this…is Lola. at least i think it’s her, since there’s no way for me to truly know…

isn’t she sweet? i call her Lola. now, i say there is no way to know if this is the original Lola i met four springs ago, but i can only assume. i don’t know anything about hummingbirds or their breeding practices, but i very much enjoy her company. i have no intention of marking her in order to know for sure. besides, i think that would kill the charm.

four springs ago my SweetHeart noticed the tiny nest attached to two icicle light strands in front of our den windows. we didn’t see or hear any birds, so i thought they were abandoned. the next day i found myself intrigued and curious. i moved a chair under the nest and tried to see, but had to tilt the light cords and almost scrambled two of the tiniest eggs i’ve ever seen. the sight of them scared me. i was instantly enamored.

as i turned to return the chair to its place in the yard, i heard a low twittering sound and felt a vibration. Angry Mama Bird (not yet named, Lola) was about twelve inches from my face. she’d spotted me, spotting her babies. she was upset, on alert and ready to fight. she was so close that the vibration i felt was from her tiny wings flapping at a fierce rate. i moved slowly away and went into the house.

the nest was the size of a chicken egg. when nesting, all of the tiny mama bird was in the nest — minus her head and tail. she was there day in and out except for short periods when it was my guess that she was out foraging for food and stretching her wings. the eggs were maybe the size of dimes. two eggs.

i kept watch from inside the house. shortly thereafter, i noticed (now named) Lola perching upon the edge of the nest and no longer sitting in it. at the right time, i took another gander, using my cell camera and could only see dark colors. i moved my chair again and then saw the tiny hummingbird baby miracles. tiny tiny tiny bodies, little hearts beating and little chests breathing at an unfathomable rate. featherless, black skinned, beak-less birds. everyday they gained a feather, and a millimeter to their beaks. i was giddy. soon their heads were above the rim of the nest and they watched me just as intently as their mother. sometimes they faced the same way, sometimes opposite. i never saw them eat, drink, or try to fly.

one day, all three were gone. just like that… but she, and more nests appeared each spring. i removed the abandoned nests and hoped shed return.

so, I can’t say if the beauty above is truly Lola. i can tell you that at our first meeting, Little Lola was distraught. she wouldn’t let me get too close, but got visibly more comfortable as time went on. each spring she seemed a little more comfortable and accepting of my presence. today’s Lola barely payed me any attention…i think she knows it’s me. ;D