Summer Delight

I can completely understand why Ed would want a hummingbird. What could be more delightful than your very own tame hummingbird, trained like a Pokemon Pet to hover above your shoulder like Tinkerbell. 
In San Francisco we hung glass bottles (the kind you put in a hamster cage) filled with sugared water from the washing line. While the hummingbirds sipped the sweet liquid we sipped a glass of Californian Chenin Blanc and watched them flicker to and fro.


Nothing very exotic in the Hackney garden this afternoon... the dogs are barking at a squirrel and there are a few nondescript insects buzzing around in the sunshine. BUT, a few weeks ago, on an unusually warm, still day we saw something very exciting. At first glance we thought it was a bee but when we looked closer we saw it had an iridescent and silky bottom half - like a miniature peacock feather. It gave us plenty of time to study it as it moved from flower to flower unrolling its long, fine antenna to refuel. Google came up with the hummingbird hawk-moth and the BBC nonchalantly mention that it's found in Britain all summer long.


Here are a few of the tiny, vibrant creatures.