Our elected officials need to drop the hummingbird mentality
Each spring, my wife and I wait with anticipation the arrival of Ruby-throated hummingbirds. FYI the ruby-throated species is the only hummer regularly seen in the Eastern U.S. Mid-spring, we expectantly hang our feeders from the front deck header like eager children placing milk and cookies to welcome Santa’s arrival. We hang these feeders opposite our dining room table so we can watch their entertaining antics while we eat.
This morning, I discovered that there are two varieties of hummers that visit our feeders, veterans and amateurs. At breakfast, we watched with interest while an obvious greenhorn tried every way but the right way to extract nectar from one of the feeders. She thought she could get to the prize by forcing her bill into the crack between the two halves of the feeder’s reservoir, so she pushed and pried all the way around the bottom of the feeder. No luck. So, failing in her quest for breakfast, she darted away in search of a more willing source of nourishment. The next visitor to fly in was an old hand at extracting nectar from the feeder’s plastic flowers. She sat comfortably on one of the perches and proceeded to extract breakfast with a shared single straw.
The main difference between two cute sweethearts at the diner and two cute little hummers at the feeder is that the hummers will not often share the feeder, but will chase away any intruder, two or even three of them, chasing each other madly about as if each had bloody murder in mind. In fact, some hummers are so hostile that they will leave their own feeder and chase away suspected competitors from another feeder, even though it is fifteen feet away. It seems to me that more congenial community relations would be less inefficient for all involved, given that there is always ample nectar (faithfully managed by my wife). Time spent chasing away competitors means less time extracting nectar at the feeder. These humming birds should hire an efficiency consultant to map out better feeding strategies.
Birds at the dry feeder, however, seem much more willing to share breakfast with other birds at the feeder.
Aside from blue jays, about the only bully at the community feeder is our attack rooster who chases away the squirrels. Sometimes mourning doves chase each other around on ground level, but they may be attempting to be friendly rather than hostile.
Several recent human events suggest that the “hostile hummingbird derangement syndrome” we witness at the feeder may have spread far and wide in the land. In a private memo, the U.K. ambassador to the U.S. opined that the Trump administration is chaotic and inept. Someone surreptitiously publicized this confidential information. Admittedly, D.T. works in unique ways, but he has succeeded in numerous enormous endeavors, many more than his detractors. However, more to the point, is the fact that this malevolent leaking of inflammatory information creates hostilities between our nations, diminishing our ability to work together. Political malevolence, like hummingbird antics, is wasteful and destructive.
Hummingbird-feeder mentality may also have infected several Disneyland patrons. Recently, a group of pugilistic sightseers involved themselves in a disgraceful public brawl at Disneyland and were consequently removed. What a waste of a magical experience that many children around the world would have loved to enjoy but never will! This deplorable display reminds me of hummingbird feeder mentality, and come to think of it, Congress, which is squandering opportunities to help President Trump make America greater.
For example, the response of some to the president’s Independence Day celebration was like hostile hummingbirds, as politicians and media celebs complained bitterly, attempting to chase D.T. away from the hearts of the people. We need such events to stimulate patriotism. America faces serious concerns, but certain leaders are wasting energy battling the president instead of working together to solve issues with the boarder, grid vulnerability, hostile hacking, Iran, Korea, infrastructure, health care, education, drugs, pornography, abortion, debt and inner city violence. Feisty at the feeder may be okay for ruby-throated hummingbirds, but we expect better from elected officials.
DeWitt Clinton is a resident of Dunbar.