Wednesday, October 27, 2010

gone home





:(


i really tried.


this morning i was at work at first light and found the little bird flying again. happy! i hung a colorful cloth in the doorway and set a bowl of sugar water on the doorstep. and then i sat outside and waited. and waited. till i couldn't wait any longer. before i locked up i set the water on a chair near the door and taped open the mail slot. maybe he would find his way out this way i thought.


when i returned to open for the day he did seem to be gone. i looked around and hoped i was right. across the street is a garden where a pair of hummingbirds live. i saw them and felt reassured. could it be him?


i saw the wee one at the very end of the day. lying at the bottom of one of the front windows that had a flower box on the other side.


i brought him home and plan on putting him to rest in our garden.


did you ever wish to be dr. doolittle and be able to talk to the animals? i wished i could have told this little one, here's the door.


♥ lori
p.s. i'm sorry if i offended with these photos. i wanted to honor how exquisitely beautiful the anna's hummingbird is. for more information on this species here's a good place to start,
and here, (scroll down and click on anna's).

32 comments:

  1. Oh Lori I'm sad to read that it didn't survive.
    I think the photos are really lovely and do show the beauty of the bird.
    Death shouldn't offend as it is a big part of life.

    Thank you for making the time to keep us posted.

    love to you
    xx Robyn

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  2. PS... just another thought before I leave...

    sometimes things just need to die, don't they... no matter how hard we try they just need to die.

    I too have tried to rescue creatures in the past and it hasn't always been successful. xx

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  3. sad sad sad

    proud of you for caring and trying

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  4. i know your right robyn, it's the feeling of helplessness that gets in the way of acceptance. that, and i really like happy endings.

    thanks kj :(

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  5. It's the love that counts sweetie.

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  6. Oh, Lori. :( The thought that he wanted to go to the flowers outside.... makes my eyes well up. I'm so sorry. You did everything you could.

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  7. aww all life has to come to an end. death is something we cannot escape. you did your best.

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  8. You did you best. Its time was up and you can't change that.

    xxx

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  9. Maybe the little bird had another fate planned for it in the big food chain of life, and it jsut went on a little sooner?

    It's always one of my greatest wishes ever, to be able to communicate with animals and tell them that we are not going to hurt them, and as you say - explain where the door is! I wish I could explain to our dog that he should not try to chase snakes!! I've tried, but he just won't listen.. :)

    I tried to leave a comment on your shark post, but for some reason it wouldn't stick. What a sad story, and well done for putting up all the shark safety info.

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  10. Sometimes we wish to be powerful and help avoid bad things, and oh yes, how I would love to listen and talk with my animal friends! But it isn`t to be (yet?)
    And Karen, if we could, and told our little friends we would not harm them, then someone else perhaps WILL, after they trusted us? Life is such a complicated thing. I once heard of a Jewish man who had escaped the Nazi regime, and then he walked down a street in Switzerland, and a storm came up, and a falling branch killed him... What do we understand?!

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  11. oh no :( oh lori im sorry you tried so hard xx

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  12. oh Lori, I so get this post - you know me with all the birds around here. This morning a dove flew full force into the patio doors - it sat there stunned for several minutes and, a headache notwithstanding, it finally managed to wander off to the join the others. Hoping it will be okay...

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  13. Oh, Lori, I am so sorry. You tried your hardest. They are so beautiful, aren't they? We had one die in our garage a few years ago, and the kids and I spent a lot of time looking at it before we buried it. I still remember how the feathers looked in the sunlight. xox!! Pam

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  14. Lori- you did your best and I appreciate the photos you posted. Hummingbirds are very special to me. My mom and I shared this love of this amazing little bird ... she once told me that I reminded her of a busy hummingbird flitting from loved one to loved one, taking care of them and spreading love. Then before she died she gave me a pewter chime of hummingbirds. I love that you tried to save the litle guy ...

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  15. You did your very best dear Lori!
    He is as lovely in death as he was in life.... and you have honoured his little body by burying him. His soul is ALREADY FREE and SOARING in Heaven.

    Love,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  16. Oh Lori,

    You honored this beautiful bird in life and in death. I think he knew you were trying to help him.

    Big hugs to comfort you~

    xo♥
    Lo

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  17. aw pole sana! at least at least, as we say in africa. pole sana. x j

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  18. God bless the little creature ---- you tried, darlin', you tried........

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  19. Dearest Lori, I'm so sorry to read about your poor little hummingbird and the poor family that are grieving for their son. My thoughts and prayers are with them and you.

    Thank you for sharing these sad moments with us.

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  20. I am so sad! Poor little guy. You, dear Lori tried your very best, it was just his time and as sad as it is, nothing could be done about it.
    Bless your heart. xoxo

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  21. Bless your heart for trying so hard to free the sweet little hummer. We can only do what we can do sometimes.

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  22. Oh Lori I had similar day on Wednesday
    a young bird flew into the window and dazed itself - I put in a box for a couple of hours and then sat it deep within a shrub where I've seen them sitting before. When I went to check on it I saw only a pile of feathers. No matter how philosophical about it being a bird eat bird world ... some days are just plain old bah humbug days*!*

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  23. Honey, you did the best you could. At least the little jewel was loved and tended to the end.

    Yes, we honor the beauty of the hummer and we are so lucky to have them year 'round. I remember how stunned some Swedish friends were when they saw hummers feeding at my abutilons and salvia. Since hummers are a new world species they had NEVER seen such a miracle.

    Thanks for your sweet, soft heart.

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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  24. Awe Lori~
    Don't be sad. I bet he had a wonderful life and his time had come. Maybe...he jsut came to you to get that final resting spot in the garden. Maybe he knew something was up & frightened to go it alone.
    You did good♥
    love to you♥

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  25. You are the hummingbird's hero for all of your efforts dear Lori! I believe little hummie's soul is secretly thanking you. I love the photos especially the one of the bird cradled in your hands.

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  26. So sad also for you who tried so hard helping him.
    Holding him is like honoring him. We can admire his beautiful feathers and colors. poor little guy and poor you it must have broken your heart......

    ♥♥♥
    >M<

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  27. oh my gosh, that made me sad. poor little thing. i honestly think i would have cried if i had been the one to find the little one. to think of how much the little one must have suffered. :( sorry if my response makes you more sad. i think it's a beautiful thing that you did everything you did to try save him/her.

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  28. Poor little guy took the only way out that he could....Try as we might, we can't always save them, but it's so worth it to try. Sorry it didn't work out this time. Hummers are truly one of my favorites too--their iridescent little feathers are amazing, not to mention the way they can just hover and zoom around. Bless you for taking him home to your own special garden.

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  29. Oh my... so, so sad. Nature works in mysterious ways indeed... its happened to me before as well, but I've somehow managed to get the struggling bird out. Shame man.. the photos are great though.. brilliantly colorful plumage beautifully. Once again, I really enjoy reading your posts.
    xx

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  30. Oops.. typing mishap. I meant to say that the amazing colors on the creature and the emotion of the moment had been captured beautifully in your photos. And I agree with what Robyn says, sometimes, things just need to die. It's unfortunately the way of life. Please take care
    xx

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xoxo lori