by Sherry Piechocki
(N. Las Vegas, NV)
Nesting Hummingbird
This year, around the beginning of June, we noticed a hummingbird was flying through the covered patio area an awful lot. It would stop close enough to us, that if possible, we could put our hand out and touch it.
My mom and I thought that we had just made a new friend! The bird would stop by several times a day and hover above us as to say, "So you're having coffee again today, do you have anything for me? Maybe some nectar?" That being said, we purchased the feeder and nectar, which she seems to be enjoying.
Well, the hummingbird continued to visit us on the patio several times a day, and started sitting on a string of mini white Christmas lights that my mom keeps up all year long. Then just a few days ago, I noticed a big lump on the string of lights. Surprise, the bird is building a nest around the string of lights! And all this time we thought she was just coming by to see us.
Now, with each passing day, the nest is getting bigger and bigger. We don't see any eggs in the nest yet, but the bird is getting a bit territorial. We attempted to walk out onto the patio around 1:00am for coffee and when we turned the patio light on and went to open the door, she came charging at us.
We had to shut the door very quickly, and then she started pecking at the glass to warn us not to come out. Well, we didn't. We gave her some privacy that night.
She has not threatened us since and still comes by throughout the day and night and sits in her little nest.
We can't wait to see if she actually lays some eggs soon.
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