The Intruder

     At first glance this male Ruby Throat could be Ziggy, but it's very difficult to tell one adult male from another.  This male slipped in quietly and perched on the branch that held a feeder.  He was extremely terrified of Ziggy, but not enough to stay away from the garden with many offerings.  He sat frozen on the branch and scouted out the territory before even attempting the forbidden nectar.  His feathers were squeezed tight to his body with tense muscles. He knew that around any tree or behind any leaf, the dreaded of all "Ziggy" could strike without warning. He sat motionless studying his surroundings while the temptation of nectar hung only one foot below him.  
     A relaxed bird will oftentimes ruffle the feathers, not only to regulate its body temperature, but because it has little fear of it's immediate surroundings. This male was tense and ready to burst into flight at any millisecond, but there was no way he would leave the promised land without the satisfying nectar that enticed him to begin with.  
N.E. of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. May 25, 2018.

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