This hummingbird feather is no bigger than a sunflower seed. I had to use my macro lens to capture the detail (click on photo). Some say that hummingbird feathers are magical. Maybe they’re right because it certainly seems like magic that I have this tiniest, most precious feather.
One day while living in Virginia, I was sitting on my front porch–as I often did. I fed the birds and the hummingbirds regularly, and I loved to watch them all. On this particular day, the hummingbirds were swarming. They were getting bulked up for their trip south and then across the Gulf of Mexico. This meant that they were sparring frequently in order to build their strength. As I sat watching, two hummingbirds began to duke it out fiercely. Suddenly they collided, and when they did, one of them released the tiniest feather I have ever seen (seriously…no bigger than a sunflower seed!). I could only see it because the bright, shining sun caught the colors and illuminated it for me. It floated for the longest time in the sunlight, and as it did, I jumped from my chair, ran into the yard, and followed the feather as best I could. I knew it was unlikely to catch such a tiny thing, but I was going to try. And thanks to the sun, and a bit of hummingbird magic, I did catch it. To this day I treasure this most precious feather, and feel honored that it found its way to me.
Some say the hummingbird is a symbol of accomplishing that which seems impossible and a symbol of tireless joy. Yes, that resonates with me, and I am reminded of William Blake’s poem, Auguries of Innocence:
To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
I have held infinity in the palm of my hand, in the form of a hummingbird feather, and I am deeply grateful.
