The Last Hummingbird
48 x 36 x 3 acrylic on wood panel.
We feed the hummingbirds like it’s a religion. When hummingbirds begin their solitary migration to the tropics in fall, males leave first. They’re followed by the females and young, who stall in the interest of continued growth and making the most of familiar territory. Last year, the males had already left as Hurricane Helene approached. I was ready with homemade nectar to support the remaining hummers after the storm. We live on the Rocky Broad River in Bat Cave; instead, we had to evacuate. Our home narrowly missed total destruction and the landscape was ravaged, forever changed. We weren’t able to return for many weeks so will never know if your little hummers survived. When we did return, we had to hike in and wade through the river to do it. We didn’t live in our home again for nine months. This year, seeing the last hummingbird feed on the nectar we provided and then one day disappear had such a sweetness to it.
