June 21, 2012

  • The Mimic

    Today, at John's garden, I spotted a humming bird.  It was the most unusual humming bird that I had ever seen.  It was smallish, at first I thought it was a bee.  It had what appeared to be antennae, but I told myself they were feathers on its head even though I had never seen a crested hummingbird in Alabama.

    Please excuse my crappy photo.

       
    I was pointing at said hummingbird to show it to John, when it came and landed briefly on my finger.  That was another thing that made me think the hummingbird was unusual.  I continued to try to snap a picture, but was even more unsuccessful than this one.

    John was less excited about the hummingbird than I was.  He was more interested in skipping rocks and recalling his experiences in the Children's and Butterfly Gardens and the Tree Platform.  I may share those pictures some other day.  John and I unintentionally explored most of the Arboretum this morning.  My husband wouldn't come and I suck at reading maps.  My anxiety caused me to turn around on several of the paths because I wasn't sure I was going the right way (because I suck at reading maps and the paths were through the woods and I thought Bubba or Jimbo might be hiding out there.  It's by the railroad tracks, too so Vince, Vinny, Vito, and Vino may have hitched a ride b/c they were bored with killing the Snookies of the world). I may share those pictures another day.

    When I was finally able to pull John away, I went to Google to figure out what kind of hummingbird it was.  I wanted to figure what would be the most likely time to find more of them and where and the arboretum I should go.  I discovered that it wasn't a hummingbird at all, but a complete and total poser.


    It was a hummingbird clearwing moth.    John saw this picture and thought it was the humming bird.  I didn't think he was paying attention.  I'm going to have to cut him some slack.  He apparently inherited my multitasking skills.  I've wanted to see a butterfly or moth with clear wings every since I saw pictures of windowpane butterflies when I was pregnant with John.  I wonder if they have any in the Arboretum.  I'm going to have to keep my eyes open. 

    The next time John and I go together, I won't be cursing my husband for making me have to figure out how to read a map.  I am lucky that I have a logical side that reasoned it was impossible to get lost when a) you have GPS and a Map and b) you could walk toward the railroad tracks if for some reason you get discombobulated and lose your map and phone and/or Vinny Bob Bubba decides to come after you.  Actually, I think I would have more fun if I could tune down the hyperventilance a bit.  I don't think I want it completely off to the point I get lost and become unaware, but I don't want to be constantly making escape plans in case of psychopath (living or undead).

    This place will be an awesome place to teach John about the seasons.  Next year, we will be able to see the frogs when they are tadpoles and watch them turn into adults.  Maybe by then, I will have a digital camera.  I have one, but prefer my phone, that's how bad my digital camera is.  I want to invest in one, but know little about them.  When I go to buy one, I will definitely ask here.  When I was shopping for vacuums, you guys gave great advice.

Comments (11)

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  • Valuable info. Lucky me I found your site by chance, and I am shocked exactly why this accident did not happened previously! I book marked it.

  • What a cool experience!
    I am also not that good with maps haha.

  • @Grannys_Place - Me either.  Apparently this genus of moths mimics bumblebees as well.  I forgot where in the US that you can see them, but they have different kinds in different States.  If you have plants that attract butterflies, you may be able to get some to come by.

  • Oh that is so cool looking and I had never even heard of them before reading this post.  I am a huge fan of Sony digital cams.    Mine lasted forever and still works but I just got a new one with more zoom and mgs-pixils.  love it.

  • @stephensmustang -We used to get red throated hummingbirds to spend the winter another apartment that I lived. John, the dog, and the cats would have loved it.

  • How awesome to learn about this moth--it's very beautiful.  I think the only hummingbird we have on a reg. basis here in the south (I'm in Ga) is the red throated hummingbird. 

  • @Erika_Steele - One day I was getting one of the nectar feeders down from a tree, and I heard this huge sound like the blades of a helicopter right above my head. I was scared at first, but then saw my little friend hovering just near my head, angry that I was getting the feeder down. I was just going to refresh the nectar. Silly bird!

  • Wow! What a little trickster! That's pretty interesting.

  • @ZSA_MD - that's true.  I didn't think about that.  My roommate and I used to feed them in my second apartment.  They were so much fun to watch.  I used to wonder why we never saw hummingbirds or butterflies where I am living now, but I think we live too close to the arboretum to entice them to stay.  In the Fall, I may leave the car and walk.

  • I was going to say, if it was a humming bird you would have known that immediately by the 'helicopter like' sounds the the wings make. I get a lot of the hummers in my garden. Thank you for trying to catch the poser! He was an impersonator wasn't he?

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