Hummers and Haircuts

I

t was a joyous day Sunday when Mom and I drove Little Chubby the Hummer home from wildlife rehab! My mother held the shoe box tenderly in her lap for the hour-long return trip. We could feel and hear his vibrations as he revved his engine preparing for take-off.

This is the scene just before his release. I put the camera down to see him fly away to a high perch on a tree across the road. In the following days he has been flitting busily around Mom and Dad’s back porch with his fellow hummers. He’s got a great story to tell. “You’re not gonna believe what happened!” I just hope Mrs. Chubby accepts his explanation for his week-long absence.

Shout out to the good folks at Centre Wildlife Care.

Skye got a couple of burrs in his mane that were stuck but good. Thinking he wouldn’t hold still for a baby oil massage, I cut them out with scissors this evening. Poor Skye! He looks terrible, and I feel worse. I worked feverishly to brush it out and push it one way or the other, but Vidal Sassoon couldn’t fix this without extensions. It took him 14 years to grow it this long, and I fear it may take that long to grow it back. Any suggestions? A hat perhaps?

Skye with matted hair.

After I cut out the burrs.