When I got up this morning I heard something squeaking and saw the cat had something in his mouth. I thought it was a mouse and yelled at him to get it outside. He let go and something tiny flew out and into the corner behind some furniture. I shooed the cat out of the room and looked to see what it was. Here's what I found.
A female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. She looked a little beaten up, but seemed more or less OK. I was letting her rest and trying to figure out how to get her back outside. When she noticed one of the other cats and freaked out, took off, and slammed into a couple walls, then just fell to the floor. I picked her up, she was breathing very hard and looked like she may even be seizing. I put her in an old ice cream tub with some holes cut in the lid and put her in a quiet corner. I didn't take any pics as I thought it was going to end badly. She just laid there on her side rapidly breathing tongue hanging out. I checked back every 10 min or so, still breathing, but just laying there. After about an hour when I checked she was standing up looking around! Another 10 min and she was trying to fly. I didn't want her to beat herself up any more so I took her outside and opened the lid.
Half of her tail feathers (left side) are missing and at least one from her right wing.
But that didn't slow her down too much.
In all the excitement I forgot to zoom I had 140mm available, but shot at 19! Micro 4/3 sensor so double those numbers for full frame equivalent. Here's a very heavily cropped and processed close up.
So happy she made it! 
Really need to put a bell on that cat!
A female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. She looked a little beaten up, but seemed more or less OK. I was letting her rest and trying to figure out how to get her back outside. When she noticed one of the other cats and freaked out, took off, and slammed into a couple walls, then just fell to the floor. I picked her up, she was breathing very hard and looked like she may even be seizing. I put her in an old ice cream tub with some holes cut in the lid and put her in a quiet corner. I didn't take any pics as I thought it was going to end badly. She just laid there on her side rapidly breathing tongue hanging out. I checked back every 10 min or so, still breathing, but just laying there. After about an hour when I checked she was standing up looking around! Another 10 min and she was trying to fly. I didn't want her to beat herself up any more so I took her outside and opened the lid.
Half of her tail feathers (left side) are missing and at least one from her right wing.
But that didn't slow her down too much.
In all the excitement I forgot to zoom I had 140mm available, but shot at 19! Micro 4/3 sensor so double those numbers for full frame equivalent. Here's a very heavily cropped and processed close up.
Really need to put a bell on that cat!
