There is a hummingbird feeder right outside of my home office window. It is a joyful pastime to watch the cute little hummers flit and flight about as they feed incessantly throughout the day. Hummingbirds are BIG eaters. No animal on earth has a faster metabolism - roughly 100 times that of an elephant. Hummingbirds burn food so fast they often eat up to three times their body weight daily. In order to gather enough nectar, hummingbirds must visit hundreds of flowers (or feeders) every day.
Several things explain why watching birds (birding is the proper term) is pleasurable and beneficial. As hobbies go, it uncomplicated and inexpensive. It gets one outdoors and into nature and can be a mild form of exercise. It is relaxing and entertaining. It engages the brain and can provide interesting conversation. Correctly identifying the species of a bird or spotting a bird that is difficult to find can be a rewarding sense of accomplishment. (Adding a new species to one’s lifelong list can be pure delight.) These should be enough reasons to rush out the purchase a good pair of binoculars.
So while I’m not out trekking the wilds of Borneo trying to spot a black-sided flowerpecker (yes, a real species), I can still experience delectation by glancing out my window at the brilliantly-colored Anna’s hummingbird flapping it’s wings seventy times per second. The hummingbird’s delicate grace reminds me that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning, and laughter is life’s sweetest creation.
