Bushbunch Reunion - August 2009

It's almost been two months, but I wanted to make a post about our trip up to Logan in August for a reunion with my awesome family. Unbeknown to my parents, my sister Chelsea had organized an "Empty Nesters" party for them to celebrate this next stage in life rather than worry about the 8 children who have flown the coop.

How appropriate then that a month before we all arrived my mother came across an article inviting Cache Valley-ites to feed humming birds out of their hands! Bright and early the whole fam drove up the canyon to a wonderful Lutheran minister's home where she taught us about hummingbirds and how we could feed them. We each took turns holding soda bottle caps with red pipe cleaners wrapped around them and situated them on the palm of our hand to entice the little guys in. There had to be at least 20 hummingbirds zooming around the yard, taking turns to come investigate the nectar in the caps. It was so neat to feel the wind of their little wings beating about 80 times A SECOND!

Other neat hummer facts...

Their tongues are forked like a snake!

These particular type of hummer males have bright spots of red and green on them.

And their heart rate can reach up to 1,260 beats per minute!! It was a very cool experience.