Hummingbird Therapy
Hummingbirds arrive at the cabin every summer and provide hours of entertainment for cottagers, family, and guests throughout the season.
Fascinating little birds
Each year I am amazed when the first hummingbirds make their arrival at the cabin.
These tiny creatures make incredibly long journeys to spend such a short time at our property. And yet they manage to raise their young in a few quick months before making the exhausting flight back to warmer climates for the winter.
We normally set up a hummingbird feeder on the end of a tree branch close to our front deck as soon as we notice the tiny birds zipping around the cabin.
It isn’t long before our little friends discover the treat, and the entertainment begins.
Hummingbird therapy?
Watching hummingbirds is somehow therapeutic.
It might be due to the fact that we are finally taking some time away from our hectic city lives and enjoy watching another creature go about its endless work.
The pleasure may also come from the soothing hum of the hummingbird’s wings, or the wonderful colours that catch our eye when the summer sun hits the tiny feathers at just the right angle.
Cottage photographers can spend painful hours trying to get the perfect shot, but when the stars align and you finally catch the little bird in that magical moment, all the effort is rewarded.
Armchair birdwatchers, on the other hand, can simply sit back with a beverage and calmly watch the show, waiting for things to really heat up when the territory battles begin at the hummingbird feeder.
Kids, too, can benefit as they get a great lesson on nature when the hummingbirds arrive. It’s amazing how eager they are to learn when the life cycle plays out right in front of their own eyes.
Whether or not the hummingbirds even realize they are so appreciated is anyone’s guess, but the cottage certainly wouldn’t be the same without their presence every summer.
Photo and article by: Andrew Walker
Check out our hummingbird photo techniques page to get some tips in how to take great hummingbird pictures at the cabin.
Popular Hummingbird Feeder and Hummingbird Swing
Here are some hummingbird accessories to get you started.
