Why can’t Oakland hummingbird decide whether to sit or hover at the feeder?

DEAR JOAN: Watching a hummingbird dining at my feeder, I noticed that every time it sipped, it would lift off the feeder for a moment, flap its tiny wings and then land again, take another sip and then lift off again. Every time. Down and up, down and up.

It’s like getting up from the table every time you take a bite, dancing around a bit and sitting down for the next bite. What’s that about?

— Richelle, Oakland

DEAR RICHELLE: Are you saying it’s not normal to do a happy dance after every bite? No wonder the restaurant wait staff looks at me funny.

Hummingbirds are genetically programmed to eat while hovering. It allows them to feed at almost any flower they come across.

However, they don’t have to hover while eating. If provided a perch where they can sit and sup, some will take advantage of taking a little rest and enjoying their meal.

The up and down movements you’re seeing could be from a younger bird who is taking advantage of the perch, while instinct is telling it to hover over the food source. It sits, it sups, and then it gives way to its nature and hovers a bit.

The bird might also be a male who is defending the food source by drinking and then making a display to warn off other visitors.

You might also see a bird behave this way, if both the nectar and the air are chilly. In colder temperatures, the hummingbird’s metabolism slows, so to keep warm, it needs to be more active. In this case, the bird might take a sip and then flap its wings to keep the blood pumping.

DEAR JOAN: My elderly friend uses a walker and has a delightful small dog she walks daily around the neighborhood.

The dog enjoys the walks as much as she does. He also does what most pups do on a walk. He poops.

My friend cannot balance well enough to pick it up like she used to do to be a good neighbor.  She lives too far from me to help her out.  We looked at poop grabbers but her poor balance wouldn’t allow her to use it safely.  Any thoughts on dealing with this issue?

— Pam, San Jose

DEAR PAM: I’d suggest asking Google for recommendations of pooper scoopers designed for differently-abled people. There are some, such as the HandiScoop, that allow the user to pick up and bag the poop with one hand and without bending. I have no idea how well they work, but there are a lot of options out there, as it appears dog poop is a vastly mined area of entrepreneurship.

Another option would be for your friend to get a walker that would allow her to sit while scooping, giving her a more secure perch from which to bend.

She also could try first walking around her property and encouraging the dog to poop there before heading out for a longer walk. She could then pick up the offending material at her leisure, or hire a neighbor kid to do it once a week or so.

Readers, do you have any suggestions or recommendations of products you’ve used? Let me know.

I applaud your friend for continuing to be a good neighbor and responsible dog mom, but we need to make sure she stays safe.

Animal Life runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.