Are they Gone?

It often seems as if the hummingbirds say goodbye before they leave, hovering near the windows and looking in at us at the end of summer...and then *POOF* they are seen no more.

That is just how it was the other day when a female fluttered in front of the window over the sink buzzing up and down, up and down, tail fully splayed, every feather showing.

She wasn't hunting, just looking in the window. Haven't seen one since.

So maybe she was saying goodbye.

Or maybe she was checking on the sugar water.

Because, yeah, the other day I made some up, one part sugar, four parts water, and had it sitting on the counter cooling, a bit of paper over the top to keep out contaminants...like houseflies.

I went about my business for a while, went back to the kitchen to get the feeder ready, when lo and behold.....

The paper was on the floor and the blue measuring cup nowhere to be seen. I soon discovered its whereabouts though, over in the kitchen sink, empty.

I spoke to all and sundry, but there were no culprits to be found...until I thought about how tall our little girl is getting to be and how delicious sugar water might be if you were two.

Sure enough, when presented the evidence she quickly admitted that she had taken it. And drank it. Good thing I only make a cup at a time, because evidently paper is no defense against a toddler..