"War of the rubies ..."

LowTide Morning - August 25, 2018

"War of the rubies ..."

On my deck, a cherry tomato is climbing, clinging to life inside a wire cage. The vine looks like sin, but the hummingbirds love perching on the top of the cage as if they are king of the hill.

Male hummingbirds are aggressive and territorial. I wonder, do birds have testosterone?

I have a couple of ruby-throated hummers going at it in my backyard.

"Your mama..."

"I know you are, but what am I?"

The fight is on. They dart, dive, twist, and smack talk.

I just refilled the feeder yesterday. There is plenty of nectar for all. For now. But they don't understand that there is an endless supply. I suppose they fight for what they fear is expendable.

I was about to say there is no need for all this fighting. But who knows what tomorrow will hold; I might forget to refill the feeder. Yes, that has been known to happen. Don't judge.

Just as children fighting for love and attention, hummers don't realize I have enough nectar for all. Unlike children, acrobatic hummingbird fights flying through the air are most entertaining. I have no inclination to modify their behavior.

Hurry, get your nectar here.

Easy nectar mix:

Mix 1/2 cup of agave syrup with 1 cup of warm water. Bada bing!

Because the agave is liquid, it mixes easily and instantly — no need to wait. A question I have about using agave is the lower glycemic level, which is good for me, but I wonder if the little hummers would benefit more from higher carbs. Opinions are welcome.

~ LowTide explorer, Carolyn Fjeran

[LowTide is an eclectic collection of discoveries and reflective writings.]