"Drawing makes you see things clearer, and clearer and clearer still, until your eyes ache."
- David Hockney
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| Male broad-tailed hummingbird glistens in the morning sun. |
You may be familiar with the idea of a cattle roundup, but a hummingbird roundup might be a more unusual concept. Every spring a hearty group of volunteers captures and bands migrating hummers at a ranch tucked away in the mountains. For one day, they invite the public to come and observe, ask questions, and maybe even hold a hummingbird.
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| The beautiful setting for the Roundup |
I have never seen so many hummingbirds buzzing about in one place. Four species are found in this one area; broad-tailed, black-chinned, rufous and calliope. In a typical roundup, the volunteers examine an average of 600 hummers.
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| Feeders are placed inside of cages to capture the hummers. |
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| Trained volunteers measure and weight these tiny birds. |
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| If a hummer doesn't already have a leg band, they are given one. |
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After their physicals the hummers are marked with a spot of temporary paint so they aren't captured again,
then they are released. It often takes them a moment to get their bearings before zipping off. |
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| A sketch from my notebook. |
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By using binoculars and patience, I was able to sketch the activity at a hummingbird feeder. The hummers are so quick that I couldn't draw individuals. Each time a different hummer would visit the feeder in the same position as a previous one, I could add a little more to my drawing. I still have the wrist brace, but despite it being cumbersome I didn't want to miss this opportunity to observe and sketch on this amazing day.
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