The Hummingbird

This is about to be a real rambling ramble. You have been warned.


Today I was licked by a hummingbird.
I held it in my hand and that felt like a miracle... and then it licked me.
I had never given any thought to a hummingbird having a tongue. The tongue is very thin, long, and dark. The hummingbird has such a long beak and then the tongue extends out beyond its beak by what seemed like about 3/4 of an inch.
And it tickles a bit.

At work today a hummingbird flew around inside the library for about two hours. It did not stop and rest during this time. It flew in a panic from one end of the library to the other. It first flew by close to the ceiling then the next pass would be right over our heads as the little bird searched for a way out of the building. It flew back and forth ceaselessly, letting out a small intermittent cry that tore at ones heart. Leaving the doors open did not help. Our lobby is somewhat dark and I don't think the bird could see that past the lobby was freedom.
My supervisor is a kind person and had put in a request for someone to come out and try to catch the bird. We then worried that they would not arrive in time to save the fragile bird. We had decided to try to make a net out of a bag to try to catch the little guy. We gathered the supplies in the back room and went back into the library looking for the tiny bird. We could hear its cry but could not see it at first. When I did not see it flying around, I looked around the top of the bookshelves knowing that it might have reached the point where it could no longer fly. I found it on top of a shelf perched on some books. I climbed upon a step-stool and then just picked the hummingbird up by cupping my hands around it. As I did I noticed its long beak and wondered how it was going to feel to be pecked as I felt sure I would be. And then ...nothing. My hands were not completely closed together and I could see the tiny bird sitting still in my hands as I walked quickly across the library to the front doors. The wings were open and it just sat in my hands, unmoving.

We reached the front door and I opened my hands. He sat in my cupped right palm with his wings spread. I expected him to fly off. Then...he licked me. Just one quick taste. He licked my finger.

It didn't weigh more than a breath. It didn't fly off, it just sat there. The poor creature was so tired and scared. I looked around for some sort of flowering plant. Near the door some Society Garlic was blooming. I knelt next to the plant with my hand extended and waited for the bird to step or fly out of my hand. When it continued to sit I held it near one of the blooms and it immediately stuck its beak into one of the flowers.  I could tell it was using that same tongue I had felt to try to find the nectar in the bloom. I moved my hand around the cluster of flowers and it stuck its beak into first this bloom and then the next. Then it stopped and finally folded its wings. I just knelt there and looked at that delicate bit of life in awe. It moved forward in my hand to taste the next flower. I gently prodded it with my left hand to nudge it off to freedom. It took flight for just a moment still sampling the lavender blooms, then to my surprise it settled back onto my still outreached hand.
I sat a moment thinking of how I had hoped I had not frightened it too much. I had wished I could convey that I wanted to help it not hurt it. In that moment I felt I had my answer. 

It felt like I was witnessing a miracle. With that beautiful, soft, incredibly tiny, iridescent, downy little creature in my hand, I felt so very grateful.

I moved away from the front door of the library to find a similar plant further away from the foot traffic that the front door encouraged. As I walked I kept my palm open and extended with the bird sitting unrestrained upon it. It let out another small cry as I walked. I settled in the quieter area and did the same thing again, letting it sample the blooms in front of it, and then nudged it off onto the plant.

That is where I left it. I sat there a bit and watched it. It seemed okay, it ducked its beak into a couple of blossoms and then just rested there. I went out about an hour later and it was gone. I hope it is okay. I trust that it is okay.

Tonight as I write about this simple little thing I feel as I did when I was a child and held a butterfly or a ladybug for the first time. Life is such a miracle. Life is so very fragile. Not just for hummingbirds but, for all living beings.
What a gift, to be licked by a hummingbird.