that the Venue Committee flew in around the 1st of July to check out my backyard for the 2009 Summer Olympics. They checked everything: fire bush blooming, check; Turk's cap blooming, check; trumpet flowers blooming, check;fresh nectar, check; esperanza blooming, check. I was so glad that I passed inspection again this year. Oh, did I forget to tell you this is the Hummingbird Olympics??
It seems that during August and September the adolescent males are vieing for the best spots. I get some of the best of the best appearing for competition: Buzz Lightyear, Luke Skywalker, you recognize them.
Usually, I only see one hummingbird at a time in my yard. It could be one that comes by many times a day or several that come one at a time to feed on my flowers, but during these months I will have 2-6 at a time. They are very aggressive and fight among themselves over which can feed from which flowers. There is much chasing and dive bombing and at times it is like actually being in Star Wars the movie as they chase each other through the yard, banking around the honeysuckle, swooping under the patio cover (narrowly missing my head) and sometimes engaging in hand to hand combat (actually, that foot to foot combat) and falling to the ground and flopping around until someone gives up and releases the other from their hold. It's all very exciting. I never know who wins.
Sadly, they will be finished with their teenage combat soon and heading on to Mexico or where every they winter. I'll miss the excitement, but then I can begin preparing for next year's inspection and hoping that I will pass muster and be picked again.
Life in the backyard is exciting!!
Cool!
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