There he sits, “Hector the Hummer” as I’ve come to call him. It’s obvious this little rascal has weathered many seasons, he looks a bit shop worn, almost rag-tag. I don’t have the slightest idea as to how he got the bump on his head but it sure is noticeable. He looks like me in the morning after the pillow has worked over my hair. Unlike most of the Hummers that come to my feeder, his wings have that “split ends” look, they don’t fit snuggly against his body.

I had put out one feeder a few months ago and it sat there advertising “Free Food”, no takers. Then one day in flies Hector and he became a “regular.” I had been completely unaware that these birds actually had a beak; I had thought they just had a tube to suck out the nectar. I was truly amazed to see Hector open his mouth. As time passed I was to learn they are also chatter boxes and getting him to chirp wasn’t all that difficult I just had to get near the feeder. As they chirp their neck feathers flash different almost florescent colors. As time passed when I would refill the feeder and hold it in my hand this rascal would fly over and sit on the little perch on the feeder, I had gained his trust.

But that is not the story I wish to convey. It’s time to talk about Hector and the ongoing lesson this little feathered friend has imparted. Hector arrived one day landing on the Yucca tree in front of the feeder looking the situation over. By days end the fluid in the bottle had dropped noticeably. So the following morning I decided to watch the action around the feeder. It appeared Hector had decided the feeder was his and his alone and he defended his property like an irritated drill sergeant. Other hummers would come in and try to feed and it’s “Owner’ sitting in the Yucca tree would scare them off. Every morning as I opened my shades there was Hector guarding his feeder from his lofty perch in the Yucca tree.

I decided to buy another feeder so this little rascal would not have to defend his feeder. Now I had one in the rear and one out front, lots of space between the two of them. Little did I know this was not the best move for Hector, he decided both feeders were his. Now he had to defend both of them and was constantly “on the wing” as half a dozen of his kin zipped in; this guy was always on the go. While chasing one away another one would zip in and feed until Hector saw what was happening and he returned to chase it away.

Day in and day out he would sit watching the feeders and was in constant combat, it sure looked exhausting to me. I ended up moving the new feeder out of his sight which worked. Hector had his feeder and at least half a dozen other Hummers shared the feeder in the rear.

Hector had what he wanted, a feeder all to himself. Day in and day out while they were in San Felipe he guarded his feeder. But to my way of thinking he was paying a very heavy price. There he sat on his little “Yucca Throne” bobbing about in life’s gentle breeze, but all alone. No one to share his nectar with, no one to chat with, and this to my way of thinking was a very heavy price to pay for a private feeder.

I thank Hector for his ongoing lesson. He has shown me that being selfish for any reason brings with it a terrible price, one I’m not willing to pay today. People and feeders come in many colors and forms and arrive at different times in our lives. I want to keep my feeder full and let those around me know there is always a place for them at my feeder, for without them my life would surely be empty.