August 2012 Articles

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Just Rambling, August 2012

Just Rambling:
I hope you enjoy the photo of the hummingbird on the cover of our magazine. This photo was taken by my sister-in-law, Penny Wainwright, who enjoys wildlife photography. When she showed me the photo, I immediately wanted to use it as the cover of our August Ag Trader USA. Hummingbirds have always impressed me, particularly the speed of their movements when hunting and gathering their food. They are beautiful birds, and a joy to watch. The hummingbird is among the smallest of birds, most measuring between 7.5 to 13 cm (3 – 5 inches). The smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5 cm Bee Hummingbird. They hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12-80 times per second (depending on the species). To conserve energy while sleeping or when food is scarce, they have the ability to go into a hibernation-like state (torpor), where their metabolic rate slows to 1/15th of its normal rate. They are also the only group of birds capable of flying backwards. Their English name derives from the humming sound made by the quick beating of their wings. They can fly at speeds exceeding 34 mph.
Hummingbirds drink nectar, a sweet liquid inside certain flowers. Like bees, they assess the amount of sugar in the nectar they drink, rejecting flowers that produce nectar with less than 10% sugar content. Nectar doesn’t contain many nutrients, so hummingbirds meet their need for protein, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals by preying on insects and spiders. Most hummingbirds have long, straight bills, but in some species the bill’s shape is adapted for specialized feeding. The two halves of a hummingbird’s bill have a pronounced overlap, with the lower half (mandible) fitting tightly inside the upper half (maxilla). When hummingbirds feed on nectar, the bill usually opens only slightly to allow the tongue to dart out and into the interior of the flower. Excepting insects, hummingbirds in flight have the highest metabolism of all animals, a necessity in supporting the rapid beating of their wings. Their heart rate can climb as high as 1,260 beats per minute, a rate once measured in a Blue-throated Hummingbird. Each day, they consume more than their own weight in nectar, which means they must visit hundreds of flowers daily. Hummingbirds are continuously just hours away from starving to death, and are able to store just enough energy to survive overnight. The Aztecs wore hummingbird talismans, some mere representations, others formed from actual hummingbird parts, emblematic of the hummingbird’s vigor, energy, and propensity to work.
When I watch hummingbirds, I readily relate their activity to our society. Like the Aztecs, I marvel at how diligent they work for their food and their existence. I wonder if they realize they are only hours away from starvation. I think back to our ancestors in this country, ancestors who worked so hard despite all types of dangers and terrible conditions to form this great nation of ours. They were truly the hummingbirds of their time—working diligently to survive, and often facing starvation and the perils of a wild and savage land. I wonder if obesity was a problem back then? I wonder if people felt entitled to eat without working during the birth of our nation? I wonder if people then felt manual labor was beneath them, as many Americans do today? I think not! People were industrious, hardworking, and God-fearing people. They were proud of their nation and would defend it from all dangers. They didn’t think it owed them anything, as a large percent of our population does today. In Proverbs 21:25, the Scriptures tell us, “The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.” Proverbs 18:9 tells us, “He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” Our nation’s population is fast becoming a “You Owe Me” population. Remember, great nations fall from within—self-destruct—as Proverbs 21:25 suggests: “He who is lazy in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.” Will our laziness, our sense of entitlement, our indifference to God destroy America from within? It can if left unchecked. We all must be hummingbirds—working hard, while forever realizing that destruction might be just a short distance away, and turning back to God and the principles of our ancestors. Wake up, America! Van Bennett
References: Wikipedia