Calliope Hummingbirds are Migration Machines
The Calliope Hummingbirds drop by my feeders for brief visits during their very long migration. The smallest breeding bird in North America, Calliopes weigh about the same as a dime and can reach 7-10 centimeters in length (that’s under four inches long!). During Spring and late Summer migration, they travel between western Canada and the northwestern parts of the United States to southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize.
Whenever one lands on my feeder, I pull out my camera and try to snap a few photos. This summer I had the privledge of photographing several spectacular males over the period of three days. Some people have wondered about the white background in my hummingbird photos. The feeder hangs about 18 inches from our sliding glass door. In the early mornings, I go outside and leave the sliding glass door and screen open. That leaves the white curtain as the perfect backdrop.
Each time I see a Calliope, I marvel at the Creator who built in the genetic navigation system for this tiny bird to travel 5,600 miles each year. Along the way, they play an important part in pollinating flowers. Hummingbirds not only migrate without getting lost, they memorize where to find food sources. They rely on sap from trees (they take advantage of sap wells created by sapsuckers),small insects, and pollen. As their natural sources deplete, we can help by keeping feeders out for them. During peak migration, my ‘pets’ (I have four species that come by) go through 1-2 gallons of sugar water a day!
Second-Guessing God
Any time I worry that God won’t know what to do to help me in my present need (yeah, I actually think that at times), I just have to remember that he has promised to guide me. He will teach me all I need to know to negotiate each situation that comes my way. If he has a plan for the tiniest of birds, he has a plan for me.
If God has a plan for the #calliopehummingbird, I know he has a plan for me! #caregiver Click To Tweet[callout]Inspire Me Monday Instructions
What’s your inspirational story?
Link up below, and don’t forget the 1-2-3s of building community:
1. Link up your most inspirational post from the previous week.
2. Vist TWO other contributors (especially the person who linked up right before you) and leave an encouraging comment.
3. Spread the cheer THREE ways! Tweet something from a post you read, share a post on your Facebook page, stumble upon it, pin it or whatever social media outlet you prefer–just do it![/callout]
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