We left him alone thinking he'd eventually find his way out but he didn't, in fact, he started flying around erratically and we started to worry he would wear himself down, dehydrate and die.
So we put out heads together and started Operation Hummingbird Rescue. Of course, he kept himself higher than we could easily reach so we got the telescopic pole we use for cleaning the pool and attached the net to the end of it to try catch him. All this made him do was fly around more erratically.
You can see in the photos he was sitting and flying around about 20 feet from the floor where we were (darn cathedral ceilings). We could stand on the stairs and reach better but of course he didn't stay put in one place, he flew around, so the stairs didn't work for long.
Eventually we realized that one person trying to catch him wasn't going to work so I grabbed the broom and when Alec herded him he flew toward me at the top of the stairs, so I would try and redirect him toward the front door. Both of us trying not to swat the little guy by swishing too vigorously near him.
None of this worked. We were all getting really hot, and tired (and dizzy because he flew in circles), but were no closer to getting our teeny tiny visitor to leave.
Just when we were about out of ideas, he flew up to the stop of the stairs and grabbed onto the wall near me. He was obviously about out of breath and energy. He landed a little less gracefully than I'm sure he'd have liked and slipped like he couldn't get a grip. So, I reached out and scooped him up.
I held him loosely for a few moments while we all caught our breath and then took him outside. I opened my hand and he sat there a moment or two and then took off.
I knew hummingbirds were tiny and figure their weight is probably in ounces, but had never held one of them. Light as a feather has new meaning I can tell you.
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