madameblogalot

My grandpa is a country boy. His yard is mostly garden, both front and back. Living on a corner lot has given him tons of room to grow all kinds of plants. The front and side of the yard are mostly flowers while the back is mostly vegetables. Even his compost pile sprouts plants! One fascinating aspect of his yard is all the birds that come to visit his feeders. We love to sit at his dining room table next to the big window and watch the antics of the birds. One of our favorites are the hummingbirds. They are beautiful and fascinating creatures.

I learned today that these tiny hovering birds actually migrate from tropical climates to North America each year. They begin in their homes in Central America and start as early as January but usually in mid-March to make their way North. They come to Texas between mid-March and Mid-July. Before they leave they eat a hearty meal, nearly doubling their weight. Then they begin their 18-22 hour non-stop flight north. By the time they reach their destination, they have lost nearly 1/3 of their body weight.

Hummingbirds are individual creatures. They do not migrate in groups. The males head out first in the migration cycle and head toward the coast. The females will follow around ten days later. The whole migration process takes about three months.

I am wishing now that I would have gone ahead and gotten my mom of the best hummingbird feeders I could have found for Mother’s Day. That seems like a really nice gift that would be enjoyed from year to year. Hm, maybe my dad will get one for Father’s Day….