Midair Collision!

[Iron Mike]

After a long day at work Saturday, I came home to find my wife looking out the window. She said "You have GOT to see this!" We have hummingbird feeders around the house and several pairs of birds that frequent them all summer. There, sitting on the feeder was one of the males with a bee impaled on his beak! Not like he attacked the bee from side, but head on! Skewered the bee like a shish kabob!

I told Michelle she needed to get pictures, because no one would believe this! I changed to the large lens on the camera and she shot several photos of his plight.

This went on for several hours, with both the bird and my wife getting very stressed out. Nothing the bird did could free him and repeated attempts to catch him failed. Michelle finally got her hand out the window and managed to get the tired little fellow to sit on her hand.

She brought him into the house, got her trusty tweezers and removed the unwanted passenger, no small feat for her either!

I tell ya Doc, it was a million to one shot!

Our little friend seems to have recovered, but is very gun shy when we get near the window now! Michelle has submitted some pictures and an article to Birds and Blooms magazine, but I wanted to share this with you. Nothing like a little down home Saturday night excitement!

 

[Sharkmouth]

Four more and it is an ACE!

Cool photos and storyline.

Regards,

 

[jknaus]

Thats a fantastic story. Hopefully he recovers with no problems. I read they have to feed almost none stop just to keep up the energy to flap their wings so fast. Beautiful pictures of a beautiful bird. Thanks for sharing this Mike.
James

 

[Iron Mike]

Thats a fantastic story. Hopefully he recovers with no problems. I read they have to feed almost none stop just to keep up the energy to flap their wings so fast. Beautiful pictures of a beautiful bird. Thanks for sharing this Mike.
James

Funny thing was, he could still drink from the feeder and flew just fine! I couldn't help but think of the old hood ornaments from yesteryear, not exactly what he bargained for!!

 

[Leopard2]

Thanks for sharing Mike. This is a cool story.

Joe

 

[moon puppy]

Amazing pictures Mike. Great story. Too bad you couldn't get a couple of shots of the extraction. I didn't realize it was a head on with you showed those to me the other day.

 

[Iron Mike]

There was too much stress going on to add to it with the camera in her face, I might have been skewered next!

 

[dukwhunter]

Hi Ya Mike & Bob ,

Hope you guys are doing ok !!!! B)

Been fighting a cold all week !!!!

 

[BigDog]

Absolutely fabulous pics and a great story!!! Here at home we all love animals, domestic or not, and personally I've been working with wildlife for more than 30 years and have never seen such a situation with hummingbirds! hmy:

Congratulations are in order: your wife did a fantastic job with the pics and freeing the bird from it's "problem". :drinks Thank you so much for sharing this subject with us, Mike!

Cheers! B)
Fernao

 

[Kevin]

That is absolutely amazing Mike. Congrats to Doctor Michelle on her successful surgery!
Those photos are excellent, thanks for sharing them.

 

[moon puppy]

BTW, how's the bee?? :gogo

 

[Cheyenne]

Well ,........ it bee what it be ..........


That is one cool set of pics , and story !!!

 

[Iron Mike]

The bee did not survive.

 

[Bagge]

the bee's odds of surviving that collision must be zero!
Excellent work both of you!!

 

[panzerace007]

MIKE,

WoW !! Great shootin ! On both th Hummin' Bird & Your Wife. Awesome pix !!! ....

Humming Birds 1 - Bumble Bees 0 :woohoo:

Humming Bird " No one touches th Juice "

 

[Cheyenne]

Not sure but that looks like one of them bore bees , won't sting ya but they are annoying little suckers that will bore a perfectl;y round hole in any unstained or painted wood , decks etc. you may have .

If it is one of them , I owe that Humming Bird a Baronjager !!!

 

[Ken Abrams]

Glenn, I agree that its a carpenter bee.

They look very similar to Bumble bees only the placement of the colors is the opposite, judging by Mikes photos and the photo below, there's no doubt in my mind that you are correct.

 

[Tim A.]

Wow Mike, that is amazing. Wonder how often that sort of freak thing happens. It's even more amazing that ya'll were able to help the little guy out...kudos!



Tim

 

[Iron Mike]

Thanks guys! I haven't noticed any errant holes in the woodwork, so maybe he was just passing by?

Good to have you back, Tim! Things settling down for you?

 

[moon puppy]

Next time you're down I can show you all sorts of holes in one of my tool sheds out back. Nasty little buggers, Carpenter Bees we call them also. They love untreated wood.