This weekend, Jon replaced the screens on the front porch of our lake cabin. While the door was still removed, this female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, the smallest bird to inhabit Minnesota, found her way inside. Tricked by the new screens, she could not find the open doorway to escape.
Jon spotted her first. We watched for a few minutes, hoping she would discover the way out. After it was obvious she was stuck, I became worried she would wear herself out flying against the screens. So, I picked up an old, plastic pitcher that the previous owners had left in the cabin, and gently caught her in it. Feeling quite helpful, I let her go in the trees with the admonition that while a welcome visitor, she really should stay out of the porch. Especially since there are spiders in there that probably outweigh her.
Well, five minutes later, she was back. In the porch. Trapped.
Having already polished my hummingbird catching skills, I had her back in the pitcher and on her way to freedom quickly. Jon put the old door up again as a temporary fix since the new door needed screen.
Driving home tonight, I got to thinking about that plastic pitcher. The sellers left the cabin furnished and only took a handful of personal items, which left us with a lot of sorting. I had the pitcher set aside to be washed (fine--probably tossed,) but it came in really handy. I am not sure what else I could have used had it not been sitting there.
We all become trapped sometimes. Maybe even trapped twice in the same place. It is good to have a friend with a pitcher, and another to hang a door.
Jon spotted her first. We watched for a few minutes, hoping she would discover the way out. After it was obvious she was stuck, I became worried she would wear herself out flying against the screens. So, I picked up an old, plastic pitcher that the previous owners had left in the cabin, and gently caught her in it. Feeling quite helpful, I let her go in the trees with the admonition that while a welcome visitor, she really should stay out of the porch. Especially since there are spiders in there that probably outweigh her.
Well, five minutes later, she was back. In the porch. Trapped.
Having already polished my hummingbird catching skills, I had her back in the pitcher and on her way to freedom quickly. Jon put the old door up again as a temporary fix since the new door needed screen.
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| Wait, did you say SPIDERS?! |
Driving home tonight, I got to thinking about that plastic pitcher. The sellers left the cabin furnished and only took a handful of personal items, which left us with a lot of sorting. I had the pitcher set aside to be washed (fine--probably tossed,) but it came in really handy. I am not sure what else I could have used had it not been sitting there.
We all become trapped sometimes. Maybe even trapped twice in the same place. It is good to have a friend with a pitcher, and another to hang a door.
