[lefthanded]

For three days we watched a pair of hummingbirds do their little mating dance over our deck and garden, quite possibly electing to make our yard part of their territory. We were thrilled, and spent a lot of time watching them play over our deck. At one time one of the pair even hovered right before my eyes for a good look at the landlady, I suppose.

Today it all came to an end when the neighbor's cat, a frequent and very unwelcome visitor to our yard, leaped up and killed the tiny bird right before our eyes! Tonight we mourn the loss of a creature so fine and so beautiful . . . and tonight I have put our neighbors on notice that they are in violation of a county statute on animal trespass whereby they are responsible for keeping kitty in their own yard. I also let them know we are done cleaning up their cat messes in our rose gardens and finding new seedling plants trampled by their felines digging new latrines.

And now the task of repairing relations with Selasphorus rufus . . . and hoping they will trust us to keep them safe and secure as they seek to start new families in our little bird sanctuary . . . .

RIP little rufous . . .

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