I was taking nature pix in the yard, and then it happened

[arikara]

23. Fun, hey? I gave one a shower once too

I was spraying my compost and noticed a hummingbird on a twig all interested in the spray so I turned it on her. She had the nicest bath, preened in the mist for a good 10 minutes.

When we first moved here we went through 50 lbs of sugar in the summer. Now I have more flowers planted so its down to only 10 or 15 lbs. Unfortunately, I also have winter hummers that move in after the summer ones migrate. I say unfortunately because they are a pain. If its freezing outside I have to cycle the feeders every hour or 2 so they don't freeze, so I can't go away from home too long. If I forget to bring one in at night it freezes solid and breaks. Sigh. Its not that I leave the feeder out so they don't migrate, I have to bring it in for a few weeks so the bears don't go at it. It doesn't go out again until it gets cold and I see the birds humming around looking for it, I always hope they'll move on to warmer climes instead, but they always come back.