Open Doors

Open Doors

Noel Laflin

2-12-19

This little lady flew into the house yesterday as I had failed to close the balcony screen door behind me. It was a first for a hummingbird in the 35 years that I have absently left open screen doors around here. But come to think of it, there was a dove that also flew in once long ago. I should have learned my lesson way back then I suppose. However, in all honesty, I just thought that hummingbirds were smarter than doves.

Anyway, yesterday's little green lady in question immediately went to the highest window of course - some eighteen feet up - as she was drawn to the bright light there. She would not give up in her repeated attempts of tapping against the small panes of glass in hopes of escape. She ignored all other sources of light, like lower windows or the two opened doors - both front and back.

An extension ladder was fetched, the 'Monkey Business' movie poster - an apt metaphor for the situation - was moved, and a fish net was employed as a tool of entrapment.

It took nearly forty-five minutes, but everything worked out in the end.

She had tired herself out, so eventually perched on the edge of the extended fish net and allowed me to walk her down the tall ladder and show her the open front door - from which she made a grateful escape.

I will be more mindful of closing any screen doors in the future.