While I was driving home from work, I noticed something quite feathery on my windshield; I thought maybe a butterfly had gotten stuck on my wipers.  When I got home, I found this little bebe quivering all in a fright:

Seriously, I got all teary.  I mean nasty bugs on the windshield is one thing, but a teeny beautiful bird is something totally else.  I was parked on the street in full sun with a black car, so I wanted to get this little birdie out of the sun and off my baking hood.  She was super weak so I dashed inside and whipped up some sugar water.  I fed her droplets of sugar water off my finger and she started buzzing back to life!  Hallelujah!  Gently as I could I scooped her up and brought her over to the shade of my little secret garden nook where I often hear the delightful thrum of hummingbirds.  I continued to offer sugar water and the buzz of her wings became stronger and stronger!  Her tiny wisp of a tongue lapping up the sugar water tickled against my finger.  I was spell-bound with awe and wonder!

When she seemed to be making positive strides toward recovery, I went inside to quickly look up what to do with an injured wild bird.  I found several really helpful sites:

• Hummingbird Rescue Los Angeles: For hummingbird rescues in the Southern California area
• Southeastern Outdoors: General wildlife rescue directory; can search resource centers by state
• Project Wildlife: I found an article providing specific instructions for how to respond to a hummingbird needing rescue
• The Bird Rescue Center:  This resource has all kinds of helpful information including a reminder that it is against the law to keep any wild animal as a pet; if found, you should take said animal to a shelter or rescue center immediately
• Humane Society:  Look up your local Humane Society and find out if they can take rescued wildlife.

I made several calls to area hummingbird rescuers and got a call back from a helpful woman.  She said that she was hours away so the best thing would be to take her to my local Humane Society.  I called the local Humane Society and they confirmed that they accept wildlife rescues so I nestled sweet birdie in a hole-punctured shoe-box liked with tissues.  Throughout the car-ride to the Humane Society I heard her vibrant buzz and thrum of her wings giving me hope that she would survive.

I felt a certain joy and exhilaration having had such a close moment with one of my favorite little creatures; I mean, its not every day you get to hold something like this in your hands!

It was a divine little moment to be sure and I hope that she is healthy, strong, and buzzing about enjoying the fullness of spring.  Every time I hear the happy thrum of a hummingbird outside my window, I smile and hope it’s her