Wednesday, July 4, 2007

That sneaky little kleptomaniac!

I've always found this hummingbird feeder beautiful--its red, glass flowers shine in the summer sun--beckoning hummingbirds to its sweet nectar. And, on the practical side, being glass, it cleans easily, doesn't absorb odors, and never gets scuffed. I received it one year for Mother's Day--and there's absolutely no reason to need any other.
Last week, I looked out at it one day and saw that two of the red flower pieces were gone! Fortunately, one appeared in the grass below--but the whereabouts of the other puzzled me. I scoured the area--and found nothing more.
My theory? That sneaky little kleptomaniac that lives in the top of a tree in the woods.
We've had things stolen from the barn before--fancy new tin snips that mysteriously turned up under a floor board. And, now we know better than to leave temptation in his path. But my hummingbird feeder? Would he?

This afternoon I was pulling scruffy weeds from the woods--trying to take advantage of the moist soil and clear a bit of the honeysuckle that fills in every chance it gets. And, as I reached down, I saw it. My pretty little red glass flower. He must have dropped it as he walked along, not far from the base of his tree.

I wonder what else is in his collection.

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11 comments:

KGMom said...

Oh this is too funny. A thieving racoon? I know that crows steal shiny bright things, but a racoon?

Mary said...

Racoon? I don't have much experience with them but maybe they love pretty things...

That feeder is a work of art!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Gorgeous feeder- I'm glad you got all the peices back! My backyard squirrels stole the yellow plastic cups out of my jelly feeder.

nina at Nature Remains. said...

I try to imagine what must be going through his little thieving mind-- he must've spied it from afar, climbed out on the branch to get it, and been so pleased with himself!

cestoady said...

Four- legged thieves have been a work in our yard too -- but not the masked variety. Last summer I had I put a pair of just washed socks to dry over the porch railing , only to have them disappear the next day. I have yet to find them. At about the same time, clothespins were mysteriously disappearing from the bag on the porch. The mystery was solved when I surprised a gray squirrel ,with a clothespin in its mouth,
running from the porch.

I have concluded that somewhere high in the trees there must be a squirrel's nest lined with MY socks and held together with MY clothespins -- who says squirrels are not smart ?

July 5, 2007 7:29 AM

Mary said...

Cestoady's comment regarding the nest lined with socks and clothespins! LOL!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Nina- I tagged you with the Eight Random Things Meme (but only if you want to)

Now why would a squirrel want clothespins??

Anonymous said...

i laughed out load reading this.. lil rascals. i.ve watched them tip feeders sideways to drink and more than one nectar feeder has gone to that 'unseen place' and i never refound them. wildlife is so intelligent in so many ways :)

Cathy said...

I'm wondering how Mary can have all that abundant backyard life and NO raccoons.

Your story brought to mind Loren Eisley's story about pack rats in (I think) Immense Universe. Sounds like you've got your own masked version :0)

NM High School Sports News said...

Wow..what a nice hummingbird feeder. I want one!!! I haven't seen one like that.

Q said...

Dear Nina,
I too have a Raccoon that takes the glass flowers and the entire glass tube out of the Hummingbird feeders! Eats all the grape jelly the Orioles leave every might too.
I laughed so hard about the squirrel and the socks and the clothespins! Thank you cestoady!
Thank you Nina!
Sherry