arotrhd Posted June 3, 2010 Report Share Posted June 3, 2010 So on Memorial day, I was working the BBQ and celebrating Memorial day and thinking about all those who fed the tree of liberty with their blood so we could enjoy our freedoms (or maybe those remaining). I went away for a few and came back to flip dinner and almost crushed a baby hummingbird that was on the patio as I was walking back to the grills. Obviously, it was a little too ambitious for the first solo and couldn't get back to it's pad. Wife freaked. Being like any other self-respecting VR member, I picked it up to see how much of a meal it might be worth and how long it needed to be cooked. JUST KIDDING. It IS a hummingbird, and I have special regard for these since they can hover. Now what? me says to self. I brought it inside, found some guidance from the web and mixed up some sugar water and fed it with a small syringe after Wifey made a small nest for it and placed it in a shoebox. Took it back outside (late evening) & Mom was flying around nearby. A few chirps later, they connected (fortunately, hummingbirds don't have a sense of smell, so Mom didn't try to kill it). Not convinced they little guy/girl was going to be safe, so we brought it back inside, fed it once more, and secured it for the night. We weren't real confident that it was going to survive, but hey, it's worth a shot. Got up at daybreak on Tuesday, fed it again and decided to put it back outside so Mom could take care of the meals. I was going to take it to our vet office, but figured we would let nature take care of the situation. So far, things are still working and it is alive and well...so far. Against 'lil rotrhd's wishes, we are not going to name it, and therefore not intending to keep it captive. In fact, we're trying to intervene as little as possible and get the little bird back into it's rightful domain. BTW: I found the nest this afternoon (now Thursday) and was going to place it back up there, but found it's brother/sister was up there being chewed up by little mites...very much dead. After seeing this, I'm figuring it probably was getting attacked and got the 'ell outa there, ready or not. We're keeping it in the shoebox-nest under the tree during the daytime, and inside at night. Anybody dealt with this or something similar? Any ideas/advice? Here's the bugger... -WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldy Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Cute little bugger- but DUH ! You know it can't fly away until you give it a solo endorsement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heligirl03 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 No good experience with birds specifically, but lots with all sorts of other critters. Gosh I am impressed it's still alive after 4 days, baby birds are incredibly frail, even the bigger kinds!! Whatever you're doing seems to be working! My only suggestion might be to put him up higher during the day if possible? Keep him away from the ground (predators or other infestations) and hopefully mom will continue to come back to the makeshift nest?? Keep us posted, aside from burning too much 100LL I'm a treehugger and devotee of all things feathered and furred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justfly Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Cute little bugger- but DUH ! You know it can't fly away until you give it a solo endorsement.That was funny! Here's a link that might help: I found a baby hummingbird. Now what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arotrhd Posted June 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Goldy- Not sure where I would even begin with the endorsement, tho you have a valid point about me being pretty dense and old-school trained in knuckle dragging...can't argue there. It's not like I was it's original instructor - if anything, it literally got dumped on me. No log book, no medical, but it turns out to be a good drinking buddy. I'm just glad I didn't have to file a report with the FAA & NTSB (especially after the events this week, so far ). We still stand a chance that ChopperChick my get a hold of this story and decide to take station above the rotrhd palace in the Fox 11 helo. As for instruction, I am holding the nest while it is perched and gently lowering it - wings unfold and flap on descent, and it does keep trying. Just not quite there yet. Hopefully it'll be on it's way soon. (And for the record, only true knuckle draggers greet and respond to the appropriate "DUH" grunt. It can never correctly used or recognized by those from outside our cave dwelling fraternity, although you do demonstrate a much higher intellectual prowess by spelling it!... maybe even correctly ) Hovergirl & justfly (mmm, BACON!)- Thanks for the input...the new "nest" is kept on the top of a stepladder, and thanks for the website. Still keeping an close eye on things and I'm trying to stay detached should things not go so well. Here's MOM & little one... I'll keep you posted. -WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justfly Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 ...(mmm, BACON!)everything tastes better with bacon ...even BACON! Here's MOM & little one...YEAH!.. mom is still around and feeding it. I figured you had to be getting tired of catching all those insects, chewing them up, and sticking your tounge down the 'lil guys gullet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff.f Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Good news the adult bird is feeding it. Probably the best thing is to leave it alone as much as possible (in a safe place) and maybe try seeing if it will take some sugar water or honey water from a plastic syringe. I would keep, as much as possible, out of its direct sight as you try to feed it. Good luck to the bird!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldy Posted June 5, 2010 Report Share Posted June 5, 2010 Goldy- We still stand a chance that ChopperChick my get a hold of this story and decide to take station above the rotrhd palace in the Fox 11 helo. The fact that mom is stopping by is great news. I once took care of a baby pigeon for a few weeks before it could take off on its own. I was setting the alarm every 3 hours to feed it. Anyway, Chopper Chick can fly over my house anytime. I only met Desiree once briefly in passing but you don't forget a smile like that!!! Enough said! Goldy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkidKid Posted June 5, 2010 Report Share Posted June 5, 2010 I got a chuckle out of the name of the ladder company. Home Base! Perfect for a couple of hovering machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arotrhd Posted June 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2010 Sunday update-1ST SOLO FLIGHT!!! Yep, she soloed (wife knows it's a girl by the way she flies so well. OK.). First series of supervised solos went well, fair run-on landings and a really good auto. I mean REALLY GOOD. Gave a guick ground lesson, something like "Get on the stick! You're going to fly now". Medical exam consisted of a waiver since she lasted through the week. Knowledge test was, well, like all girls and ladies, she already knows everything . And being Sunday, the Great Pilot himself was watching from the tower & acting as official oversight instead of the FAA. Cleared with open airspace & good to go. OK, neighborette came over last night to put the lil lady in the shoebox hangar for the night and noticed the bird was sitting on the edge of the shoebox top when she came over. I got up at dawn and put her back outside. Mom's been doing a great job during the days. I went out through the morning and she was perched on the edge again (moved from middle of box to edge by herself). We went out on errands for about an hour and she was gone when we returned home. I watched for mom to come around, observed her darting around, then saw she settled down near our patio steps. I approached and found the little lady doing just fine on one of the bricks about 6 feet down and away from the box. We made the decision to get her out to the practice area (lawn's a little softer than bricks) and get her going. I found a stick and was able to coax her onto it and the lessons (for me) began. After a few flights, I returned her to one of our plumerias since Mom was usually landing on one of the branches or flower groups. Here goes (sorry that these have been large files)... Ready? Alright, light pressure on the controls, be confident. Good set-down. OK, let's do it again... The proud Mom. Post-solo in the plumerias. What a day. She's safely back in the hangar for tonight. I'll put her back out in the same place tomorrow and just going to let Mom carry things forward. -WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heligirl03 Posted June 7, 2010 Report Share Posted June 7, 2010 This thread should win best-narrated, feel-good thread of the year, I love it....thanks for sharing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arotrhd Posted June 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2010 I forgot to add it in with the prior post, but one of the most memorable aspects of this experience has been watching her eyes; at the last nightly feedings, she just sits there and starts relaxing. Then, her eyes close about halfway and she takes these long, deliberate blinks. If you're a parent, you could easily relate as it's a lot like the response when feeding a tired newborn. Really a trip. And yes, she pees and poops with the best of 'em - if she was human, she could easily hit a target 20-30 feet away (I guess this is another indicator that she's getting the nutrition). Also, glad they already know how to take care of this 'function' & don't need diapers changed. Just keeping my hands cleaned &washed very thoroughly after any exposure to her. I'm thinking she is going to be on her own this week as she's pretty consistently - and vigorously - flapping the wings. She's going to have a pretty quick transition from private to ATP. Thanks again for the suggestions & comments. Keep ya posted on any new events. Goldy - I'll let Mom handle the endorsements from here out. -WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudFather Posted June 7, 2010 Report Share Posted June 7, 2010 I also want to thank you for your time and effort with the little guy/gal and sharing the whole episode with us. Very cool! Actually brought a tear to these old eyes. So on Memorial day, I was working the BBQ and celebrating Memorial day and thinking about all those who fed the tree of liberty with their blood so we could enjoy our freedoms (or maybe those remaining). I went away for a few and came back to flip dinner and almost crushed a baby hummingbird that was on the patio as I was walking back to the grills. Obviously, it was a little too ambitious for the first solo and couldn't get back to it's pad. Wife freaked. Being like any other self-respecting VR member, I picked it up to see how much of a meal it might be worth and how long it needed to be cooked. JUST KIDDING. It IS a hummingbird, and I have special regard for these since they can hover. Now what? me says to self. I brought it inside, found some guidance from the web and mixed up some sugar water and fed it with a small syringe after Wifey made a small nest for it and placed it in a shoebox. Took it back outside (late evening) & Mom was flying around nearby. A few chirps later, they connected (fortunately, hummingbirds don't have a sense of smell, so Mom didn't try to kill it). Not convinced they little guy/girl was going to be safe, so we brought it back inside, fed it once more, and secured it for the night. We weren't real confident that it was going to survive, but hey, it's worth a shot. Got up at daybreak on Tuesday, fed it again and decided to put it back outside so Mom could take care of the meals. I was going to take it to our vet office, but figured we would let nature take care of the situation. So far, things are still working and it is alive and well...so far. Against 'lil rotrhd's wishes, we are not going to name it, and therefore not intending to keep it captive. In fact, we're trying to intervene as little as possible and get the little bird back into it's rightful domain. BTW: I found the nest this afternoon (now Thursday) and was going to place it back up there, but found it's brother/sister was up there being chewed up by little mites...very much dead. After seeing this, I'm figuring it probably was getting attacked and got the 'ell outa there, ready or not. We're keeping it in the shoebox-nest under the tree during the daytime, and inside at night. Anybody dealt with this or something similar? Any ideas/advice? Here's the bugger... -WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hovergirl Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Thanks for watching over the little 'un and for sharing it with us. A few hours TT and she'll be better than any of us. My kids tell me that hummingbirds will remember you if you put out a feeder for them - I'm not sure about that, but I'd be curious to know if your foster child hangs out and visits occasionally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arotrhd Posted June 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 Tuesday update- Little Miss (wife said she needed a name, tho we're still not keeping her) completed her Private today, as of ~1100 hrs. On to the Commercial and ATP prep & checkout with Mom. Last night (evening, technically), she was flapping and buzzing her wings off, really trying to crank up the torque...but not quite convinced she should get off the perch. We decided to put her back on the stick and somewhat forced her to lose her grip; she went airborne and flew...UP this time. I think she was trying for a pinnacle landing on the brazilian orchid (about 10' up, 15' away), but must have decided the approach was not favorable and returned to the lawn. As it was getting dark, we did the nightly routine and got her settled. Bartender served sugar water, and she drank. I decided not to try to keep up with her as she consumed about 1cc in 20 minutes. We put her out this morning at the typical "o-dark-thirty", and placed her high on the plumeria flower cluster where she's been perched the last couple of days. Checked on her through the morning, and around 11:00, she's gone. I looked on the ground nearby - nothing; waited to see if Mom was still around, and sure enough, Little Miss had flown up and landed on one of the mulberry tree branches. Around 3:00, I went back out and she's gone again. Not sure if this will be the final update, but glad to have a really fast-paced 'student' that didn't try to kill me. That might be a first. We'll put the feeder back out and see if they come around for a free drink. Wife thinks I should get a new namepatch with a hummingbird and some slogan for doing this...hmmm, any thoughts? Here's the last few pix for the time being: 11:00 feeding. ...and a really cool one... Would be nice to be able to do this so fluidly. Thanks again for all of the information, comments & compliments...pretty sure anyone of us here would probably do the same. I'll post more if I find'em around. Oh, they also make way better drinking buddies than meals. <_ src="%7B___base_url___%7D/uploads/emoticons/default_blink.png" alt=":blink:"> -WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justfly Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 ... Wife thinks I should get a new namepatch with a hummingbird and some slogan for doing this...hmmm, any thoughts? ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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