Yearn to Wander

Rufous in Mid-Air

Fifteen feet outside the garden gate, four newly-planted cedar saplings needed water, and apparently so did a Rufous Hummingbird.

While the hose streamed water toward the saplings, a hummer stopped to investigate. Like hummers do, she came to a dead stop in mid-air, and with her wings buzzing, hung there for a second or two. Then she flew straight into the stream of water where she stopped for another second or two with her wings still motoring. All wet now, her next stop was the top of the nearby fence. There she started cleaning her wings. But that was not all. As I continued watering, she darted over to the saplings to flit in and out of the water several more times. She cleaned herself again and again.

That was new bird behaviour for me. Having rarely seeing a hummer at rest at other than a feeder, I was surprised to learn enough insects could catch up with one to require it to clean itself!

Another new behaviour occurred, too. During her flitting in and out of the water, she was only five to fifteen feet away from me. Was she so intent on the water that she didn't notice me? Or was it that I was wearing purple? I've started to notice that hummingbirds, at least Annas and Rufouses, seem to ignore me when I wear purple, take me for a flower in bright pinks, and avoid me in black. Any scientific opinions on that?