Hummingbird seemingly thanks Oakley man for refilling feeder

DEARJOAN» We maintain a hummingbird feeder on our back deck. We were gone for two weeks and when we came back, the feeder was dry.

I refilled it and sat nearby, reading. I heard the flutter of hummingbird wings, looked up and directly in front of me, 3 feet away, a red-headed hummer hovered and stared at me for about 30 seconds, and then flew over to get a drink.

I think he was thanking me. It sure made my day!

— Brad Thomson,

Oakley

DEARBRAD» Either that or he was getting a good look at the human who let his feeder go dry for two weeks.

It’s a slippery slope when we start attaching human emotions to animals, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that some creatures recognize the good humans do for them and show their appreciation.

Lots of people report crows leaving them little gifts of rocks and other objects in return for peanuts.

People who have risked injury to free trapped animals, such as whales caught in nets or birds tangled in

fishing line, report feeling a connection and seeing gratitude from the animal.

I’d like to think we form bonds and that though animals’ emotions are different from those of humans, I think they sometimes show gratitude. There certainly is plenty of proof of their hostility when they are mistreated.

The bird made your day, so whether it was intentional or not, that was positive. Readers, have you experienced an animal saying “thanks?” Let me know.

DEARJOAN» If I put out yellowjacket traps using dish soap in water and if a hummingbird gets in the soapy water, will it be all right?

— Cath, Charlotte,

North Carolina

DEARCATH» Dish soap contains chemicals that can be harmful to animals if they are ingested, but there is nothing in the soap that inhibits flight or outwardly harms the birds. Wildlife rehabilitators use Dawn dishwashing soap to clean oil and gunk from birds.

The key here is whether they can rinse themselves off.

If you have a birdbath or a sprinkler nearby, that would help reduce the risk.

The aim of yellowjacket traps is drown the wasps when they come to feed, so there’s really no need to add the soap. Instead, use sugar and apple cider vinegar. Avoid using the color red on the trap, which is a color that attracts hummingbirds.

DEARJOAN» So I have moonflowers, and there are a couple of hummingbirds in the yard. I just found out that moonflowers could be poisonous to animals.

I’ve grown them before but I never had hummingbirds. Should I cut them down or leave them up?

— Kimbo, Oak Harbor, Ohio

DEAR KIMBO » The moonflower (Ipomoea alba) is a fragrant, night-blooming flower in the morning glory family.

The plant is poisonous if eaten, but the pollen and nectar are not.

The flowers rely mostly on moths for pollination, opening at night. I don’t think the hummingbirds would have much interest in the blooms, which start fading with the dawn.

It should be fine to leave them in your yard.