The story of the hummingbird

This was a story told by Wangari Maathai, an evironmental activist and Nobel laureate from Ethiopia. There are a few versions, this one is the short one.

Once upon a time, not so long ago, and maybe not even so far away from where you live now, there lived many animals in a deep, green forest. And they lived in relative harmony. Until one day, a fire raged and raged in the deep, green forest. Frightened, all the animals ran or took flight. While running away they felt huge despair at the thought of what they were leaving behind... their only home. When they reached a safe distance some of the animals stopped to look at the raging fire, and they were feeling very discouraged and powerless. They were all bemoaning the destruction of their homes. Every one of them thought there was nothing they could do about the fire, except for one little hummingbird. This particular hummingbird decided it would do something. It swooped into the stream and picked up a few drops of water and went into the forest and put them on the fire. Then it went back to the stream and did it again, and it kept going back, again and again and again.

The animals below looked up in amazement. The lion, the elephant, the badger and the bear. They all looked at the hummingbird in disbelief.

Some tried to discourage the hummingbird with comments like, "Don't bother, it is too much, you are too little, your wings will burn, your beak is too tiny, it’s only a drop, you can't put out this fire." And as the animals stood around disparaging the little bird’s efforts, the bird noticed how hopeless and forlorn they looked. Then the lion roared: "Hummingbird, what do you think YOU are doing there with your one drop of water?" Undeterred by the impossibility of it all, the hummingbird said: "I am doing what I can."

I thought I'd include the above parable as it sums up our work here. It is the end of nesting season with our nesting fence coming down tomorrow.

Even though we didn't get chicks up we had a good year. The message of the birds needing help is getting out there via our letterbox drops, signage and chatting with people visiting the beach. We also had more volunteers this year than last. At the start of the nesting season "Facebook baiting" on the community pages was huge. By the end, the troublemakers were still trying it on, but people were no longer biting.

We've learnt so much about the behaviour of the birds, which has all been recorded in the Birdlife Australia Shorebird 2020 project database, which helps all beach nesting birds around Australia. Our one pair is considered very special because they can provide such indepth analysis being so close to a population centre. Indeed Birdlife Australia is so impressed they want to add us to a stop over tour to address locals ahead of next nesting season.

Sutherland Shire Council, particularly the Bushcare and Pest Species Units cannot be thanked enough for the work they've done supporting the Shorebirds this year. Without their help, our shorebirds don't stand a chance.

We also saw one miracle. One of our most vocal opponents (face to face insults, letter writing (he tells people about the letters he sends to Council) and Facebook complaints) came up to me as I was surveying the birds on the 26th November. I hadn't seen him coming, I normally do a quick exit (stage left) when I see him approach.

I heard his voice beside me "Julie, I have a chair for you. You should not have to be standing here all the time. Seriously. Follow me." Guessing the use of the word, seriously, was in response to the look on my face. Guess I don't have a poker face.

He then started walking down the stairs of a place he looks after and so I followed along, with some degree of trepidation.

He continued, "it is so good to see someone so dedicated. Locals were a bit upset as some of the beach was closed off, but it is only a small part and there is plenty of beach left". He then settled me in a chair on the balcony, which gives the best possible view for the areas where the oystercatchers nest and feed.

He then went on to say "stay as long as you need, just close the door behind you when you leave" and off he went. The silence that followed was so total. It wasn't even disturbed by a heartbeat. I think my heart had stopped momentarily. Having your heart stop and start up again on its own is indeed a miracle. Never thought I'd see the day. All of this was the total opposite to how he has been the last two years. If that can't be considered a major achievement, I don't know what can.