I take fresh meat (much fresher and healthier than what I can buy in a store) from the food chain of land and sea and air, but while out in nature I find plenty of ways to lend critters a helping hand.
One of those opportunities came about when taking my kids for a walk in the creek bed near my home.
On this early spring day there were a few (but not a lot) of wildflowers just opening up, and it seemed there were more than the usual number of hummingbirds zooming around (nothing seems faster than a hummingbird).
Each of those flowers was visited by the little birds way too many times for the birds to be getting much out of the deal.
After sitting there watching the scene and looking about to see how many new flowers might be almost ready to open — and finding not many of those — I decided this was an opportunity to reach a helping hand into the food chain and do some good.
So, off to the store we went to buy a small plain hummingbird feeder.
Once filled with sweet stuff and hung up over the creek bed, it was visited by what seemed like a never-ending string of very hungry hummingbirds.
We did have to refill the feeder and each time we did, I could swear those hummingbirds were smiling at us. That could have been my imagination, but I choose to think they smiled.
After just a couple of weeks, there were enough natural wildflowers to feed the surprisingly high number of hummingbirds, and we were able to safely remove the feeder.
After all, natural food is better for them, I think, than the sugary substance we put into the feeders to get the birds through a tough time.
Lending a helping hand in the food chain can be a tricky thing that sometimes comes with consequences. So Google and learn about critters you are thinking of helping and you may be able to do a much better job of helping, or knowing when not to help.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
