September 16th '05 - This morning a Ruby-throated Hummingbird flew into our house! - It flew into our living room and directly into the sky light on the ceiling. The first thing I could think off was "Turn off the ceiling fans"! Luckily she made it to the sky light without hitting the spinning fan! Next I closed all the blinds on all the windows and left the front and back doors open. However, after several minutes this bird was not going to move and kept trying to get out of the skylight. So we ended up moving the table, brought in our big step ladders and the only thing that could reach into the sky light - my pond fish net. (it was clean and dry). Up I went, with hubby and brother-in-law holding the ladder and I carefully put the net over her. She was very co operative and flew into the net where she sat calmly. I placed a magazine over the net as I bought it out and came back down the ladders. I then went outside and in the meantime the camera had been prepared for a quick photo. I carefully took the hummer out of the net and held it briefly in my cupped hands. I couldn't feel a thing! This is the first time I've ever held a hummer and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt it. I couldn't even feel her on my hand! She sat there calmly and the photo we took was just of her face peaking out of my hands because the only thing at the time I could think of was to release her as quickly as possible to avoid any more stress to her. I stood next to our large Mexican bush sage and opened my hands, where she sat for a couple of seconds then flew off! Then it hit me.... WOW! I took a breath and looked at my sister and brother-in-law and just said "My God, I just held a hummer"! Of course afterwards I'm thinking "Why didn't I take photos of her back, her tail, her wing tips...." (could've, should've, would've came to mind!), I didn't even THINK in the heat of the moment to look and make a positive ID, instinct just telling me to set her free as quickly as possible! She (imm male?) did return to the feeder briefly a minute after I let the bird go and then I didn't see it again. That was an experience I shall never forget!

First hummingbird caught on September 16th '05. Female/imm male Ruby throat.

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October 2nd '05 - This is just too weird! For the second time in 2 weeks I've just had another Ruby throated hummingbird fly into our living room. After the last episode (September 16th account below), I made a point of keeping the front door shut. Just now I opened the door for our dog and it wasn't a minute later when I heard a buzzing in our living room. Not even thinking it was a hummer but instead some oversized Texas bug, I couldn't believe it when I looked into the skylight and once again saw a little hummer trying to get out.
I knew the routine now - close the blinds, shut off the ceiling fan and opened the back door as well. Out came the ladders again except for this time I had no one here to hold them steady! Out came my pond's fishing net! This one was determined not to come down and just kept beating himself against the skylight and getting right down into a ledge where I could hardly reach. I let him move about a little and then he got into a position where I could carefully place the net over him. He clung to the edge of the net, not inside it, while I lowered it down and carefully cupped my hand around him. He didn't fight it. I took him straight out to the feeder and placed his bill into a port. He took a couple of sips and by this time my neighbour had come over to investigate! He took a quick couple of photos and then I let him go. He was slow to fly off but then flew over our house to the trees.
This is a different one to the last hummer which came in. That one was either a very young ruby male or a female (I was too shocked at the time to pay much attention and let that one go quickly.) This one had several good rows of little red spots coming in. I hope I see him tommorrow!
I've never had a hummer in the house in the 12 years I've lived here and now two in two weeks! The front door is not going to be left open unless I'm standing in the doorway through the end of this season!!!

Second hummingbird caught on October 2nd '05. Immature male Ruby throat.

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