Migration Series: Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Migration Story:  Ruby Throated Hummingbirds

Who doesn't mark the highpoints of a season by the birds in their back yard?  Lately, I've been noticing a female Ruby Throated Hummingbird as she flits between the trailing morning glories and purple petunias on my deck.  She doesn't stop for long, but drinks some nectar and moves quickly on to her next course in the neighbor's garden.

This piece in my Migration Story series marks the Spring migration of this beautiful little bird.  At some point in the coldest months of January and February, these tiny creatures pack on 2-3 grams of fat, nearly doubling their body weight.  The length of the day signals the males to fly north from Central America, landing on the Gulf of Mexico and making their way to their nesting areas in New England and Canada. These are the most common hummingbirds, and the most easily identifiable by their red throats and humming wings.  The birds stay until late summer/early fall, then make their journey south again for the winter.

This piece is made, as you can see from the photo, of small bits of fabric and a 1917 vintage railroad map.  After carefully creating the fabric collage, the piece is stitched by machine, and then embellished with hand dyed threads.  It will be framed to 16x20",  and available for purchase at my upcoming open studio and art fair events this autumn.  Stay tuned for more information!